Andrew
This page lists the main songs I have written and recorded over the last 45+ years.
Many other song ideas remain discarded or incomplete. They still pop into my head from time to time, and may one day be reworked and incorporated into my future recordings.
When I listen to the recordings I am taken back to a particular place and time for each song, like the 'studio' underneath the floorboards in Jim Moginie's parent's house where I recorded drums and organ in 1979, or my sequencer, keyboard and drum machine 'studio' concealed in the wardrobe of our guest bedroom in the late 1980's.
I have made no attempt to improve the original recordings, which in many cases bear witness to the constraints under which they were recorded.
I have grouped my recordings into six 'albums', with four completed, a fifth album available for any future cover songs, and recording already commenced on the first few songs for my sixth album. Click on an album name to see the details for that album.
- Bear Essentials Songs from late 2023 to today.
- Bear Witness. Songs from 2016 to mid 2023.
- Bear My Soul. Songs from 1999 to 2015.
- Bear's Greatest Hits Volume II. Songs from 1988 to 1998.
- Bear's Greatest Hits Volume I. Songs from 1977 to 1979.
- Bear's Repeating. Cover Versions from 1977 to 2018. I didn't write these, but I enjoyed recording them.
You can listen to the songs here.
Bear Essentials
I started recording this album in July 2023.
All songs written and performed by Andrew James except the lyrics for 63 which are based on Psalm 63,
and the lyrics for Luxuria which are based on Proverbs 7.
The first two songs on this 'album' were written in the 1980's
but revised and recorded in 2023.
New songs will be added to this album as inspiration and perspiration bear fruit.
Instruments played include electronic keyboards, acoustic electric and modelling guitars, fretted and fretless bass guitars, and drum and percussion programming.
The sound byte "Like the time I dug a hole" that introduces the song Tristitia
is spoken by Stephen Curry in the film Hover the cursor over a song name below to see the lyrics. Written and performed by Andrew James, except for the lyrics for Lift
which are taken from Psalm 24, and the lyics for 103 which are based on Psalm 103.
The first songs on this 'album' were written in 2016,
and the final track was completed in 2023.
Instruments played include keyboards and synthesisers, acoustic electric and modelling guitars,
fretted and fretless bass guitars, mandolin, drum and percussion programming.
The first sound heard in Untamed (the word "dirty") is a sound byte lifted from the Black Books episode The Cleaner.
The vocals on The Dark Room were recorded whilst battling Covid-19.
Although the theme of the 'album' may change over time, the overarching subtext for the songs is
found in Psalm 104 verse 34: Hover the cursor over a song name below to see the lyrics. Written and performed by Andrew James,
except for Your Grace Still Amazes Me, written by Cissy Padgett,
and the first line of Don't You Forget
which comes from Save The Last Dance For Me by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.
Recordings took place in bursts between 2001 to 2012,
but most recording was undertaken or completed between 2013 and 2015.
I now use a multi-track hard disk recorder in place of the
four track reel to reel tape recorder I used in my previous recordings.
I can now record many tracks of audio (vocals/guitars)
and many tracks of midi (keyboards/drums)
and so get closer to how I want my songs to sound.
I have trialled computer based recording, but I have found
dedicated standalone music equipment to be more stable and reliable
and better suited to the way I record.
Instruments played include keyboards and synthesisers, acoustic and electric guitars,
mandolin, fretted and fretless bass guitars,
acoustic and electronic drums, percussion, drum and percussion programming.
Whilst I have written other songs during this period,
the songs listed here are those which I thought were worth working on.
Hover the cursor over a song name below to see the lyrics. Written and performed by Andrew James, except for Spring & Autumn,
written by Andrew James based on musical themes by Peter Beveridge,
and Valerie, written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings. Backing tracks were sequenced between 1987 and 1993 in my "studio in a wardrobe".
The exception is She Sings which was written in 1998
but the recording was not completed until 2015.
One of my favourite songs from this period isn't included in this list,
because after I wrote and recorded it I found I had unknowingly 'borrowed'
the main guitar part from a Richard Clapton song. Hover the cursor over a song name below to see the lyrics. Written and performed by Andrew James, except for The Blessed Son Of God, music by Ralph Vaughan Williams with lyrics translated by Miles Coverdale from a hymn by Martin Luther.
Although I had recorded my songs onto tape before, the TEAC 4 track reel-to-reel tape recorder
I bought with a loan from my dad opened up for me a whole new world of possibilities.
Instruments played include acoustic piano, organ, Moog synthesiser,
nylon string guitar, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, electric guitars,
fretted and fretless bass guitars, double bass, acoustic drums. Hover the cursor over a song name below to see the lyrics.
Based on Psalm 63
Written and first performed in 1984
You God, are my God
I seek you earnestly
How I long for you
My soul thirsts for you
In a dry and weary land where there is no water
I have seen you in the sanctuary
And beheld your power and glory
My soul clings to you
I am upheld by you
With songs of joy my lips will praise you
Because your love is better than life
I will praise you as long as I live
In your name I will lift up my hands
And sing in the shadow of your wings
My soul is satisfied
As with the richest food
At night I think of you
And meditate on you
Because you are my help I will rejoice
Because your love is better than life
I will praise you as long as I live
In your name I will lift up my hands
And sing in the shadow of your wings
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1984
A song written in 1987 with a few lyrics tweaked in 2023.
