I've found I can more or less make Musical Mannequins. Bare melodies and naked lyrics awaiting someone's instrumental and vocal touch to clothe and transform them into something greater.
Perhaps even something beautiful.
The lyrics come fairly easily - like dipping a small net into a fast-moving stream, snagging the words, and then moving them around until they fit.
The melodies are more difficult - like towing an iceberg out of the North Atlantic. During hurricane season. With a rowboat.
The reason for the difficulty could be that I played the clarinet for eight years. Notes I know. Chords I don't. (Ever try to play three clarinets at once to get a chord? I rest my case.)
Each song comes with the story of its origin and the "sound" of the artist I hear playing.
When the Tall Trees Fall
We moved my dad, Grandpa D, up here for hospice. When he died, I walked outside and stood around awhile. Looking up, I noticed I was standing under a couple of towering red pines. That’s how it began.
(Sideline: TechnoBoy was he helped with the melody. He loved his Grandpa D.)
The sound: Toby Keith, Randy Travis
When the Tall Trees Fall
All those lost little boys / In that big crowd of knees
They can’t see a thing / Looking up they say “please”
Then big hands reach down / And, with love, lift ‘em high
Up onto strong shoulders / As their heads scrape the sky
And they see the world…
(Chorus)
Those tall trees, they stand / So strong in their place
They shelter these small trees / For years by God’s grace
Then God in His wisdom / Picks the time and the place
When the tall trees fall
When the tall trees fall
Now those young boys are men / Stoppin’ by every day
To look in on dads / Makin’ sure they’re okay
Those shoulders once strong / Are now brittle with age
Their story’s ‘bout done / It’s on the last page
And those boy-men remember…
(repeat Chorus)
So whether we’re grown / Or whether we’re small
There’s a daddy-sized hole in our souls / When the tall trees fall…
(repeat Chorus)
Kiss the Rain
I have always been impressed with Debbie Boone’s “You Light Up My Life”. It was the #1 song in the USA of the ‘70s, back when I was in college and knew everything.
I liked the idea of a song that could be accepted at face value but could also have a deeper meaning. These lyrics are very loosely based on Hebrews 4:13-16. Jesus Christ has been there. And He's here - right now.
The sound: someone viewed as maternal by younger generation, Dolly Parton, Reba McIntyre
Kiss the Rain
The hurt pours from your broken heart / It burns your soul, tearing you apart
There’s nothing to be gained / By saying there’s no pain
So, kiss the rain
Your life is moving oh so slow / Through a numbness dead as winter snow
Each feeling has been drained / Life can barely be maintained
So, kiss the rain
(Chorus)
Kiss the rain and feel the pain / Flow away as teardrops mingle
Into a world in which a single drop of rain will come again
As a rainbow, cloud, or blossom / You know the power of Love is awesome
And I am here to help you smile again
So, kiss the rain
It hurts so bad, it did for me / But soon the pain will go, you’ll see
It’ll be okay, you’ll make it through / It’s part of life and I am here with you
So kiss the rain
(repeat Chorus)
Chasing After Rubies, Watching Diamonds Go By
The seed was planted driving back from school one night on a crowded section of interstate. Three decades and a few thousand gallons of coffee later, the seed sprouted into this “Lament of Success”.
I hear a country waltz - a nice reason to hold someone you care about just a little closer.
The sound: George Strait, Brad Paisley
Chasing After Rubies, Watching Diamonds Go By
(Chorus)
Chasin’ after rubies / Watchin’ diamonds go by
Missin’ all those golden moments / With you – why can’t I
Better use these precious days / As they quickly fly by
Instead of chasin’ after rubies / Watchin’ diamonds go by
It’s the freeway and me / At a quarter past ten
The job and its games / Keep me out late again
All those taillights before me / Form a ruby red line
And all those diamonds / Drivin’ past me
Are just headlights that blind
(Chorus)
You’re the one that I love / But do you know that I care
Can you feel my love’s real / It’s so rare that I’m there
I’m just a voice on your phone / As my work hours fly
Because I’m chasin’ after rubies / Watchin’ diamonds go by
(Chorus)
Little Yellow Plane
I was in kindergarten when the news broke worldwide that 5 missionaries - Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian – were speared to death by the Auca Indians. Their bodies were found on a river sand bar near the little yellow airplane they had been using to drop gifts to the Aucas.
Years later, Mom let me stay up to watch Jack Paar (I think it was him, I was pretty sleepy) interview Elizabeth Elliot, Jim’s widow, and the Auca Indian that had actually killed her husband. It made an impression.
