I've Spent a Long Time

Sorry I haven't written in so long.  You get busy.  This song I wrote about all the immaturity that I and all people in general need to overcome in life, especially in living the christian life.  In delving more into the development of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me,  He (the Spirit) has shown me that this concept is an essential issue on the Way.


I've Spent a Long Time
 D                A7
I've spent a long time
  A             Em
taking sin as it comes

talking to strangers

being a stranger


I spent a long time
mocking my brother
one thing or another
wasting my life

God didn't come so sudden
He really took his time
understanding when I was
rebellious
I spent a long time

(repeat and fade)

d 

 

Commentary and some things about my music

I don't know why particularly that I started writing songs, but mainly because worrying about copyrighting is a pain in the neck.  Plus I thought I had a good literary background or namely familiarity with words and thought to give it a go.   I've always enjoyed the guitar and have aspired to play like the legends.  How so much I have accomplished this is marginally affirmed.   It's fun however to strum the melodies and bang out the lyrics.   Certain chords like D and Ab almost talk to you anyway.   I have always enjoyed this.   My dear father suggested early on that I develop a playing pattern all my own, so I had at it doing just that.  Although emulating the techniques of the masters is fun and challenging, it is also very hard to do.   I always say that interpretation follows careful attention to the fundamentals, and I think that this is essential.  Soon I began to enjoy getting my thoughts and feelings reflected in my music.  It has been rewarding.  I have always enjoyed and have been influenced by the music of the Beatles and many of the high-rolling bands of the seventies in which I grew up.   I skipped the eighties and merely enjoyed it, but took to the music of the likes of Nirvana and 10,000 Manics during the coffee and grunge emanation.   Soul and Rhythm and Blues added to my knowledge of tempo and rhythm.  This has helped much.  In becoming and developing as a Christian has ultimately made the goal of expressing my faith.   It has become the main theme.  I hope you enjoy it all.  I have had fun so far on my way.


sincerely

d

God Bless You

How many times do we say, "God bless you!" in a flippant way or after someone sneezes.  It may be a derogatory salutation or a sympathetic com-misery.  Notwithstanding,  here is a song about a much abused phrase:


God Bless You
   A
common words are spoken
     D
in many different ways
      E
"good luck", or sincere doting
     C#m
many shapes and forms


a blessing for the masses
after a great finally song
a truly truthful comfort
when life goes terribly wrong.

whatever form it takes
gray, white or black in tone
we always like to feel the blessing
or throwing of a stone

When you want God to bless someone,  be sincere.  His blessings come from a devoted heart.

d ....p.s. this is also known as "Andrea's Song" and she will soon perform it in a FB video.  I don't know her last name...such is the mystery of love.....

You Don't Know Me From Adam

Down the road at work I've met plenty of young girls.  Many have shared their insights and wisdom with me, sometimes in a roundabout way.  This is a song describing my tamed rebellious nature by these ministers.   Ahem, another blog alas!   I keep truckin'....(Cmaj: I-IV-♭III-♭VI)


You Don't Know Me from Adam
      C                     F
she met me on the way to work
         E♭                            A♭
it seemed she knew my plight

she really didn't know my problems

but knew I was in flight


"you don't know me from Adam!"
I said without hesitation
she sighed and she said "talk to me"
it made it hard to fight


You don't know me from Adam
it's been about an hour
you know she really didn't
but now somehow I do


It is a short song.   You can repeat the words and use them as a fourth and fifth stanza.  The tempo is negotiable,  either a staccato single-stroke strum or a meaningful, pensive picking pattern.

d 
 


 

Always Dreamin'

One day I thought my computer was through.  It was the last day of classes at ITT Tech.  But alas, it started working fine again.  The moral:  never give up on anything until you know it's over!  Anyway, this song I composed one pensive day at my apartment.  I picked it out on my guitar and made a FB video of it.  It does not say alot about me, being that it's about dreaming in general.  I hope you like it.


