This is, literally, my musical diary–notes fresh from my pen and recorded in a few hours. You can find my finished works elsewhere; here, it's all about capturing the moment!
Forever ago, Outside Pocket played a show for which Olivia Vargas was the opener. The week of, she posted a video of a new song she had written for the concert. I had hoped to surprise her with a companion tune–something that echoed the bluesy feel of her new song–but I just couldn’t bring things together in time for the show.
That draft has been sitting in my idea folder for months. After a few false starts, I finished the song today. I’m still not sure what to think about it: It’s instrumental, but not jazz in the traditional sense. I could hear it being performed by a jazz/blues sax player backed up by a gritty, groovin’ Soul/R&B rhythm section. But I didn’t have that at my disposal today, so I recorded the demo with electric guitar, Rhodes, nylon string guitar, bass, and programmed drums.
And yes, the opening riff is from Three Dog Nights’ “One Is the Loneliest Number.”
I was surprised to discover I hadn’t set Psalm 63 to music yet. Perhaps I shied away because I thought the competition would be fierce for a Psalm like this; it is a Psalm full of beautiful sentiments that fairly beg to be sung: “I thirst for you.” “My whole being longs for you.” “Your love is better than life.” “I sing in the shadow of your wings.”
Interestingly, there are relatively few songs based on Psalm 63 given its popularity: “Step by Step,” made famous by Rich Mullins “O God, You Are My God Alone” by the Iona Community “My Soul Is Thirsting” by Michael Joncas (my favorite)
As I sat down with the Psalm, I was immediately struck by its yearning tone. There is a strong sense of longing throughout. Too often, our faith is fueled by duty, guilt, or habit. It is refreshing to hear the Psalmist expressing faith in such a passionate way. I decided the best musical style to portray this passion would be jazz. Jazz has juicy chords and unresolved melody notes that make it a rich emotional palette. In fact, in the first 6 bars, the melody is made up almost entirely of notes that don’t match the chord. This creates a sense of longing that never quite resolves. I know this elusive quality will make the song hard for congregations to sing; it may be more appropriate sung by the music leaders only.
1. You, O God, you are my God. With all my heart I’m seeking you. My thirsty soul, it longs for you.
I have beheld your glory. My life is filled with your love. With every breath I am singing. My hands, I am lifting. I’ll never stop praising you.
2. For you, O God, you are my God. Throughout the night I dwell on you. And though I sleep, I dwell with you.
I shelter here in the shadows, secure beneath your wing. I cling to you for my safety from all those who hate me. I’ll never stop praising you.
3. For you, O God, you are my God. With all I am, I rejoice in you. O God, my joy is found in you.
This is the second “slice of life” song co-written with Tammy Moody. This time Tammy turned to Philippians 3:13 for her inspiration: “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on…” One of the things I especially like about the lyrics are that you wouldn’t necessarily know the song was based on a scripture–it works on its own as a song about a down-on-her-luck woman who chooses to look forward in hope rather than backward with regret.
I was really excited to write the music for this one because I got to channel my inner Los Lobos. That is not an everyday request! It felt good to plug in my Strat and get out my tambourine to create a jangly roots rock recording.
1. glancing back, you saw tuesday standin’ there peering out the opened red door on the right empty candy wrapper held cigarette-like, tight
turned around only reminders you got turned around failure is followin’ you turned around burnt out cinders there is nothin’ left for you
2. glancing back, you saw tuesday standin’ there lips pursed thin and folding in to the slightest smirk dancing bony fingers tap on your new plaid skirt
turned around only reminders you got turned around failure is followin’ you turned around burnt out cinders there is nothin’ left for you
turn it down, this noise inside my head tell me now is any of it true? Lord, turn it down, down, the noise inside my head, shoutin’ there is nothing left for you.
3. glancing up ahead and sunday’s standin’ there you look straight at chaos stop starin’ at the ground tune inside is hummin’ girl, don’t look back now
in front of you only reminders in front of you mercy is waitin’ you in front of you God’s hot embers there’s a fire lit inside of you
Tammy Moody and I have been collaborating for quite some time. Much of our past work has been on hymns, but recently she has begun to stretch into new areas. Her newer texts are still inspired by scripture, but instead of paraphrasing them, she distills them into images and slice-of-life vignettes.
In this song, she turns Mark 10:14 (…“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”) into a scene in which a girl experiences the uninhibited joy of catching fireflies at night. I especially like the way here-and-now light of fireflies in her mayonnaise jar connects to the countless stars in the night sky.
