Reflections on Times Like These: "Left Alone"

The first time I heard this song, I was listening to “Real Jazz” on SiriusXM radio. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was going to be on my list of songs to explore for possible inclusion on “Times Like These.” While I was learning it, I found myself constantly getting choked up. I couldn’t help imagining the deep well of heartache the composers, Mal Waldron and Billie Holiday, must have been drawing from to pen lyrics like, “First they hurt me, then desert me. I’m left alone. All alone.” So John and I started experimenting with different grooves that had a little more edge rather than despair where the emphasis is on seeking, remembering, hoping, accepting, but still expecting—even when “Left Alone.”