It might be easy to criticise pop music producers
whose music fills the dancefloors and dominates the charts,
but it's not so easy to emulate their success.
Last night I turned the radio on
They were playing Bananarama's latest song
Can't they find better music for us
I was bored before the second chorus
But then I heard it went straight to number one
Written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman
I'd sing the phone book if it helped me get ahead
So I sent them a letter, and this is what it said:
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
I need a hit, won't you write one for me
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
It seems to be, to be really easy
Just push some buttons on your Linn drum machine
Program some brass, add some strings to create the scene
Spice things up with a funky bass line
Finish with a chorus that repeats a hundred times
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
I need a hit, won't you write one for me
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
Something with a hook, something radio friendly
The songs you manufacture are so in vogue
Like the ones you've put together for Kylie Minogue
It seems like you can churn them out anytime you wanna
If I had just one I'd sell more records than Madonna
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
I need a hit, won't you write one for me
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
Let me sing your next one instead of Rick Astley
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
I need some help to become a celebrity
Please Stock, Aitken and Waterman
Within weeks I could be living in luxury
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1987
A morality tale based on Proverbs 7
As the sun was setting, in the village square a woman hitched up her skirt
A young man sauntered over to her, and she began to flirt. She whispered
“I've been so lonely while my husband's been gone
My bed is so empty, the nights are so long
But if I had somebody to talk to, it might ease the hurt”
“I've got fine food and wine waiting in my room, ready to share
With aloes and myrrh my sheets have been perfumed, everything's prepared
And you - you're much too handsome to be sleeping alone
Come let's drink deeply of love until dawn”
Like an ox to the slaughter she led him through the alley and up her stairs
Can a man scoop fire into his lap without getting serious burns?
Can a man walk barefoot on hot coals without his feet getting hurt?
Be wise and don't you go near her door
Don't lust in your heart after what isn't yours
Others have trodden this path before
And found their stairway to the stars was a highway to the grave
She was so intoxicating and he drank deep until her husband returned
When he learned their dirty secret he went ballistic, his anger burned
He showed no mercy when he took his revenge
The young man lost his reputation, his job and his friends
All this could have been avoided if he'd just learned
A little discipline (listening to wisdom)
A little discipline (resisting temptation)
A little discipline (accepting correction)
A little discipline (maintaining discretion)
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2023
"Asking for a friend"
Digging a hole
Damaging thoughts dance in my brain
They twist and torment me again
And taunt me with their dark suggestions
Digging a hole
Can't mute the chorus in my head
All those dumb things I did and said
And my most painful recollections
I know that I should turn away
Ignoring thoughts that bubble up from deep inside of me
I don't know why but somehow I
Take comfort in surrendering myself to the misery
Stuck in a groove
The stylus finds the same old track
Old arguments come flooding back
Filling my brain with thorns and thunder
Stuck in a groove
I thought that I'd at last moved on
I find myself back at square one
Facing the beast I thought I'd conquered
I know that I should press eject
Return the record to its empty sleeve back on the shelf
Sometimes you know what you should do
But just aren't strong enough to keep from torturing yourself
Digging a hole, stuck in a groove
Digging a hole, stuck in a groove
Digging a hole
I can no longer see the sky
If I keep digging maybe I might make it all the way to China
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2024
This micro musical is based on Leviticus 10:1-3, which tells of two entitled young men
who come before God with their own fire instead of God's fire, and His reaction.
Nadab : I'm getting tired of waiting, Abihu
Abihu : Me too. This is really boring
Nadab : I'm snoring. (Snort). Watching from the sidelines
Abihu : On the bench
Nadab : While our dad gets all the glory
Abihu : It makes me sick. (Hurl). He thinks he's something special
Nadab : Yes he does
Abihu : But he's just being precious
Nadab : He loves the attention
Abihu : He's scared that we could do a better job
Nadab : And we would
Abihu : So he won't let us
Nadab : So here's what we'll do
If we scoop some hot coals in a cup and put some frankincense on top
And swing it round the holy place we'll get to meet God face to face
We'll be the envy of our friends and then dad's showing off will end
Because it's our time, it's our time. Out with the old, and in with the new
Because it's our time, our time to shine.
We'll teach those geriatrics (those fossils)
a thing or two, a thing or two, a thing or . . .
Abihu : Whoa, wait up, what did Moses say
in that long rant the other day?
Nadab : We're Aaron's sons. Get serious.
None of that s@#t applies to us, to us
God :STOP!!
Who are these two blasé buffoons who swing strange fire in my face
Unholy incense fills my room, irreverence defiles this place
My house will be a house of prayer, and not some popup discothèque
To purge this disobedience I'll need to take some drastic steps
Right - you and you - OUT!
