lˈiːd sˈɪŋɚ pˈæt mˈɑːnɐhˌæn stˈeɪɾᵻd ðætðə sˈɔŋ wʌz ɪnspˈaɪɚd baɪ hɪz lˈeɪt mˈʌðɚ, hˌuː hæd dˈaɪd ˈæftɚɹ ɐ stɹˈʌɡəl wɪð kˈænsɚ, ænd ðætðɪ ˈoʊpənɪŋ lˈaɪnz "kˈeɪm tʊ hˌɪm ɪn ɐ dɹˈiːm".
Lead singer Pat Monahan stated that the song was inspired by his late mother, who had died after a struggle with cancer, and that the opening lines "came to [him] in a dream".