Written by Tiffany Thompson
Arranged by Michael Anderson
Phantom Feelings
Charcoal chicken and chilled red wine
Keep me company on sticky sweet nights
Heat waves always seem break around eight
When I’m thinking of you, thinking of me, thinking of you
We were just babes, but we talked like sages
Never really read anything from the same books or pages
But I never got tired of our conversations
And I’ll never get used, never get used to missing you
There’s an ache that never goes away
There’s a love that always finds its way
To my heart for anything that pertains to you
Dinner for three at every four top table
Makes me feel a just little unstable
Phantom feelings of your hand on mine
Hope I never forget, never regret knowing you
There’s an ache that’ll never go away
There’s a love that always finds its way
To my heart for anything that pertains to you
“My audience” has always felt elusive. A few close friends here, a couple thousand faceless streams there. The age of album has come and gone; unless you’re hawking koozies and necklaces, all most people take home after a concert is a memory.
But memory is where the Muse takes flight. A mystical, spiritual place filled with whimsy and depth, delight and invitation. A solitude filled with communion. An inner landscape where healing waters mix with tears and you start to name things honestly.
“If you’re not a little afraid to sing what you’ve written, you might not be cutting deep enough into the marrow of your story.”
Writing “Phantom Feelings” was communal. It emerged from late-night conversations with friends during a season when I was piecing my heart back together. But it also felt private in a way that made me uncomfortable. And so, of course, I kept it in consideration for the record. If you’re not a little afraid to sing what you’ve written, you might not be cutting deep enough into the marrow of your story.
I once sang "Phantom Feelings" for a widow. She and I were the only two “single” people at a small gathering, and I wondered: could our heartbreaks both find solace in the same song? As the notes and lyrics stumbled out of me, tears welled up in her. We sat together on the piano bench, shared a hug, and she said, “Thank you.”
She welcomed the song into the world, before it was recorded, before it was remixed. She let it awaken her memory. Now every time I play it, I feel J— sitting beside me.
For all those who have paused to spend time with my songs, whether in person or recorded, thank you. Thank you for honoring my creations with your attention. It means more than I'll ever be able to say.
Keep an eye out for the alternative lo-fi remix of “Phantom Feelings” coming out Dec 17th. But for those of you who found your way to this part of this page, here is a link to enjoy the song today! XOXO - Tiffany
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