Singer-songwriter George Collins has released a brand new track, “My Wish For You,” in time for the holiday season.
This is a poignant song that delves into the depths of parenthood, crafting a touching and introspective musical journey. It is a heartfelt composition that resonates with listeners on a profoundly emotional level.
The beginnings of the song traces back to a scorching August day in 2012 when Collins, embracing fatherhood at the age of 50, walked home from the hospital after witnessing the birth of his daughter. Overwhelmed by the transformative experience, he received what he describes as a “download” – the chorus of “My Wish For You” arrived almost fully formed. In that poignant moment, tears streaming down his face, Collins immortalized his emotions on paper, setting the stage for a decade-long creative journey.
“Halfway home, with my head and heart swirling, I received a download, and the chorus for what eventually became “My Wish for You” arrived almost fully formed. I pulled out my notebook and jotted down the lines – I still have that paper to this day (but then again, I never throw away anything – much to my wife’s annoyance!). I was sitting on a stone wall around the corner from the hospital, tears streaming down my face as I scribbled as fast as I could – attracting numerous stares from passers-by, but I didn’t care. Ten years later, I was writing songs for the Songs for Grown-ups, and I decided to revisit these lines and finally finish this song.”
A decade later, Collins revisits those heartfelt lines while working on the “Songs for Grown-ups” EP. Inspired by the intimate scenario of a father cradling his newborn daughter and expressing his aspirations for her future, the song evolves into a timeless piece of musical storytelling.
The recurring chorus, with its heartfelt “May you…” and the resonant hook, “That is my wish for you,” becomes the emotional core of the song. Drawing wisdom from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Letter to His Daughter,” Collins meticulously crafts a poetic list of wishes, whittling it down to the ten that find a home in the final lyrics.
Attention to detail and emotional impact, rhythmic finesse, and singability, results in a composition that not only tugs at heartstrings but ties the listener to a shared human experience. The authenticity deepens as Collins weaves in personal moments, recounting his own cuddles with his newborn daughter and serenading her with Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.”
Collins’s personal journey – from a career in finance to embracing full-time fatherhood and pursuing creative passions – mirrors the narrative of the song, transforming it to show the enduring power of life experience and artistic expression.
As the lyrics unfold, listeners are invited into a world where wishes are delicately crafted, where the profound and the everyday intersect, and where a father’s love is immortalized in a timeless melody.
“My Wish For You” is more than a song; it’s a heartfelt wish encapsulated in music, resonating with anyone who has felt the depth of a parent’s love and the boundless hope for a child’s future. George Collins has not just created music; he has woven a timeless expression of love and aspiration that lasts.
Listen to “My Wish for You” on Spotify.
Keep up to date with George Collins Band on his website, and social media channels Facebook and Instagram.