A Christmas Song

He's gone,
2000 miles,
is very far.
The snows falling down,
it's colder day by day.
I miss you.

The children were singing,
He'll be back at Christmas time.

And these frozen and silent nights,
sometimes in a dream,
you appear.
Outside under the purple sky,
diamonds in the snow,
sparkle.

Our hearts were singing,
it felt like Christmas time.

2000 miles,
is very far through the snow.
I'll think of you,
wherever you go.

He's gone,
2000 miles,
is very far.
The snows falling down.
It's colder day by day.
I miss you.

I can hear people singing,
it must be Christmas time.
I hear people singing,
it must be Christmas time.

Originally recorded by the Pretenders, this 2000 Miles has always been a Christmas favorite of mine. Last night as I was driving home, I heard a cover version on the radio. Just a woman's voice and what I later learned was a mandolin. It was a haunting version of a familiar song, and when I reached my driveway I shut the engine down and sat in the car, waiting for the song to finish playing. It was that good.

The woman singing was Merrie Amsterburg. Her cover of 2000 Miles can be found on a Viva Noel, a Christmas compilation from Q Division featuring Boston artists.