Oh Israel, Israel, you hard-hearted stiff-necked people. My pearl. You break my heart
After all the times my strong arm has rescued you how quickly you forget
I shower you with love and compassion and then you worship gods of stone and wood
Oh unfaithful Israel, what can I do? I can't stop loving you, loving you, loving you
Oh Andrew, what can I do? I can't stop loving you
It's love that caused my God to send His Son to save and not condemn
To die in my place on that cross and clothe me in His righteousness
Now I draw near the holy place and fellowship with God face to face (kneel before him)
Amazing grace (and adore him), amazing grace (glorify him), amazing grace
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2024
Bear Witness
Recording of the vocals on The New Day was interrupted when I got Covid-19 a second time.
'I will sing to the Lord all my life
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live'.
Based on Psalm 24 verses 7 - 10
Lift, you gates
Be lifted up, ancient doors
That the King of Glory may come in
That the King of Glory may come in
Lift up your heads, you gates
Be lifted up, ancient doors
That the King of Glory may come in
That the King of Glory may come in
Who is this King of Glory
The Lord, strong and mighty
The Lord God Almighty
He is the King of Glory
The Lord of heaven's armies
He is this King of Glory
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2016
Based on Psalm 103
Praise the Lord, my soul
All that is within me
Praise his name
Praise the Lord, my soul
Always remember
What he has done
He forgives all my sins (remembered no more)
He heals all my disease (by his stripes on the cross)
He frees me from my snares (he breaks all my chains)
And he crowns me with love (hallelujah)
Praise the Lord, my soul
All that is within me
Praise his name
Praise the Lord, my soul
Always remember
What he has done
He comes not to accuse
My transgressions are removed
He showers me with good things
So my youth is renewed
He brings justice for the oppressed (he comes with compassion)
And enduring righteousness (to my children's children)
His love is limitless (as high as the heavens)
All his works - sing his praise (hallelujah, hallelujah)
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2016
The first song in my oceanic trilogy.
Another padlock set in place
The words engraved, the promise made
Two hearts entangled for a while
The paths converged, the trek begun
Another spade left on the beach
In father's arms is comfort found
How quickly do the memories fade
Like sand through little fingers falls
And still the waves come crashing in
Upon the sands they pound and foam
Relentless pulse that knows no time
Rhythm of the restless sea
Heartbeat of Amphitrite
Another family torn apart
The generations pause and dwell
Another park bench tells the tale
Of hearts too bruised to ever mend
And still the pebbles are ground smooth
The headlands yield, the cliffs brought low
Relentless pulse that knows no time
Indifferent to man's ebb and flow
Rhythm of the restless sea
Heartbeat of Amphitrite
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2016
I could study all of the books in the world, but nothing would change
I could kneel at all the shrines in the world, I'd still be the same
I could listen to the finest advice, Live a healthy and productive life
Be successful in the public's eyes
But life's over so fast and none of that's going to last
I could give myself to feeding the poor like Mother Theresa (but with less hair)
I could meditate 'til I'm without thought - well that might be easier (I'm halfway there!)
Follow the prophets and the holy men and try to be a lot like them
Reach Nirvana or experience Zen that's all very well, but will it save me from hell
Cause there is no-one like You, no-one like You, no-one like You
You looked on your creation with compassion (1)
Unbounded love compelled you into action
You felt what it was like to be a man
You were tempted as I am but never once gave in (2)
Now lifted high, over all you reign
Rescue is found in no other name (The name of Jesus) (3)
I don't know how you make your choice for those who've never heard your voice
But I believe it when you say You are the only way (4)
I could memorise chapter and verse for the good it might do me (I could learn it)
I could be well respected in my church, and God knows I should be (I deserve it)
Perform miracles and heal the lame, drive out demons in Jesus name (5)
But if I'm relying on my fame to get through that gate, it might be too late (6)
If I never knew you, never knew you, never new you, Jesus
You came not to condemn but to set free (7)
Shackles unlocked, captives released (8)
The things I've done won't get me into heaven (9)
You bled and died now I'm forgiven
There is no greater love than this (10)
You said "I am the gate, believe in me (6,11)
No-one comes to the Father but by me" (4)
And now you sit enthroned on high
Worthy is the lamb, we cry. Jesus my king, be glorified (12)
Blessing and honour, glory and power and praise
Heaven and earth are filled with your glory
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2017
1/ Psalm 145:8-9
2/ Hebrews 4:15
3/ Acts 4:12
4/ John 14:6
5/ Matthew 7:23
6/ John 10:1,9
7/ John 3:17
8/ Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18
9/ Ephesians 2:9
10/ John 15:13
11/ John 6:29, John 8:24
12/ Revelation 5:!2
The second song in my oceanic trilogy.
The hardy souls who brave the dawn fresh prints on sand are making
Surf-ski rider's been and gone
Easy pace Australian crawl
Shoulders glisten, rise and fall behind where waves are breaking
The broilers cluck and scratch for feed, in glee their secrets sharing
Who's let themselves go to seed
Who's just come back from overseas
Who's having surgery on their knees, who's died, and who's retiring
The world goes by. The seasons pass. The patrons dine (at the café)
The more things change the more they stay the same. Do we ever learn?
Aromas lure the patrons in. The cooking smells amazing
The southern nomads search for spring
The shorts and T shirts tell the tale
That warmer weather is on sale alongside eggs and bacon
Oiled bodies sprawl to catch the sun – leather in the making
Kids with footballs having fun
Older folk on folding chairs
Enjoy the sun and salty air and catch up on their reading
The rich get rich. The poor stay poor. The tab gets paid (at the café
The more things change the more they stay the same. Will we ever learn?
