A Song Inspired by It’s a Wonderful Life
A Journey of Passion, Persistence, and Collaboration
Life’s Special Moments Amid the Everyday
Hi there,
On the special days of our lives—whether personal or professional—the rest of the world continues on as usual, absorbed in its own rhythm and concerns. It was like that the day we were born, and it’ll be like that the day we die. We have just one life, among more than eight billion others.
Tomorrow, 29 November 2024, will be a milestone for me and my songwriting collaborators: a song we’ve poured nearly three years into will finally be launched.
A Beloved Film That Inspires
Why It’s a Wonderful Life Matters to Me
I rarely rewatch movies, but there’s one exception: It’s a Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart and Donna Reed. Every Christmas, I watch it—and it moves me deeply every time. Without fail, I cry. Or at least gulp. To me, it’s a parable of life, encompassing everything: a protagonist with noble intentions, a villain, life’s struggles, and redemption.
The Heart of the Story
George Bailey’s Struggles and Redemption
George Bailey, played by James Stewart, is the heart of the story. He’s an everyman who dreams of escaping his small town of Bedford Falls to explore the world. But life thwarts him at every turn: his father’s death, the 1929 stock market crash, and his brother’s failure to take over the family’s Building and Loan business. Instead of adventure, George ends up leading a life of sacrifice—doing good for others but often falling short in his personal life and ambitions.
One pivotal day, overwhelmed and at his lowest point, George stands on a bridge contemplating suicide. The movie takes us through his life: how he saved his brother from drowning, prevented the pharmacist Mr. Gower from unintentionally poisoning a customer, and stood up to the greedy and ruthless Mr. Potter. Yet, despite his good deeds, George feels trapped, a failure as a father and a husband.
The Transformative Power of Perspective
Clarence and the Meaning of Life
And then, in his darkest hour, the film shows us the transformative power of perspective. Through the intervention of Clarence, his guardian angel, George sees what the world would look like without him. His life, imperfect as it is, suddenly shines with meaning. In that revelation, he decides he wants to live—even if it means facing jail for a mistake not of his making.
The movie’s climax is a beautiful celebration of community and love. George’s wife, Mary, rallies the townspeople, who show up at his home with contributions to help him in his hour of need. His brother, a war hero whose life George once saved, toasts him as “the richest man in town.” And Clarence, the angel, earns his wings, having shown George that his life was, indeed, wonderful.
Inspired to Write a Song
Turning Emotion Into Creativity
I’m not alone in my love for this film. Many people share how it brings tears to their eyes every time they watch it. Intrigued by my own emotional response, I felt compelled to write a song inspired by it.
A Three-Year Journey
From First Drafts to Final Harmony
This song has been a labour of love. Over the past three years, it has undergone countless iterations—melodic tweaks, lyrical rewrites—until we reached a version we were truly happy with. The journey began with the original songwriting team: producer Zac Ware (guitarist for The Proclaimers), Italian drummer and trumpeter Andrea Patron (who performs as Patron Andrea), Swiss singer Corinne Schmidiger, and me, Joe Armstrong, as lyricist.
Collaborative Magic
Bringing in New Voices and Expertise
Like a fine wine, the song needed time to mature. Earlier this year, I gathered the team to revisit it with fresh eyes, determined to complete and release it before its third Christmas. That’s when we brought Bryan Matthews, known as “The Rayne”, into the fold. Bryan, Andrea and I had collaborated before on songs like “Every Moment” and “So Glad I Married You”. His extraordinary talent as a singer-songwriter brought new insights, and he introduced us to Paul Statham, a renowned songwriter and producer. Paul’s work includes contributions to Dido’s U.S. and U.K. No. 1 album No Angel and Kylie Minogue’s international hit Fever.
Bryan recorded his vocals at Dom Richmond’s studio in Leeds, while Corinne added her backing vocals from Switzerland. Clive Jenner, master drummer with The Proclaimers, played drums. Zac Ware played guitar and meticulously produced the track at his Meadow Lane Music Ltd studio in Bath, UK. The result? A song we all love, crafted with care and passion.
A Song Is Born
From North Meath to the World
What began almost three years ago in the rural solitude of North Meath, Ireland, will come to life tonight at midnight. By morning, it will be available on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and other platforms, ready to find its way into the world. You can pre-save it here.
Call to Action
Spread the word! Listen to it on Spotify, Apple Music etc. and give it a like! Ask your radio station to play it!
If you write anything about the song on social media, please use the following hashtags:
#ItsAWonderfulLifeAChristmasTale
#ItsAWonderfulLife
Joe’s acclaimed first memoir In My Gut, I Don’t Believe is available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, Hardback and Audible editions. His second memoir Saved by a Woman is available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardback editions.
