The Healing Journey

Country music singer Vince Gill’s older brother Bob was seriously injured in a car accident in 1968 and was in a three-month coma that left him with irreversible brain damage. Over the next 25 years, his life was a struggle, and he became separated from family and friends. In 1993, he died of a heart attack. It was the same year that Gill was producing his Christmas album “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” And while Gill was putting together material for the album, pondering the traditional holiday themes, he knew he had to pay tribute to his brother and wrote, “It Won’t Be the Same This Year.” He dedicated the album and his first televised Christmas special to Bob.

Over the years, Gill has been approached by others who have suffered the loss of a loved one and carry the same burden of grief at Christmas. Hear Vince Gill sing “It Won’t Be the Same This Year”.
(https://youtu.be/vz3O3l5uRo4?si=aTd47uaUyR9d7tT7)

 

It Won’t Be the Same This Year

It’s time to pack our bags and hit the highway
And head on back for Christmas holiday.
I’ll fall apart when I pull in the driveway,
It’s my first time home since brother passed away.

His favorite time of year was always Christmas
We’d reminisce about the days gone by,
Oh, how I wish that he were still here with us
My memories of him will never die.

When the stockings are hung,
“Silent Night” has been sung,
And Christmas is finally here
It won’t be the same this year.

Losing my big brother hurt so badly,
It’s helped me learn what Christmas really means.
There’s nothing more important than your family
We’re all the children of the King of Kings.

So when the stockings are hung
“Silent Night” has been sung
And Christmas is finally here
It won’t be the same this year.

Songwriters: Vincent Grant Gill
It Won’t Be the Same This Year lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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