Keepin' The Lights On

Album: Keepin' The Lights On (2024)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Kameron Marlowe grew up in Kannapolis, North Carolina. His family - parents Kip and Elizabeth, and younger brother Aidan, were very close but sometimes struggled financially. Kip worked at a factory for 20 years, and when he got laid off, he wasn't sure how he was going to pay the bills. "I don't know if I'm going to keep the lights on," he told Kameron.

    That line gave Marlowe the title to this song, which he wrote about his family. "It's a very personal song to me," he told Songwriter Universe. "When I was growing up, I didn't have a lot. We were poor, but my parents never made us feel like we were poor. They did everything they could to give us what we needed and more."

    "I made a promise to myself and my family, to always do the best that I can and try to keep the lights on for them," he added. "They're my rock... I love them so much and I'm very thankful for them."
  • Released in 2024, "Keepin' The Lights On" is the title track to Kameron Marlowe's second album. He got his first break when he got to compete on the competition show The Voice in 2018. Then in 2020 he earned a record deal after releasing his song "Giving You Up" independently. His first album, We Were Cowboys, was released in 2022.

    Marlowe's music is infused with his values and cover those topics: family bonds, hard work, friendship.
  • Marlowe wrote the song with the Nashville scribes Kendell Marvel and Phil "Philbilly" O'Donnell. Marvel's credits include "Twang" by George Strait and "Either Way" by Chris Stapleton; O'Donnell's include "She Won't Be Lonely Long" by Clay Walker and "Silverado Saturday Night" by Aaron Watson.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.

Who Wrote That Song?

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Taylor Dayne

Taylor DayneSongwriter Interviews

Taylor talks about "The Machine" - the hits, the videos and Clive Davis.

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.