Light fades as weary parents pack. "One last dip then we're going"
Feet rinsed, the SUV's head back
The dusk descends, bands start to play
The party people have their way until the booze stops flowing
Disasters hit. The nations starve. Some of us grow fat (at the café)
Trouble at the top. The leaders swap. Will it end in tears?
Doomsday clocks tick. The sands run out. Coffee still smells good! (at the café)
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. La vie continué
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2017
While I was going about my business in the city I used to pass by homeless people.
I felt uncomfortable and ill equipped to take action.
You may think it's presumptuous of me to speak on their behalf. I would agree.
Dirty
Smelly
Scary
Untamed
I pass by on my way to the office
Sleeping bag hides a forgotten soul
A hat with some coins, a plea scrawled on cardboard
Or sometimes nothing at all
Should I give him money (could be a mistake)
I don't have any coins (you've got notes instead)
Lots of different thoughts swirl through my head
Was there a childhood that left him damaged
Was there a family that could take no more
Was there a history of institutions
Did bad men or bad decisions leave him poor
Should I sit beside him (that would be crazy)
Start a conversation (but what would you say)
My feet just keep on walking on their way
Dirty
It isn't easy when you've got no place to stay
The city streets are just full of grime
Smelly
It isn't often that I get the chance to wash
You get used to it after a time
Scary
They used to give me pills that drained my life away
I might hear voices but at least I'm not numb
Untamed
No-one can tell me what rules I must obey
Four walls can't hold me. I need my freedom
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2020
An allegory
The third song in my oceanic trilogy.
Inspired by observing rough weather out to sea.
If it takes a village to raise a child, it may also take a village to save a child.
In troubled times we have a responsibility to look out for each other.
Ring the bell, rouse the town
We need to respond to the sound
Ring the bell, hear the chimes
A sign of these desperate times
Ring the bell
Out to sea the wind whips up white peaks
The spray pelts sideways, the banshee tempest shrieks
Waterlogged boat, no chance of being saved
Pushed closer to the rocks by every churning wave
The watchman sees the vessel come to harm
To the tower, raise the alarm
Ring the bell, ring the bell
Rouse the village, break slumber's deep spell
Ring the bell, heed the call
The rescue has need of us all
Ring the bell
Take courage men, steer the lifeboat t'ward the waves
We need make haste if any would be saved
Heave and strain, work the oars with all your might
Souls in peril rely on us tonight
Back on the shore a haven is prepared
For those who providence has spared
Ring the bell, ring the bell
Rouse the village, break slumber's deep spell
Ring the bell, sound the alarm
For those who need rescue from harm
Ring the bell
The storm has spent its wrath, the seas grow calm
Blankets warm the survivors snatched from harm
With the dawn comes the sight of the debris
Evidence of those claimed by the sea
The bell will ring, but with a different song
In memory of those whose lives are gone
Ring the bell, make the sound
Gather the people around
Ring the bell, hear the chimes
A sign of these desperate times
Ring the bell, ring the bell
It's time for the final farewell
Ring the bell, hear the call
In time it will toll for us all
Ring the bell (for the parent who's drowning in grief)
Ring the bell (for the carer that needs some relief)
Ring the bell (for the wife fearful of her next beating)
Ring the bell (for the couple that can't afford heating)
Ring the bell (for the child who will never be cool)
Ring the bell (for the teen who is bullied at school)
Ring the bell (for the young mum who's had to leave home)
Ring the bell (for the widow who's now all alone)
Ring the bell (for the patient who's desperately ill)
Ring the bell (for the family that can't pay the bills)
Ring the bell (for the innocents struggling in prison)
Ring the bell (for the addict who's battling addiction)
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2020
My wife and I used to enjoy Christmas Carols broadcasts,
but in recent years they seem to have lost their reverence.
It's that time of year when retailers are decking
The malls with big baubles and tinsel and flocking
And TV gears up for the big Christmas Carols events
Today show presenters read cringeworthy banter
Then talent school children dance rings around Santa
But some of the segments they feature don't even make sense
The babes in the audience nod off to sleep
Perhaps they're the lucky ones, don't get to see
The sponsors are keen to get bang for their buck
With Mickey and Minnie and Frozen and such
Or a clip from a movie to bolster box office receipts
The cast of a musical selling their show
Singing of open fires, chestnuts and snow
Hoping exposure puts more bums on theatre seats
At the core of tradition and embellished fables
The treasure of treasures was born in a stable
In a food trough lies a child. His exhausted mother smiles
The miracle long promised is now here
From heaven to helplessness the Word has become flesh
Though it's quiet where the newborn baby lays
The heavens are bursting with their praise
To God be glory, now and always
A taffeta sculpture sweeps in from the wings
Soap star under contract who thinks she can sing
She'll need to act now to pretend she believes what she's singing
And yet amid all of the flouncing and hype
A few artists know what they're singing about
This time it's personal, this time delivered with meaning
While some folks below are dismissing the story
The angels above keep proclaiming his glory
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the everlasting Word
Without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3)
Lamb of God, Prince of Peace, his kingdom will not cease
And by his blood, from sin we are set free (Rev 1:5)
Righteous and victorious, Emmanuel – God with us
The radiance of the Glory of God (Hebrews 1:3)
At his name all knees will bow. Blessing and Honour bring him now
For God so loved the world that he gave
All who believe in Jesus will be saved
He is Holy and Worthy to be praised
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2021
Most of us have times where dark moods cloud our lives.
