I am so happy to share a new song with you!

I used to go to Java Joe’s once a week, early in the morning before anyone woke up.  I savored being alone and thinking, writing, making lists, eating good food and drinking good coffee.  Michelle Wetherbee, the owner (and queen) of the coffee shop had worked out a barter arrangement with us–we sang for our food–so I didn’t have to feel guilty about spending money we didn’t have to eat out.  Stargirl and Moonboy was written there.

Colleen, who worked behind the counter, was always gracious and smiling.  She welcomed everyone in.  Over the summer, her four-year-old daughter, London, was hanging about the coffee shop from time to time when I went in.  She had blank books and a basket of markers and would spend most of her time drawing people with wheels for feet…

Even though I was going there to get away and think, sometimes I would ask London if she’d like to sit with me and draw in my book.  She drew me some really cool pictures, my favorite being a portrait of Paloma on a pogo stick…

One day, as London was sitting with me (and I admittedly was thinking of all the other things I needed to be doing while I was sitting there alone…), I drew a picture for her.  It started as a star.  I added a face to the star and put a dress on it.  Then I drew a moon, added a face, and drew him wearing a fancy suit.  At the top, I wrote Stargirl and Moonboy.  I gave her the drawing, which wasn’t especially good.  But the idea of it was really beautiful to me.  It seemed like the perfect song.

This song was written over the course of the next couple of weeks, little by little.  Most of it was written at Java Joe’s.

I was so grateful to London for sitting with me that day and inspiring me to write this song.

When the lyrics were finished, Randy helped me tweak the melody and he put the song to music.  In our live concerts, we play this song on guitar and accordion.  In this recording, made in our living room, you can hear Randy playing the guitar, bass, Irish low whistle (which is AMAZING!), snapping his fingers, and singing background vocals.  I am singing and playing accordion.  This is a fun little song.  I hope you like it.

One final word:  To those of you who have donated to our project, we cannot thank you enough.  Giving us the tools to record our own music, you have changed our lives forever.  We are making steady progress on the album and, though it is taking longer than we had hoped, we feel that it is going to be better than we ever dreamed it could be.  Thank you for your support, your faith in us and our music.  May God return your kindness back to you.