Always Dreamin'
A
Always dreamin'
 Dm
never thinkin'
Em
it can wait                                                I
 C#m
another day

 F#m
so long your parents
 E
bought you happiness                             II
 Dm
'til it ran out 
 E
on wine and song


to many summers
in the sun
vaulting ambition                                  I
has just begun


then the day comes
you're lost and lonely                           II
it's bigger than me
what do I do?


Always dreamin'
never thinkin'                                     I
it was never meant
to be that way


I wasn't helpin'
I wasn't serving                                II
I was just doing
for myself


Okay it is a little about me.  In retrospect.  btw the roman numerals are chord progression patterns, in case you haven't figured it out.  Check out the video in my FB archives.


d

 

I Can Do All Things

I can do all things...like take my MCAT exam this morning!  How'd I do? Well, let me put it this way...ten minutes into the test I'm thinking, "gee, at least I always have my music!" lol.   But not to give up hope on the theory of the Educated Guess.   Whew!  That was hard. But as the song says, "I can do all things.":  A hearty strum in Cmaj:


I Can Do All Things
 C
What do you mean

G                        C

"you're all for yourself"

 G                         C

"who do you think you are?"

             Am            C

"you're all for yourself!"

 

refrain:

     Am          Dm         G

but I've got news for you

  Em         Am

I am redeemed 

 Em          Am

to do His will

 

 

all is His and all is well

why and what for who and so?

I am a Spirit of the Holy One

 

(refrain) 

One for all and all things done

His will you will never know

just to know He is

 

( refrain and fade)

The last two verse stanzas are C, F, G in the order which you prefer.  We can do all things.  Just trust in Him.

 

d

 

You See This Room ( In My Sanctuary)

This first video lyric came to me as I was thinking in my room, "hey, this is where it all happens". What?  Where I write the songs and make the videos on my iPad, of course!  So I made this short clip of my "tiny S.R.O." which is short for "single room occupancy".  Here is the music in Em with a I-VI-IV-I chord progression:


In My Sanctuary (You See This Room)
Em
you see this room
       Bm
the things that God showed me
        Am
to choose and not let go
     Em
a place to form an answer to His will


you see this room
a place to hold His hand
a place to take my hands
with which to do His will 

you see this room
this tiny S.R.O.
I've got all His tools within it
wandering 'to and 'fro

you see this room
the workers mend the blinders
change the bulbs heat the building
It's not all done by me


Nobody does anything alone.  It takes a team effort, no matter what it is.  Remember that when you're faced with a task.  Writing a song.   Fixing your car.   Mending your blinders.


 d




 


 

Repent, O Soul and stuff: I Am a Sinner

I 'm not the repentant sin forsaken guy, but I wrote this song of redemption.  It's not a crusade...most of the time I try to fleece myself from self-righteousness.   But  a Hymn's- a - common to many a Christian songwriter, and this one is most like a hymn.  Enjoy.  (in Amaj):



I Am a Sinner

              A
I am a sinner
                         C#m
but Christ redeemed me
             D
even when I fall
                   E        
His shining light sustains me



come on, sinless dawn
fight the battle for me
my inner being is crushed
but not destroyed


felled by the sword
I rise again
His love sustains me
come on, sinless dawn

I hope you like it from a guy who gets messed up on two O'Doul's.  Hardly the ravaged sinner.


d
  

Sometimes

I don't pretend to be a mega-Christian, but I do like to express my thoughts, whether they are perceived to be extreme or not.  This song is about how people tend to forget God in our daily lives.  We all do and I almost totally do!  We all do it "Sometimes".  This is a song about that.  I performed it on FB about a week ago.  (in  Fmaj)