I'm fortunate mine usually don't hang around very long.
I waited all 2021 for a virus to temporarily give me the
gravelly voice I could hear in my head delivering this chorus.
Covid-19 gave me that voice in early 2022, along with a week
in isolation to build the instrument tracks around the vocals.
This heart of death, this heart of death x 2
It stings like wasps, it smells like sulphur
(How can I escape from this heart of death)
It sounds like war, it looks like cancer
(I need to be released from this heart of death)
Another piece of me has hit the floor
Can chiselling continue until there's no more
Don't look left (Don't get diverted)
Don't turn right (Don't touch the decor)
Go straight ahead (Asylum beckons)
You'll be alright (Behind the red door)
This heart of death, this heart of death x 2
My savage thoughts, my clouded sight
(I need to get away from this heart of death)
Can anybody rescue me from me tonight
(I need to be released from this heart of death)
The purple colander shoots taunts and jeers
Cower in the corner covering my ears
In the dark room watch my witness writhe
Stay sequestered 'til the storm subsides
Don't overthink it (Don't be defensive)
Just sit and breathe (Hey! Stop building walls)
With some perspective (Fortifications)
Anguish will ease (This won't end well)
Seven circuits, Deafening shout. Strongholds toppled. Allies brought out.
Rising terror. Torches thrown. Swords unsheathed. No mercy shown.
The blackened ruins show the cost of a battle fought but lost.
Abandoned city in the rain. These walls will never rise again.
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2022
Recovery from The Dark Room.
With each dawn come new opportunities.
sun
light
gilds the clouds and fills the sky with
warm
light
bathes the hills and wakes creation
your
light
conquers dark and soothes the scars of
last
night
I'm rescued from the shadows by your love
bird
song
greets the dawn and fills the skies with
their
song
In the moment my heart hears a
new
song
I can face the new day, I can
be
strong
All the earth is bursting with your
Glory, Glory
The heavens shout it, the earth is filled with your
Glory, Glory
Lord God Almighty, You alone are
Holy, Holy
Alpha and omega, beginning and the end, Jesus you are
Holy, Holy
Seated on the throne, only you are
Worthy, Worthy
Worthy Lord, to receive honour and praise, you are
Worthy, Worthy
Every knee will bow, every tongue confess you are
Mighty, Mighty
Victorious king, You are so
Mighty, Mighty
My Lord and my God
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2023
Just when you think you're doing OK
the old issues try to drag you down again.
I am loved by the King of Kings and He is mighty.
Those old issues can just rack off!
This heart of death, this heart of death x 2
This heart of death, this heart of death
(How can I escape from this heart of death)
This heart of death, this heart of death
(I need to be released from this heart of death)
This cheerless cell, this bleak cocoon
(Who can rescue me from this heart of death)
Can any light breach this dungeon of doom
(Dungeon of doom, dungeon of doom)
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2022
Bear My Soul
Some songs may have dark themes but that's because life isn't always easy.
Throughout the seasons I have found the love of God to be unchanging and undiminished.
Tailored suit and slicked back hairdo, perfect teeth in cunning grin
Faultless speech and presentation while the maggots writhe within
Shows me all the glossy brochures, doesn't talk about the price
Tells me abstinence is passé, sells the virtues of the vice
So I took a little chance, I stole a little glance, I've nothing much to lose
And I took a little taste, shame to let it go to waste, I can stop any time I choose
Help me – what have I done. I thought that I was strong – I was wrong
These pleasures that I've found turn to stench and such me down
Feeling really far from holy, feeling filthy and ashamed
Jesus, how can you still love me when I cause you all this pain?
Lamb of God, to you I call. Obedient to death, you gave it all
By the blood you shed for me I am forgiven, cleansed, set free
Lord, all your love flowing down, pouring into my soul
I find I'm falling in love with you again
My tears of repentance turn to joy as you cleanse my heart, my soul
And as you hold me close you whisper "welcome home"
This grace, this power, this love, this Jesus
Cleanses my heart, restores my soul
His gift is free, I can do nothing to deserve it
Drop to the floor, heartburst, in awe
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1999
Six months feels like forever. She used to have a heart
But when the father of her children left he wrenched her world apart
She isn't nice to be around, she drives old friends away
There isn't any joy for her on this Christmas day
He sits for hours in silence paralysed by pain
He feels like smashing windows but that won't bring her back again
Her room's untouched – a shrine to love. He nursed her to the end
The only gift he wants is the return of his best friend
The years have not been kind, the dreams have not come true
There seems to be no purpose in what they've been through
Festive facades just feed their anger and despair
Christmas is a painful time of year
His people played the harlot, broke his heart time and time again
He'll sacrifice his son to reconcile God and men
The flesh is gouged out of his back, the spikes are driven in
He drowns, abandoned by his friends, in payment for my sin
The years aren't always kind, dreams don't always come true
But Jesus went through hell to rescue me and you
He yearns to heal our hearts, hold us in His embrace
All grief will flee when we see his face
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2004
This song makes no judgement about the relative merits of any particular religion.