When Tammy sent me the lyrics, she referenced The Wailin’ Jennys as the music style she heard in her head–simple, honest, beautiful folk music. I hope I captured a little of their inspiration like our song’s protagonist scooped up fireflies in her jar.
1. in her hand, a firefly at her wiggly toes, a jar mayonnaise jar that mama washed to hold sparklers from the sky tiny holes poked in its lid so her treasure wouldn’t die so her treasure wouldn’t die firefly
2. little hands twist loose the top sliding lightning storm inside held it high above her head spinning with a giggly bop summer’s sticky night litup face as sweet as soda pop face as sweet as soda pop firefly
3. skipping, rhyming free and wild let the children come to me wonder, joy jump double dutch twirling, twirling all the while every twinkling firefly lights the stars in heaven’s smile lights the stars in heaven’s smile firefly
Psalm 31 has a place in Holy Week worship because Jesus quoted it from the cross: “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Though verses 9-13 give a glimpse into the terror of the cross, much of the Psalm focuses on trust in God’s deliverance with images like refuge, fortress, trust, and (safe in your) dwelling. It ends with the admonition: “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” It is a great comfort to me to know that I can meditate and hope in the same scriptures that Jesus recited in his time of deepest distress.
I asked Kate Bluett to work with me on this Psalm and she wrote a lovely setting of the text. It captures not only the heart of the Psalm, but also the structure, from plea for help, to description of affliction, to final words of hope.
Kate had mentioned to me her surprise at how triumphal the Psalm is, given its place in the passion narrative. I assumed this triumph would manifest itself in a rousing, sturdy melody. Instead, I found myself writing a flowing, confident tune that is full of quiet courage.
1. In your shadow is my refuge– let me not be put to shame. In your righteousness, my shelter– listen and make haste to save! In your name, what joy to hear it, all my trust, O guard and guide. In your hands I place my spirit: O God of truth, redeem my life!
2. I have not served gold or idols; no, I place my trust in you. You who see my pain and trials, surely you will see me through. Though my days wear out in sorrow, though my years wind down in sighs, still you hold all my tomorrows. O God of truth, redeem my life!
3. See my brothers and my sisters turn away from me in fear. Every day I hear their whispers; shame surrounds me everywhere. Yet I trust in you forever– yes, your light on me will shine. They forget, but you remember: O God of truth, redeem my life!
4. In your goodness to your children, I sit down as to a feast. In your presence I am hidden, safe from all my enemies. Though I said in fear and hurting, I was cut off from your sight, yet you heard me in your mercy: The God of truth redeemed my life!
On Thursday, I’ll lead an assembly called “Help Me Write a Jazz Song” at a local elementary school. I’ll tell them what a composer does and what it takes to write a song. Then I’ll tell them about my plan to release a jazz album for children named Just Kidding. I’ll play them a few songs I’ve already written, then enlist their help finding subjects they’d like to hear songs about. Finally, we’ll take one of their ideas and start writing a song.
illustration courtesy of https://www.wannapik.com/
In preparation for Thursday, I’m feverishly finishing some song ideas that have been hanging around for far too long. Case in point: “Brush Your Teeth.” This delightful little ode to oral hygiene includes the word “gingivitis” and a melodica solo. Pretty much a slam dunk by any estimation.
1. Brush your teeth. They are the only ones you’ve got. Brush your teeth. You think it’s hard, but it’s not.
You might think it hurts, but dentures are far worse! Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, brush your teeth.
2. Brush your teeth, ‘cause gingivitus is a drag. Brush your teeth. You need to listen to your mom and dad.
‘Cause, when you brush and floss your mouth feels like a boss. Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, brush your teeth.
As I explained in a previous blog post, Kate Bluett’s rendition of Psalm 28 was so good that it needed two musical versions to bring out the nuances of the text.
I named this hymn tune “ROCKY” because of its sturdy musical feel and the references to God as the Rock in the text. It made sense that the other tune–so shifty and slippery–should be called “SANDY.” I still can’t decide which I like better. ROCKY is muscular and to the point, and likely easier for congregations to sing. SANDY is more sophisticated musically but may be more suited to a soloist.
I will let you decide. Feel free to leave a comment explaining which is your favorite and why.
1. My God, the Rock on which I stand, I cry to you in need. My refuge, see me lift my hands: Do not be deaf to me! Not silent as the stony ground, unmoving when I cry: Into the pit I shall go down if stone-like you stand by.
2. Do not cast me away, O Lord, with those whose tongues are sharp, who speak of peace and long for war within their hardened hearts. Give them instead what they deserve, and tear their evil down. Let them and all their wicked works lie scattered on the ground!
