Since Matthew has lived so far from his family for the past six years, the Christmas season has been particularly hard on him. Every year it’s a choice between long, crowded flights or spending the holiday season alone.

Originally recorded live around Christmas 2004, Matthew has re-recorded a tune that captures his need to be with his family. Even if it takes a long, long time to get there.

Lost on Block Island - 4.8MB MP3

Lyrics:

Red-eye flight come down to me,
I got somewhere else to be.
I’ll be leaving here at 3 AM
to see my family.

All my sweaters, they’ve been packed.
December cold won’t make me crack.
Once I get there I don’t know,
I don’t care how I’m coming back.

‘Cause I would walk a thousand miles.
I would walk a thousand miles
through the snow or rain or
winter storms to be back home
for Christmas.

I been gone to long to say,
but I’m coming anyway.
Any way I can to leave this town
and get back home today.

Let the snow fall through the air-
I got eight long hours to spare.
I’ll be waiting at the airport bar
for three, but I don’t care.

But this long flight don’t bother me,
Wise men and Shepherds came to see
a baby born this morning
miles away from their locality.
An angel singing clear,
“Halelujah!” Christ is coming here
with no plane, with no train,
just a will that’s still
determined to find me.
(You know He found me.)

So I would walk a thousand miles.
I would walk a thousand miles
through the snow or rain
or checkout lines or traffic jams…