"Without You" ~ The Story Behind The Song

(I'm Lost) Without You (2011)

“'How would you feel if a spouse was no longer with you?'

I wanted to write a song that addressed this very real (and I think rarely talked about) tragedy that can happen to us here.  I asked my wife this question because I wanted to know if men and women thought differently or the same about this subject.  I wanted to know a different perspective.

This was my wife's answer, 'Without You.'  (Erin wrote most of the lyrics.  I just added the music and did some light arranging.  It was really our Producer, Zach Zurn, of Carpet Booth Studios, the gifted, Charlie Burkett on strings, and mixing by Nikola Hamilton, that really gave this song life!)  Thank you all!”

~Drew Jarrod

"I don’t want to forget that I loved you...
when I hate you,
‘cause I miss you."
~Drew Jarrod "Surrender" (1997)

How would you feel if a spouse was no longer with you?”

(I'm Lost) Without You [Orion’s Choice]
Words by The Holy Spirit/Erin Jarrod/Drew Jarrod
Music by The Holy Spirit/Drew Jarrod
℗ & © 1/18/2011 Erin Jarrod/Drew Jarrod (BMI). All Rights Reserved.

I thought everything was fine -
that we were doing okay.
I just don’t understand
why you tossed us away…

You floated away like dust in the wind;
Just slipped through my fingers
when my hand wasn’t held tight enough.
Why couldn’t you stay?

I wake up at night
expecting to find you by my side,
but you’re gone,
and I can’t get warm

without you;
will I have the strength to go on?
I don’t know what to do.
I’m lost without you.

Our beautiful home is now a mess.
Our children need more tenderness.
I am on my last nerve.
I just kicked the wash machine.

There’s hardly a day that I don’t cry.
I need help with the bills,
and the grass is getting so high…
(I can’t remember all that needs to be done.)

But, I can recall, so clearly,
that night a year ago,
you didn’t come home.

And what do I say when our kids ask,
“Who is in our photographs?”
-Just someone we used to know?
-Who’s still not coming home today?
-Who’s never coming back again?

I don’t want to forget that I loved you
when I hate you, ‘cause I miss you.

This has taken a lot out of me.
I’m too tired to watch TV,
or read to them at night.
But, I promise, I will try
to play with them…

What else can I say?
I’m sorry for feeling this way.
It’s just the start of another day
without you.

CREDITS
Lyrics - Erin Jarrod/Drew Jarrod
Music - Drew Jarrod
Arrangement – Zach Zurn/Drew Jarrod/Erin Jarrod
Producer, Pianos, Synths, Electric & Bass Guitars, Percussion - Zach Zurn
Strings - Charlie Burkett
Vocals/BGVs - Drew Jarrod/Zach Zurn
Acoustic Guitar - Drew Jarrod
Engineer/Mixing/Mastering - Zach Zurn/Nikola Hamilton/Drew Jarrod
Recording - Carpet Booth Studios
Artwork - Erin Jarrod/Drew Jarrod