Lantern in the Snow

Album: Wonderama (1991)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about being lost and found: "Tonight, dark night, without a star to guide you sweet child, lost child come home. We will watch, we will pray, love will light your way gently like a lantern in the snow." Randy Stonehill is a worship artist, this song is a metaphor for converting to and being enlightened by Christianity.
  • Stonehill penned this alongside songwriter, Terry Taylor. During our interview, Stonehill told us that Taylor understood the musical visions he had for this track: "I think the first thing we wrote together on that project was 'Lantern in the Snow.' And it was so funny, because this is the idea I had: if Keith Richards went to Snow White's house for Christmas, it's got to have this whimsical thing, the guitar part's got to be right, it's got to have that little feel of the Stones doing 'Ruby Tuesday' or 'Back Street Girl' or something. And he just got it immediately." Stonehill added it was a great experience working alongside Taylor: "Because he hit upon something about songwriting that I think is important and true, and that is it's kind of a naked, vulnerable experience to just open your heart and put these ideas on the table in front of somebody else. And for that to be productive, there has to be a mutual sense of trust and respect so that you can be transparent enough to risk putting an idea on the table that might not work or might not be as good as the other guy's...And so I was really honored that he respected my work enough that he would come and embrace that experience for one of the first times in his own career."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.