December 2019

[Verse 1]

When did this old house start feeling empty?

Did I lose track of the time?

Its wailing walls call out to meet me

But I still say I’m fine

[Verse 2]

When did I change my mind?

‘Cause it used to be so easy

I’d drown my time with me, myself, and I

But now I don’t like when it’s just me

[Pre-Chorus]

This town’s not full, and I’m empty

[Chorus]

I used to want to be alone

But now I don’t want that anymore

This town has changed what I’ve known of home

Cause home’s not what it was before

[Verse 3]

The years have changed what I’ve always known

Just please lend me your company

But in the midst of all my crooning groans

This house is only holding me

[Pre-Chorus]

This town’s not full, and I’m empty

[Chorus]

I used to want to be alone

But now I don’t want that anymore

This town has changed what I’ve known of home

Cause home’s not what it was before

[Pre-Chorus]

This town’s not full, and I’m empty

This town’s not full, and I’m empty

Standard Tuning: Capo 2

Verse: Dm Am7 C G // Dm Am7 G [2x]

Pre-Chorus: Dm Am7 G

Chorus: Am7 F C C/B [4x]

Growing up, I always considered myself a hardcore introvert. I’d happily spend my time without hardly any interaction with others. But when I left for college, I found myself wanting to spend more and more time with people. While I’m definitely still an introvert at my core, I was sliding into becoming a more extroverted introvert. It was good – I needed those connections.

I ended up getting to stay behind in Kirksville this semester for a couple of days after classes ended. Turns out, it’s a whole different town when there is no student population in it. And while I enjoyed the desolate-ness of the town, I quickly found myself wishing to be with friends.

This song is also about learning to redefine what home is. When you leave for college, your perspective of “home” changes. Once I got to Kirksville, I found myself having two homes for once in my life. This song is my attempt to understand what it is like to have multiple homes – not detracting from each other, but separate from one another. “Home’s not what it was before” because I now have a dual perspective on home. Home is both where I grew up, and where my community is.

“Home” is different now, but it is still home. It’s still good.