Favorite Songs

As I’ve mentioned in earlier newsletters, my wife Donna and I write original songs, and then practice them - together with old songs - for about an hour and a half roughly every other day. Recently, we have written two new song that are very difficult in themes. The first called, “Before You Go”,” is a love song that describes how despair can be transformative when it leads to courage and faith. The melodies in this song have proven difficult for me to sing, so we turned it into a solo for Donna. Since she also plays the guitar, I’m basically on the sidelines for it:

Before You Go

Em C C Em

Before you go, Em

Come sit with me C

And talk to me awhile. C Em

The sun is slowly fading- Em C

Stay with me tonight. C Em

There is no need to hurry G Am

We’ll sing and dance again. G Am

You told me that you loved me Em C

I was your dearest friend. C D .....

A F A F

Before you go remember A F

The hours we have spent- A F

Seeking out the forest G C

Strolling hand in hand. G C

Our moments spent together G D

The secrets that we shared- G D …..

Nothing can be better C D

When hearts can truly care. C D

D F C C F D

But if you really go D F C

Don’t come back tomorrow. C F D

Don’t apologize don’t tell me D F C

You’ll love me forever. C F D …..

The darkest night will pass G C D

The love of God will last. G C D …..

Goodbye, my love and bless you; A G

I leave you in the past. A G ….. A

Pick C D, G G D

You never really knew me C D

Although you thought you did. G G D

I leave you to your destiny, C D

I’ll journey on ahead. G G X 2

End C… D… G…….

Another song we’ve written in the last several months is called, “I Will Persevere,” is a spiritual song in which the final chorus becomes a round. The chorus is actually my favorite part of the song because the melody and the lyrics, I think, are devotional and very sincere:

I Will Persevere

G D F C

Sometimes nothing works G D

no matter how I try. F C

Even when I’m certain G D

nothing turns out right. F C

I seek your consolation F G

but lose my way again… F G

Then I’m filled with questions G D

and fear and doubt set in. G D

Chorus:

D_sus4 D D_sus2 D (Last time in a round and end with first line)

I call to you, Oh Lord D_sus4 D D_sus2 D

and seek your inspiration. D_sus4 D D_sus2 D

I need your love and grace D_sus4 D D_sus2 D

in every situation. D_sus4 D D_sus2 D End: D_sus4 D D_sus2 D

G D F C

The night can be so lonely G D

when I’m worried and afraid. F C

I wait upon you only G D

but now I’ve lost my way. F C

I know you won’t forsake me F G

and that your love is real… F G

But waiting in the darkness G D

I yearn to be set free. G D

Chorus

C D C D

But I will persevere C D

and walk the path of faith. C D

Knowing you are with me C D

to help me night and day. C D

I’ll trust in your uncertainty Am D

and rise up from despair. Am D

Because I still believe G Am

you come to me in prayer. G C D

Chorus

One of my all-time favorite songs is called, “The Elf,” which we wrote many years ago and thanks to Donna we’ve been able to save it. It’s the story of how an elf raises the singer’s spirits when he appears in the middle of the night. In this song, I have the solo while Donna helps sing the main theme of the song:

The Elf

F C F C X 2

Sittin in the darkness, sittin in the rain, F C F C

Lookin for the moon, starin down the lane. F C F C

Owls flyin over spreadin wings of white, Bm Dm Bm Dm

Breakin up the darkness, with eyes of golden light. Bm Dm Bm Dm

And I wonder where the morn is but it’s only one o’clock, Em G Em G

Then hard upon door I hear an awful knock. Em G Em G

“Who’s there?” I cry and peep through the door, Am D Am D

And out jumps an elf of ancient mystic lore. Am D Am D

La La La La La…… F C

I knew this elf was special, not some kind of troll, E D E D

So I offered him my home, a place out of the cold. E D E D

He slipped in from the darkness and shook his locks of gray, G F G F

And smiled a merry smile and said he’d walked all day. G F G F

I let him sleep on ‘til long past dawn, F G F G

And when he left he sang his little song… F G F G

(Sing next two lines twice)

“Love is all there is, Love is all. F G F G

God does everything, everything.” F G F G

And when he was gone my awful mood had left, F C F C

Elves exist, I suppose they are the best. F C F C

And if elves exist in perhaps some countless number, Bm Dm Bm Dm

Then maybe angels too could visit us in slumber. Bm Dm Bm Dm

La La La La La…… F C End F C F C

Thanks for spending the time reading our songs. I hope you enjoyed them. I hope you have a great day, and I’ll see you next time!

(Please remember these are my own ideas, and I’m not attempting to persuade anyone to change theirs.)

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Quotes:

“Songwriting is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn't get some of that stuff out.” – Dolly Parton

“I think songwriting is the ultimate form of being able to make anything that happens in your life productive.” – Taylor Swift

“As far as songwriting, my inspirations came from love, life and death, and viewing other people's situations.” – Ed Sheeran

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