Nona (song)

## **Nona**

"**Nona**" is the fourth track off of Sean Kennedy's debut studio album. The track was written about Kennedy's late great-grandmother and was one of the first songs Sean ever wrote.

## Background and Release

"Nona" was written some point between late 2013-early 2014. Kennedy started writing by re-working part of a eulogy his mother wrote. The song was purposely spelled incorrectly, the way Sean used to spell it as a child. Kennedy first mentioned the song to *The Strategist* in 2016. In 2017, Sean was gifted a studio session with Shaul Dover for his birthday, and the pair recorded the track in Shaul's studio. In 2018, the song was registered as the ninth track on Sean's demo album, *Crazy*, and was eventually released as the fourth track on Kennedy's debut album, *Tell Me*.

To commemorate what would have been his great-grandmother's 100th birthday, "Nona (100th Birthday Edition)" was released on May 8, 2020. The remix was completely re-recorded and featured new instrumentation. The song was re-recorded for a second time in 2022 as part of *Tell Me (Revisited)*. It follows a closer composition to the original album version, but features more percussion, electric and bass guitars, strings and backing vocals.

### Behind the Scenes

Sean recording the original version of "Nona" in 2017 at Sweatshop Studios.

## Composition

Musically, "Nona" is a mid-tempo guitar-centric song. It is composed in the key of A Major, and it's in common time with a tempo of 93 beats per minute. The song features minimal instrumentation including acoustic and electric guitars and drums.

## "Nona 100th Birthday Edition"

The remix of "Nona" is a down-tempo ballad. It is composed in the key of A Major, and it's in common time with a tempo of 76 beats per minute. The song features a piano, bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, strings, synthesizers, drums and percussion. The release was removed from stores to make way for the official re-recorded version on March 11, 2022.

## Commercial Release

### Digital Release

**Nona (100th Birthday Edition) - Single**

## Cross-References

* Being lost is referenced in "Aftermath".

## Official Versions

* Album Version - 4:07
* Revisited Version - 4:08
* 100th Birthday Edition - 5:10

## Lyrics

She was a wife

A mother, a sister, a grandma

A great grandma

An aunt

And a friend

We can all agree

That she was an amazing woman

Who touched all of our lives

The memories she shared

And the legacy she will leave behind

Can't be confined to this song

I am lost

I'm in the dark

I cannot live without you

Nona, come back please

You gotta pull through

See right now my mind is racing

And it won't stop

I really need to see your face

I am shellshocked

Nona, we will miss you

I was promised I'd see you again

Now and again I'll cry without end

My life's just not the same without you

Oh I am lost

I'm in the dark

I cannot live without you

Nona, come back please

You gotta pull through

See right now my mind is racing

And it won't stop

I really need to see your face

I am shellshocked

Here I am wondering who I'll be without her

Now that she's gone

Questions

So many questions

Nona, I miss you

Oh I am lost

I'm in the dark

I cannot live without you

Nona, come back please

You gotta pull through

See right now my mind is racing

And it won't stop

I really need to see your face

I am shellshocked

Oh, oh

Ninety-three and going strong

## References

1. ↑ WHUD Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight: Sean Kennedy.
2. ↑ What Should I Gift a 13-Year-Old? Interview With Sean Kennedy.
3. ↑ Sean's Post on Tell Me's Release Day.