Sometimes
F
working hard
 E
blinders on
     Dm
tunnel vision
Am
I forget Him
Em
sometimes



no time to be nice
good thoughts
bad thoughts
whatever
I regret Him
sometimes


where is He
it's so hard
gonna make it
hook or crook
I forsake Him
sometimes


I don't bother
I'm no quitter
just want dinner
I mistake Him
sometimes


what will I be
faith in what I see
it escapes me
I ignore Him
sometimes


boy, I did it
what comes with it
the nail we hit it
I disclaim Him
sometimes


got my morals
and my laurels
stay out of quarrels
I belittle Him
sometimes


I'm so tired
can't get fired
boy, I'm wired!
I control Him
sometimes


beat the system
I don't know Him
time to punch in
I forget Him
sometimes


d  

Sunday Labor

We were riding home from work one day in my Soul and this girl mentions something to Lamar that sounds like "Sunday Labor".  I think I heard her right.  Nevertheless, it immediately struck me to write a song by that title.  The irony of the phrase will make it effective, I thought. The song was enspired by the story of  David's  eating the priests' bread on the sabbath.  We all like to take it easy on our day of rest.   I suggest an an aggressive electric strum:  (in Em)



Sunday Labor
  Em
I work all day
   B
I earn my pay
   F#
today's my day
  Am              G
let the world spin



sittin' on the bed couch

birds on the porch

the wife has her own work

let the world spin


refrain:

See you later
I'm not doin'
you a favor
Sunday labor


the truth needs bein' told
I'm getting very old
no time for fakin' bold
I've paid my dues


this guy's got a flat tire
beat you to the wire
sittin' by the fire
let the world spin


(refrain)


too many hassles
left them at the office
gave money to the hospice
I've paid my dues

I'm not my brother's keeper
the ballgame was a sleeper
at least I don't go deeper
let the world spin

(refrain)
repeat and fade....


d  

A Time to Write a Song

This was a rather awkward song I wrote when I first started writing songs.  The chord progression is rather funny because  I wasn't used to composing them.  It has a kind of obscure message, partly because of the former reasons.  Ironically, the song is titled " A Time to Write a Song".  I performed it on Facebook in a video some months back. It is written in D major and the tempo is my signature picking pattern:


A Time to Write a Song

 D                     G
the things you tell yourself

Em                                  Bm
better make sure they're true

Em                          F#m
there was never a false man

A                          D
whoever denied himself

D                                 Em
lasting moments are for those

           A                           D
who live in somebody else



G                                          Em
take some time to tell a stranger

A                                                D
who will tell you the truth for free

F#m                                          Em
things come around and you deceive yourself

A
feeling the pain in many different ways




refrain:

D                                                 A
there's never gonna be another time like this

Em                         A
a time to write a song



D                  Em                    D
temples are built by people who keep time

D            Em                      A
time is spent while they take their time

A                Em
too many men have fallen

A                                      D
keeping time without a purpose


(refrain)


The key here is "time" I think lol!    It's esoteric, but then I can be at times, so it's typical and real.
I hope you play it and enjoy it. Please be gentle.  I plan to copyright all of these tunes at some later date.


d

 

Take Your Things and Go

I'm sitting here makin' the bottled tea.  No reason for this, but I thought I'd share some more of my lyrics with you. Between studying for the MCAT...yes, I hope to be a physician someday....and washing my clothes I've nothing better to do!  I once read in Anne Graham Loht's book about the story of Abraham and Lot.  Abraham took the road less traveled in life as opposed to his cousin Lot, who lived for wealth and luxury.  So I wrote a song about this:

Abraham and Lot

G
take your things and go
C
I'm never coming back
D
I've got a place to go
F                            C
but not to Ur and back



my donkey struts
 and straddles
by this small caravan
too many hills to battle
but surely we'll get there by them


You go I bid 
you farewell
but I won't miss you much
I've got ten wives and cattle
and palaces and such


It takes a slice of evening
to get your fill of wine
and then there's all the eating
so you just take your time


so take your things and go
the good times never end
I wander to and fro
but Canaan's quite the land


then  take your things and go
I'll see you whenever then
God's got a hold on me
for some work to tend


d
  

My Husband

Dear readers: It's been a couple of days.  I read where blogs are only effective if you post frequently, so I'm taking the time to do one today.  Rainy and miserable in the Northeastern town.  Good day for blogging!  The lyrics to this song were written with no prior knowledge of the subject, but not bad.  It is one of the songs I submitted to John Chisom, a Christian songwriter, for critique.  It goes something like this:


