Fire

Pure

Christmas 2023 was not a typical Minnesota Christmas.  For the first time in a very long time, there was no snow.  Both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day it rained, and all our plans with family and friends cancelled.  This was the 5th Christmas without my family as both mom and dad had passed pre-pandemic and my sister and her family live in Seattle, and I was feeling a certain way.

I wrote the lyrics Christmas Day and the music followed shortly thereafter.  I took some of the feelings I was feeling and realized others out there must be having the same kinds of feelings.  

I wrote “Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas (Without You)” for those feeling an absence of someone—or something—that was important to them.  It could be a lover, friends, parents, a pet… any kind of loss is amplified this time of year.

I harkened back to the nostalgic sounds of the Christmas music I grew up with—Andy Williams and Dean Martin. I pay homage to holiday classics “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, and “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer” in the bridge section.  

I wanted it to feel familiar and seasonal because the season goes on no matter what has transpired in each of our lives. 

Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas (Without You) was written, performed, recorded and mixed in the Forgiveness Unity Studios in Plymouth, MN by Paul David with the amazing Alex Maiers on guitars. 

Doesn't Feel Like Christmas (Without You)

Doesn't Feel like Christmas (Without You)

I grew up listening to the "Holiday Sing Along with Mitch Miller" album, and when making this track, I accidentally kept all the lead vocals up and it reminded me of that album. So, I re-imagined this song being sung around the campfire with just instruments you could have on a beach or outside around a campfire: guitar, handpan, sleigh bells, Udu drum, hand claps, and of course, voices.  ...these voices just happen to know the harmony,

Doesn't Feel like Christmas (Without You) Campfire Sing Along

I was digging through my collection of lyric bits this past summer and came across a partial lyric from the 1990's. I had such success with Artist's Prayer (lyrics written about the same time), I thought I would give it a shot. However, unlike Artist's Prayer, this was not nearly complete...but had some great imagery of reflection.

As a tarot reader, the 6 of Cups has to do with thinking back to the way things used to be. I thought that summed up the lyric remnant I found. I wondered how I could meld those two images.

As my 10th high school reunion neared, I wondered musically what that experience would be like after so many years apart.

Sadly, I did not finish it in time for the reunion, but the thought was there.

Affirmation-Single

Six Cups

Remake of the iconic (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

I am extremely excited to release to the world the Affirmation EP.  I wanted to write a song that lifted people out of their self-doubt and moved them into empowerment.  I originally wrote Affirmation in 2016 but didn't get to laying down the tracks until the middle of the pandemic.   However, I wasn't happy with my lead vocals and I felt pulled to other projects.
Enter 2025 and all that is going on to disempower people. I decided NOW was the time!  
I coupled it with a song I started writing last June, 6 Cups, which has it's roots in my tarot reading business (if you haven't had a reading from me, you are missing out!).  I was approaching my 40th (gulp) high school reunion and thinking about how much we had all changed in those years.  THAT is the energy of the 6 of Cups card in tarot. This kinda has a Prince//David Bowie vibe.
Lastly, I wanted one more song to round out the EP.  After doing some re-work several of my Christian songs, I scrapped those for this irreverent, inappropriate dance mix of “Together We”, a song I wrote for a virtual work conference in 2021 (perhaps even the song that pulled me away from Affirmation originally).  I present Together We (TL;DL Grad. Mix).  TL;DL is internet slang for too long, don't listen.  Clocking in at just over 6 minutes, this dance gem includes snippets from my June 6, 1984 graduation speech.  Thanks to my good friend Jose for letting me use his voice in the song and to that one lady from Karen Wants A Reservation that I continue to sample such amazing lines as “God Bless America” in Sunshine (after the Rain) and in this one “Give 'em Heck”.  


Fire

STRÜB

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