I had been listening to passionate advocates of several faiths, and thought they sounded
pretty similar, with their do-more, try-harder, sacrifice-more, pray-more, win-more message.
In this song I imagined a battle of the evangelists and their worship teams.
Zealot on the radio, spouting waves of passion
Questioning my fervour, laying on the guilt
Says I must work harder, spend more hours in prayer
Calling for contenders to commit
Catch workmates in a corner, press them for an answer
Turn the talk around and capture every chance I get
As I keep on pushing harder resistance will grow weaker
In time they'll see the truth is what I speak
Hallelujah to Allah and his messenger Muhammad (PBUH)
His word has shown the way, teach all to obey
Keep on taking ground for Allah
Zealot on the early show, shouting words of passion
Questions my commitment to the three week can't fail plan
Rearrange priorities, use recommended strategies
Satisfy prerequisites and win
God will create the opening, I just need to be listening
If something isn't happening I need to lift my game
If I'm totally surrendered my friends will be attracted
The life they see in me is what they'll want
Hallelujah to the Creator and our redeemer Jesus
He is the King, His life we bring
Push back the darkness, to the glory of God
From one driven zealot to another
You're as passionate and earnest as each other
You raise the book that's in your hand, trying to make me understand
That your message is from God, unlike the other
There is just one source of truth, you say you teach it
There is just one way to God, you say you preach it
You make the same appeals, you display the same zeal
If there's just one way to heaven, who will reach it
If I scour the caves and culverts of the earth for just one convert
Will he will end up even more disturbed, dissatisfied than me
We're so focused on the winning, can we hear the Spirit's prompting
Maybe we don't want to hear what he might say
Is the peace of God in hiding, has it passed all understanding
Has condemnation replaced the dispensation of grace
We're so busy with the doing, lose the beauty of just being
Was it Mary's choice or Martha's Jesus praised?
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2011
Dedicated to my wife Janene, without whose patience and love I would
not have known the enduring love of a bridegroom for a bride.
I have been waiting for so long
But now you are her with me to share this moment (this moment)
Clothed in the gown I bought for you
Crowned with gold and jewels, you look amazing (amazing)
There is no music in the room
But if you listen well, you can hear the music in my heart
It's time
For the dance
Oh my love, oh my joy
I will never let you go
Nothing else, only you
Forever we will dance, la la la
I have been courting you so long
Each time you turned away my heart was broken (was broken)
But with you here those memories fade
We stand together at a new beginning (beginning)
Don't be afraid just take my hand
Follow my lead and soon you will be in raptures just like me
It's time
For the dance
Oh my love, oh my joy
I will never let you go
Nothing else, only you
Forever we will dance
Mon amour, oh ma joie
Je vais t#39;embrasser toujours
Rien d'autre que tu
Toujours nous danserons, la la la
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2012
Based on Matthew 8:28-34
We had it good in our Eastlake town
Life went on as it had and always will
Everybody knew their place
Even the madmen who lived in the caves on the hill
He sailed in from the other side
Would have been better if he hadn't come at all
Causing trouble, making waves
Had a reputation. People said
He won't last long, he'll soon be gone
He didn't quite make it into town
Held up by those two madmen on the hill
Shouting rubbish as they often did
Strange thing is, he didn't turn and run
Now here's the weird bit - the men went sane
But some pigs went crazy, stampeded down the hill
Left the farmers out of work with debts to pay
What's he going to do next, we're afraid
We made it clear, he's not welcome here
The table is set. The guests all take their seats anticipating
The bridegroom arrives. The celebration starts. The doors are closing
You should've been here. He wanted you here
Why didn't you come?
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2013
Down on my knees
Overwhelmed by your presence again
You have captured my heart
I will never be the same
You rescued me, your sacrifice set me free
My Lord, I am amazed
You deserve all my praise
Be king, be Lord of my life
Be king today
Be king, Lord take your rightful place
Be king and reign
Here on this world
Injustice is all about
Disasters and wars, persecution, disease
The oppressed and the hurting cry out
Things are not going well with man in control
We need a change
The bride and the spirit say come
Come Lord Jesus come
Be king, be Lord of my life
Be king today
Be king, Lord take your rightful place
Be king and reign
You left your throne, you came to die
You conquered death, now lifted high
Born as a man, servant of all
You made a way, tore down the walls
Be king and reign, be king and reign
Be king and reign, be king and reign
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2014
"But don't forget who's taking you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be"
(excerpt from Save the last dance for me, by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
written on the day the wheelchair bound Pomus married his dancer wife
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_the_Last_Dance_for_Me)
I need to take time to reflect
Consider well his benefits
He's been with me every step
His love for me is infinite, no end to it, He won't let me fall
Don't you forget (never the same again)
He captured your heart
Don't you forget (restored and whole again)
He set you apart
Cast your mind back many years
It was a special time of innocence
I was there, I saw the tears
You can't deny its significance
But that was then, this is now
So much water under the bridge
Life's complications have somehow
Clouded your memory, until you can't see clearly at all
Don't you forget (something incredible)
He captured your heart
Don't you forget (a love indelible)
He set you apart
Don't you forget his love won't fade
And the promises he made he's going to keep
Don't you forget he understands
And he holds you in his hands
Eternally (He is not a man that he should change his mind)
Securely (Those who are His He will not lose or leave behind)
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2014
Solomon concluded that apart from God, "Everything is meaningless".