3. But you, O God, are stone and strength; our refuge never fails. You bear us up the breadth and length of all our days and cares. Blest be the Lord who heard my cry: my strength, my shield, my Rock. Oh, let my song rise up on high to praise the might of God!
I asked Kate Bluett if she would be willing to write a new Psalm text on one of the Psalms I haven’t yet set to music. She came through with skill and style!
Psalm 28 is a three-part prayer. It begins with a plea to help the righteous, continues by contrasting the fate of the wicked, and ends with preemptive praise to the God who saves. Kate follows this structure in her beautiful rendition of the Psalm. Notice how she teases out the image of God the Rock, as opposed to the stony silence of a god who doesn’t hear people’s prayers.
I actually wrote four tunes for Kate’s text as I tried to imagine how to bring the song to life. I quickly threw out two of them, but I simply couldn’t decide between the other two. The first (this one) is a jazzy melody that never quite comes to rest in relation to the chords. This gives the song a mournful, prayerful character that brings out the pathos of Kate’s text. The other tune (wait for a separate blog post) is more rustic and forceful, which gives the song confidence in the midst of a trial.
1. My God, the Rock on which I stand, I cry to you in need. My refuge, see me lift my hands: Do not be deaf to me! Not silent as the stony ground, unmoving when I cry: Into the pit I shall go down if stone-like you stand by.
2. Do not cast me away, O Lord, with those whose tongues are sharp, who speak of peace and long for war within their hardened hearts. Give them instead what they deserve, and tear their evil down. Let them and all their wicked works lie scattered on the ground!
3. But you, O God, are stone and strength; our refuge never fails. You bear us up the breadth and length of all our days and cares. Blest be the Lord who heard my cry: my strength, my shield, my Rock. Oh, let my song rise up on high to praise the might of God!
This is the Psalm that almost ended my relationship with the Psalms.
I mean, I’ve made songs out of some pretty difficult Psalms, but this one almost did me in. No, it didn’t have hateful imprecations. (I’m looking at you, 137:9!) It didn’t have laundry lists of historical events. (It’s okay 105, that stuff is important.) Psalm 21 was just…uninspiring. (Am I allowed to say that?)
The Psalm is composed of two broad sections. The first establishes that the king was anointed by God and relies on God for strength and victory. This is no small thing in a theocracy–the fortunes of the people are tied to the fortunes of the king. The second section basically says, “God will kill all our enemies.”
For months, I studied the Psalm and wondered how I could recast this for today. It finally occurred to me that the Psalm could be understood through a Christological lense. In Psalm 21, a great king is celebrated. In Israel’s context, the first great king is David and the final king will be the Messiah. Things began to fall into place. Christ is the King of kings who sits at God’s right hand and has all authority on heaven and earth. Read this way, the felling of foes in the original Psalm can be understood as Jesus enduring the crucifixion and claiming the final victory in the resurrection.
This theme of crowning Jesus and celebrating his victory makes this song appropriate for Christ the King or Ascension Sunday.
1. The coronation of the King in matchless majesty resounds throughout the earth and heaven, and spreads from sea to sea.
The One who reveled in God’s strength and waited on God’s grace has now been crowned the King of kings, a never-ending reign.
2. This King has known his people’s pain, the rage of enemies. Though humbled for a time, he rose to claim the victory.
Your people sing to you, our King, exalted in God’s might. For now you reign eternally, enthroned with God on high.
Those who trust in God Almighty find a love that is unfailing.
This is the last of the demos I recorded with Steve Talaga on an afternoon in September. While most of these tunes fall under the umbrella of jazz, this one…doesn’t.
And that’s okay. I just want to write good music, letting the labels sort themselves out later. What I really like about this one is the lyrics. It imagines an aging woman looking in the mirror and realizing all the good things the years have brought. Our culture is so fixated on youth and beauty that it leaves lots of us feeling like time has passed us by. But there are so many beautiful things that come with age: wisdom, experience, memories, and resilience for whatever will come next.
1. As you look in the mirror, the lines you once had feared now seem like signs marking where the road still might lead.
The final chapters may be nearer, but that just makes it sweeter to read the stories that are etched in your skin.
2. The eyes looking back remind you of all the life you hold inside you; there’s still a little girl within.
She is older and wiser, slower and kinder, and richer for all the beauty years can bring.
See how the time has flown! But your soul, it still lives on. See how the time has flown! But your soul lives on.
3. You could try to leave it all behind you, but the past will always find you; and now it almost feels like a friend.
You will need it to guide you; the path ahead is winding and will lead to places you have never been.
The years that have long gone by still lay deep inside. The years that have long gone by– let them be your guide.