My Husband

I heard someone mention her husband
A caring , trusting reference
I longed for such a tribute
Wondered how it felt


He most likely trusts in her
furniture, bed and dishes
confidence and wishes
kiss the kids goodnight


It is a blessing of God
that appears in tangible ways
not just in biblical words
but with feelings in the soul

I heard someone mention her husband
though some may call it trust
I think it was more loving
A question at the time


d 

Just a Blog: A Tale of Love

People treat things in different ways.  To me, this is just a general blog about my music.  But, oh...I can pontificate on just about anything!  I am a man of many interests: bowling, golf, and playing my guitar, of course.  Sooner or later it's going to be high time I did something with my degrees, but go ahead and try it!  Bon chance, ami: Anyway, here's the full score of " A Tale of Love".  It's not really a score, but it sounds professional:


A Tale of Love
   F♯m            C♯m     D♯
it hurts like a steady blow
                                                                     }chord progression A
G#                A#               D#
ten maybe twenty good times a day

 A#                            C#m               F#m
I'd reach beyond her to something else

       
I do it all the time for awhile                 
                                                                       } A
but my foot gets caught in the drain

 G#                           F#m
never gonna be the same                          } C


love is too big a word                               } C


try to direct it people do
                                                                   } A
trusting other replacements
 G#                   C#m                                   } repeat and fade
it goes on and on   

Tulip Festival: Streets of Sin

Out to see some great bands at the Albany Tulip Fest today at Washington Park in Albany, NY.
Have a gyro and just hang out!   Here's a song that I got some negative feedback on FB because of the title.  I would walk down the street and the neighbors were kind of staring and glaring at me.  Maybe I'm paranoid, but it was about the time that I released this song-video. ( and it's a christian song!) Go figure:


Streets of Sin
 G      
down this uneven walkway               down this uneven walkway
  D                                                         the cars go rumbling by
the hurried, reckless lives                  shoppers load the buses           
 Am                                                          borrowed just to buy
the church around the corner
 E
or a nickel, or a dime                         down this unsettled walkway
                                                           small shops offer their favors
                                                           all brands, all kinds of flavors
                                                           we need a reason why
down this uneven walkway
workin' for the day
wastin' time just hangin'                     ...d
feelin' it's okay 
 

A Bird Rapt Softly on My Window Pane

this song is poignant....I don't have all the chords down, and I guessed here at some...I'll compose the rest of it later.  I wrote it in the 90's somewhere:

   G             C                   D7
a bird rapt softly on the window pane

G                                   D7      G
why did you come to bother me?

 G                  C                   D7
I'm layin' in bed a-keepin' to myself and

              G         C       D7
I don't need no company
      
the agony

and the poverty of this world


has left me bound into a knot





the bird gazed proudly to the westward sun
there was a teardrop in her eye
the lullabys
and the apple pies
she cries
as her youngest baby flies



I gazed uncertain toward the westward sun
takin' a moment to reflect
the syncopance
and the resonance
on the window sill
of the tears that filter to my soul


d

Just a Busy Day

I love my music...but this medical thing and studying for the MCAT...what, the hypothalamus is connected to the pancreas, right? lol.    I think "lol" should be a word in the official sense.  It sends hormones around your body I believe it is...anyway, here's one of my songs.   I had this bad day once, and this is a ditty all about dat:


Just a Busy Day (Emin)

         Em
I've got to see the doctor

      G♭ (F♯ )
to look at my rash

      A♭m
I sighed 'cause it was morning

 Bm             Am
just a busy day




the bank can wait 'til later
I've got to see the doctor
he's out I've got the voucher
just a busy day


the room needs cleanin'
on the north side of it
talked to my friends for about an hour
just a busy day


restin' after dinner
many miles before I sleep
time to write a song or two
just a busy day


d