Once his heart had been captured by Jesus, Paul considered all other things worthless.
(A more correct translation of the original word used is "dung").
I wrote the initial bleak section of the song in 2010 imagining it as a short grungy punk song
but as it offered nothing positive, I chose not to record it at that time.
The song stayed in my head, however, and so I added the final choruses in 2015.
What the world offers may be crap but what Jesus offers is treasure beyond measure.
I turned on the TV but it was crap
I bought a book to read but it was crap
Switched on the radio but it was crap
There's nowhere I can go that isn't crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
A cottage by the sea but it was crap
Postgraduate degree but it was crap
My face on magazines but it was crap
Riding in limousines but it was crap
I saw the wicked rise and it was crap
I saw the righteous die and it was crap
Life isn't what it seems – it's all crap
And in the heart of me – it's all crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Crap, crap, everything is crap
Except for Jesus
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In him, I'm a new creation
By his stripes I have been healed
I am not condemned, I'm clothed in his righteousness
He placed his spirit in my heart, I have been sealed
From his love I can't be separated
He knows me, yet he still calls me 'friend'
I'm seated with him in high places
Where the praise of God Almighty never ends
You are worthy, you alone are holy
Rich in mercy, in love and faithfulness
The whole earth is full of your glory
Every knee will bow, every tongue confess
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 2010, 2015
References
Chorus 1: Ecclesiastes 1:14
Chorus 2: Philippians 3:8
Chorus 3: 2 Corinthiahs 5:17; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 8:1; John 5:24; Isaiah 61:10; 2 Corinthians 1:22
Chorus 4: Romans 8:39; John 15:15; Ephesians 2:6; Revelation 4:8
Chorus 5: Revelation 4:8,11; Ephesians 2:4; Psalm 86:15; Lamentations 3:22,23; Isaiah 6:3; Philippians 2:10,11
Written by Cissy Padgett
My faithful father, enduring friend
Your tender mercy's like a river with no end
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time I come into your presence
I stand in wonder once again
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'cause your grace still amazes me
Your grace still amazes me
O patient saviour, you make me whole
You are the author and the healer of my soul
What can I give you? Lord, what can I say
I know there's no way to repay you
Only to offer you my praise
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'cause your grace still amazes me
Your grace still amazes me
It's deeper, it's wider, it's stronger, it's higher
It's deeper, it's wider, it's stronger, it's higher
Than anything my eyes can see
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'cause your grace still amazes me
Your grace still amazes me
Bear's Greatest Hits Volume II
(The big synth years)
With my Atari computer and Cubase software controlling multiple synthesisers
I could record complete backing tracks for songs whilst my young children were asleep.
I recorded vocals and guitar for the first three songs at the time,
but didn't record vocals on the other songs until 2013.
I had expected to stay alone
Wasn't eager to take the chance again
Hoping I could be proven wrong
But not expecting to be more than a friend
Driving home alone, feeling something's wrong
Something's got to change, someone's got to make a move
Can she be the one, the one who brings me healing
Can she be the one, the one who starts the thaw
Can she be the one, who opens up my eyes to what's in store
She began a new spring in me
The explorer looks over foreign land
And the valley was lush and green
Unfamiliar yet beckoning to this man
Walking into rooms, looking for those eyes
Just to see the spark, lights up the whole world for me
Can she be the one I've waited all these years for
Can she be the one who sets this prisoner free
Can she be the one to share my dreams and hopes with, can it be she
The flashing of eyes, The touching of hands
The sharing of secrets, The making of plans
You know that I love you, It's seen in my eyes
And I make that promise, For the rest of our lives
Yes she is the one, the one who brings me healing
Yes she is the one, the one who starts the thaw
Yes she is the one who opens up these eyes
Yes she is the one who shows me what's in store
Yes she is the one I've waited all these years for
Yes she is the one who sets this prisoner free
Yes she is the one to share my dreams and hopes with
Yes she is the one who shows me what will be
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1988
Mary gets all the attention. It's about time Joseph had his own song.