Then about 8 years ago, the DVD movie, “End of the Spear”, played in our living room. And all those memories melded with the movie, morphing into “Little Yellow ‘Plane”.
It's a little lengthy, reminiscent of Gordon Lightfoot's "The Edmund Fitzgerald", but that's the inherent problem with ballads. Stories are longer than thoughts. Stories that make a point are longer yet. So you might wanna get a refill on that coffee.
The sound: originally, Jimmy Buffet/Island sound; now, Sammy Davis, Jr. with a full orchestra
Little Yellow ‘Plane
God’s love burned deep within their hearts / By faith they chose to make a start
The world thought them insane / Would they know joy or pain
While flyin’ / Their little yellow ‘plane
Families started far from home / There were days together and nights alone
In the heat and the pouring rain / But slow to doubt or to complain
While flyin’ / Their little yellow ‘plane
(Chorus 1)
To grasp / The dream / Of what God would have them do
To trust / In Him / For the grace to see it through
So if there’s good times or bad / Whether happiness or pain
They chose to fly / Their little yellow ‘plane
They prayed and did all they could do / It seemed like God was breakin’ through
Then the silence of the rain / Screamed that hope had just been slain
Lyin’ near / Their little yellow ‘plane
Like Golgotha on that Friday / How could a lovin’ God let it end this way
But God’s love was in their pain / They chose to start again
And bravely fly / Their little yellow ‘plane
They met the killers face-to-face / Ignored justice and shared God’s grace
Now there’s a people forever changed / As God’s mercy was explained
By flyin’ / Their little yellow ‘plane
(Key Change)
So where’s the dream that God gave me / Using my heart it’s plain to see
And I know that as I pray / God will show me what to do today
To fly / My little yellow ‘plane
(Chorus 2)
And to grasp / The dream / Of what God would have me do
To trust / In Him / For the strength to see it through
So if there’s good times or bad / Whether happiness or pain
I choose to fly / My little yellow ‘plane
There is more than what we see / There is so much more that we can be
God gives us all a dream, that’s true / But the question now I must put to you
Will you fly / Your little…yellow…’plane?
Let There Be
Pastor Kevin was talking about creation one Sunday morning. He kept using the phrase “God said – and it was”. It stuck with me, but there are a limited number of words that rhyme with “was” and a whole lot that rhyme with “be”. Guess which way I went?
The sound: Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra
Let There Be
God speaks the special words / That never have been heard
So night and day go their separate ways / To begin our history
And God says -
“Let there be”
The Garden is complete / And the snake is so discreet
As the couple sins, the world begins / To groan in agony
And God says –
“Let there be”
(Chorus)
Let there be forgiveness and there is joy / Let there be acceptance and there is peace
Let there be hope and grace / And this special place
Where you can be with Me
And God says –
“Let there be”
Not even all our sin / Fills this emptiness within
Our shattered souls need to be made whole / By God’s Word at Calvary
And God says –
(Bridge)
The Son, He is the Light / So there’s no fear of night
God’s Word came here / To make it clear
Enough so we can see
And God says –
(Chorus)
The Wind Rustlin' Through the Leaves
When I was little, the Sunday hymnal held a gold mine of incredible Celtic thought. Sitting on those wooden pews, the congregation would begin a 4-part harmony excavation, digging up deep words and majestic music. Those Celtic hymns were tucked away as were the contemporary Celtic sounds and imagery of songs like, “There Were Roses”.
A couple of years ago, I heard the Annie Moses Band’s rendition of “What Wondrous Love Is This”. Shortly after that, a collision of the old and the new occurred on a dark winter’s morning, fueled by too much caffeine. This song is the result of that crash.
It really wasn't intentional, but this song came out as a performance piece. It's designed for a lead singer and a group. (Like Diana Ross and the Supremes - who, in my mind, are honorary Celts.) I’ve noted the parts where the group is pre-eminent. The rest of the song goes to the lead.
The sound: Annie Moses Band, Mattew Ward & 2nd Chapter of Acts, The Irish Rovers
The Wind Rustlin’ Through the Leaves
Like the wind / Rustlin’ through the leaves
Lord, may Your Spirit move through me
Help me give You all my heart / For it’s there that I must start
Oh, break these chains / Cause my release
Make my rebellion / Die and cease
So that Your love flows freely out of me
Just like the wind / Ever rustlin’ through the leaves
Like the wind / Rustlin’ through the leaves
Lord, may Your Spirit move through me
Ignite my passion for Your Word / And to obey that which I’ve heard
Oh let my eyes / See every face
Through the vision / Of Your grace
So that Your love flows freely out of me
Just like the wind / Ever rustlin’ through the leaves
(Group)
Oh let Your Spirit move through us / We awaken at Your touch
Our world needs Your reality / Lord, move through us
Lord, move –
(Lead only)
- through me
So that my world / Sees Your love instead of me
Just like the wind / Ever rustlin’ through the leaves
(Group)
So that Your love / Flows through us wild and free
Just like the wind / Ever rustlin’ through the leaves
Andrew's Song
This song was initially started with the idea of giving it to a local organization that works with the families of cancer patients. But it just wasn’t working. I felt a gentle “stop” to the process. When it comes to hearing from the Lord, you wanna stop the first time He tells you. He’s got a really good reason why you should.
