The path to this song was formed by an accumulation of unfortunate events, comprised of both personal tragedies and true-crime accounts. Once the lyrics showed up, they showed up all at once, which isn’t the typical process for me. When I passed the lyrics and melody off to Kyle for writing collaboration, it wasn’t until the first time I heard the developed arrangement, with the sing, that I understood the importance of the message. That message is a hard truth, and one which spreads out hard into the heart and mind. Placing this hard truth within a tune helped me express the tragic sadness of it all. It was clear that a lyric video would help deliver the message and allow the observer to experience and perhaps better understand the story through reflection.
Around all of this is a music track that is slammin’ and worked out line-by-line with Michael Sanford on Lead guitars, Keith Rosenbaum on drums and Kyle Sanford on bass, guitars, programming and production. I’ve known the Sanfords for many moons, and Michael Sanford co-wrote and recorded with me on my very first original material recordings, circa 1981. The Dears is my first songwriting collaboration with Kyle. It was a pleasure to work in his home studio and have a “new to me” songwriter/producer who had such an immediate understanding of where I wanted the song to go musically.
I have the deepest respect for anyone who has experienced, or is experiencing, Domestic Violence. This song is released into the world as a vehicle for awareness.
Commemorated in 1987, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Please share this YouTube.