“Love shared together over many long years can steadily burn or fade away… seems it’s just the little things that can go a long way in helping us make love stay” (from ‘Little Things’ by Dean Snider)
I have always loved the music of Dan Fogelberg. He had a beautiful and empathetic soul that he graciously shared through song. His passing in 2007 was, indeed, a great loss. In a 1982 greatest hits album he offered two previously unreleased songs, one of which was titled ‘Make Love Stay.’ In it he asks this age-old question:
Now that we love, Now that the lonely nights are over
How do we make love stay?
Now that we know The fire can burn bright or merely smolder
How do we keep it from dying away?
This lyric set to Fogelberg’s enchanting musical masterpiece has long been a favorite of mine. The imagery throughout is stunning, and the music is… haunting.
Almost three years ago as we faced the prospect of an empty nest, I considered that poignant question. Looking back on our life together – 30 plus years including four years of dating and almost 29 years of marriage to the fabulous, strong, smart, stunning and kind Darlene Snider (Martens) – I tried to craft a thoughtful response. It may not be the haunting beauty of Fogelberg’s melodic question, but I am pleased with my suggested answer and humbly offer it here in a song of my own.
I think that the ‘little things,’ in a long life together, may not be ‘little’ at all. They may, in fact, be the ‘things’ of greatest significance big or small!
Written in 2014 I have played this song in public since that time. This first recording, however, was captured on GarageBand in my ‘garage room’ (man cave?) in December 2016.
May the little things keep your love burning bright!
Dean
Just a Few Notes 
Dan Fogelberg is probably my favorite ballad artist and is missed. I had not listened to this song in some time. He is much more than an entertainer and makes one think about life, love and how we walk through it all. I do sense he was on a difficult journey and did not often find peace as some albums portrayed . I do hope he found it before passing.
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Agreed Peter. As I recall, I think you introduced me to Dan Fogelberg! The Innocent Age, I believe, was the first Album I heard and I found a vinyl copy last summer and listen periodically. Actually I am working on a version of Nexus… I might perform it or I might just play it at home… Thanks for listening! I trust you and family are well!
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Was that one of our band/choir tours? I seem to recall you asking me to listen to some of my music while on a bus. I warned you it might be a little “rock and roll”. You had a good chuckle after listening to some of his “faster” tunes. Not quite the rock and roll of the 80s, hahaha
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Indeed that is what I remember 🙂 Those were good days together Peter!
I was playing the other Fogelberg songs on my list last night… Longer… Leader of the Band (played that at my dad’s birthday in August) and The Reach. I love playing his stuff! Be well my friend!
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Hey Dean, Dad and I looked through your blog and listened to the songs…him in Naples, me in Pittsburgh. Like Make Love Stay.
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Fun to listen together! Yes, the music of Fogelberg is special.
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