Then I heard of Andrew, the brother of my niece’s husband. I’m sure I meet him at the wedding but I can’t truly say I remember. Andrew ended up with Ewing sarcoma and passed away at 19. But his life impacted, and is still impacting, a lotta folks with the message of Jesus Christ.
When I heard Andrew’s story, things finally fell into place. This is his song.
The sound: George Strait, Brad Paisley
Andrew’s Song
(“God’s Arm Is Around My Shoulder”)
There are those times when times are good
And life goes by like I think life should
But the times they sometimes change
And life can get so strange
Then the road gets kinda rough / And I don’t know if I’m tough enough
(Chorus)
When things go bad and life gets sad
And the wind starts blowin’ colder
It’s nice to know as down this road I go
That God’s arm is around my shoulder
Yeah, God’s arm’s around my shoulder / When I let Jesus Christ be Lord
The clouds turn dark and come rollin’ through
To try to hide the joy that I once knew
Yet even in this storm
God’s love burns bright and warm
And as the night turns bitter cold / I know I’m not alone walking down this road
(Chorus)
(Bridge)
I thank you, my Lord, for being here
As this storm hits hard and life’s not fair
Your gentle grace and steel-strong love
Help me hold on instead of givin’ up
(Chorus)
Repeat last line of Chorus to close
When Praise Begins
About eight years ago I waded tentatively into the songwriting pond and the great people at Christian Songwriting Organization provided good feedback and support. While perusing the site I came across a post by Mark Krueger. His piano music (www.restorativeworship.com) was available for lyrics if anyone was so inclined. I listened to “When Praise Begins”... and it more or less wrote itself.
The sound: Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett
When Praise Begins
When praise begins / I enter in / Through doors of grace into that place
Where You Lord dwell / That’s how I tell
When praise begins
When praise begins / Your Spirit’s wind / Moves through my heart as worship starts
Your Presence here / Becomes so clear
When praise begins
(Chorus)
I know that these words I say / Won’t make Your Presence known
I know that I must obey / And kneel humbly before Your throne
I pray that my broken heart / Will beat in perfect time with Yours
So we can walk together / Through the Garden / Just like before
When praise begins / The sin within / I will confess so You may bless
Your grace and peace / Bring me release
When praise begins
(repeat Chorus)
When praise begins / The fear will end / Nothing can stand against Your Plan
It’s then I see / Your victory
When praise begins
(Ending)
When you become my all-in-all / That’s when the walls begin to fall
And all my mountains grow so small
When praise begins
YOU (That 60's Worship)
I really like some of the British Invasion of the '60s. The sound, the blend - yep, it just floats my boat.
Peter & Gordon. Chad & Jeremy. Gerry & the Pacemakers. Herman & the Hermits.
I really enjoy that sound.
A few years ago I had just gotten off an hour-long Internet excursion where I visited those artists and their incredible songs. A cup of coffee later I was mulling the idea of a '60s song that would tell the Good News in an "Invasion"-type of sound.
Half-a-pot later, I heard the Invasion return, complete with tight harmonies and orchestral flourishes which I do not know how to write.
The sound: Gerry & the Pacemakers, Peter & Gordon, (? the Beach Boys?)
YOU (That '60s Worship)
(verse 1)
You / Are the God of Everything
And now to You we bring / Our praise and gladly sing (because of)
You / We are free from guilt and shame
Through Your blood and by Your Name / We will never be the same
(Chorus)
You came to die and rose again / So we-ee-ee-
Could know You now and through eternity
We give our lives to You / You give us so much more
Your love for us existed long before (we)
(verse 2)
Knew / You are the only Way and Truth
The Holy Spirit gives us proof / That we're being made brand new (It's due to)
You / And Your Word that makes us grow
Showing us the way to go / So that the whole, wide world will see and know
The way to You-oo-oo
(repeat Chorus)
(repeat verse 2)
(ending)
The Way to You / The Truth of You
The Life / That's / You