I couldn't hold my hope inside. I wanted you to be my bride
And when you smiled and answered yes my joy and love I can't express
But this news throws me to the floor. Imagination runs wild
I cannot take you home like this expecting someone else's child
Mary my song, I'd waited so long. Couldn't you have waited for me
Now here I stand a broken man. Through shattered dreams I turn and watch you leave
I wallowed deep in misery. How could she do this thing to me
But things aren't always as they seem. An angel showed me in a dream
I learned that you have done no wrong. There's been no man in your live
I don't care what the neighbours think. Come home with me as my wife
Mary my song, I've waited so long. I'll wait a little longer for you
Overshadowed by the most high and now his promise grows within you
Mary my song, I've waited so long. I'll wait a little longer for you
These times are strange, heralding change. Could it be my dreams are coming true
This child you bring will be the King. The promised messiah
On him we can depend. His kingdom will not end. God with us, Emmanuel
Mary my song, I've waited so long. I'll wait a little longer for you
Overshadowed by the most high and now his promise grows within you
Mary my song, I've waited so long. I'll wait a little longer for you
These times are strange, heralding change. Could it be my dreams are coming true
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1988
Listen friend don't bother coming round here again, don't give me booklets to read
The spiritual crutch that you're trying to sell is something I don't need
I've learnt a lot from experience, life offers more bad times than fun
If this Jesus guy cared life wouldn't be this hard –
You've got to look out for no 1, So you can tell him...
You, you've got a lot to answer for. Why is there suffering pain and war
I reckon you could do so much more, but you don't care
I've read of plastic preachers with their credit card smiles asking for cash on TV
In public it's the practicing of peace, love and joy, in private it's debauchery
When a person's behaviour contradicts their words how can you believe a word they say
If that's the change that Jesus makes then count me out
I don't want to end up that waySo you can tell God...
You, you've got a lot to answer for. Why is there suffering pain and war
I reckon you could do so much more, Yeah
And you, you send your followers round the twist. They even have their doubts you exist
You're just irrelevant, obsolete - yeah you're dead
I ran out of the subway gasping for breath, my tormenters were closing in
The helicopter shuddered and the engine screamed as we plummeted out of the sky
The tunnel had collapsed, now there was no escape, the fumes were making senses spin
Desperation gripped me like a heart attack, the judge had sentenced me to die
I'd tried it all but all I'd got was death despair and doubt
And then I looked into your eyes, and your love swept the garbage out
When I cried out to You
You called me to you with tearful eyes. The truth then hit me, I realised
You had been waiting so patiently for me and You
You don't remember what used to be. All that you want is to be with me
You held back nothing you went through hell for me and You
You poured your loving into my soul. I don't deserve it - You made me whole
I never knew someone cared for me the way you do
You are the fire that burns in me. You are the wind that sets me free
You are the life that lets me be complete in You
You're alive in me, I'm alive in You
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1988
Imagining how it would feel to lose a partner
Splashing through the shallows, strolling on the beach
Scribing our initials in the sand
Recognising pictures clouds make in the sky
Watching as the pelicans glide by
Now I have plans for the future. The time for decision draws near
I can still recall that special day
When all my doubts and fears melted away
Back in our room after the show
Thankful to be over that mountain, sharing the glow
Two hearts together, so much to give
Looking forward to a life together
As long as I live I will promise to love you
See the promise coming true
Thinking of out courtship, thinking of our youth
Thinking of those magic times we shared
Drowning in old photos, trying not to cry
Raging at the heavens, asking why
Now I, I wait for the angels. My heart hasn't beaten for years
People come to pass the time of day
They do the best they can then go away
I sit on the deck and wait for the dawn
I've made it through another night without you. I feel so alone
I wish I could call you, see you turn and spark
Now memories are all I have to cling to
Though it breaks my heart every time I think of you
But that's all I have of you
Oh my God, how I love you
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1988
Written for a friend who had just left an unhealthy relationship
You borrow my money, you take all my time, there's none left for me
You're suspicious and angry, possessive and jealous. What's it like to be free?
Losing to football, and mates, the car, and the bottle
Here stands a woman with needs that just aren't being met
Tossing and turning, the last few nights have been rough
Although I may love you, maybe this time love's not quite enough
Building up courage to tell you I've made a decision
The better I know you the more I'm convinced that I'm right
It's not going to work, I'm not your little girl
I'm not going to sit on the sidelines and smile as you conquer the world
It's not going to work, I've got to breathe
What you're expecting of me is not what I'm prepared to give
You want a girl that will hang on your words
Someone who supports you whatever the cause
Who will stay home and wait while you drink with your mates and be happy
I am a woman with dreams of my own
I must be free to have time left for me
I'm not prepared to live my life through somebody else
Crushing your hopes with a handful of words wasn't easy
Turn to the window and watch this bird fly free
It's not going to work, I'm not your little girl
I'm not going to sit on the sidelines and smile as you conquer the world
It's not going to work, I've got to breathe
What you're expecting of me is not what I'm prepared to give
It's not going to work
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1990
Flogging and suffocation borne
Flesh and tendon torn in agony
You wore the sewer of my sin
To birth new life within the heart of me
Buried in the water with the darkness left behind
Rose again a lighter man
Resolved to serve my saviour for all time
I lost my heart again
Found somebody who loves me as I am
Lost these chains that bind, and found freedom
I lost my guilt and shame
Found a reason to praise Your name
I'm so glad that I was found by love
My friend weighs heavy on my mind
He has yet to find new life in you
Jesus, the spirit in me yearns
How I wish he'd turn, and be made new
Lord I pray that on that day he's on the winning team
Grant me opportunity
To help him see the truth in what I sing
I lift my heart to you
Jesus, you had the strength to see it through
Bound the enemy, and loosed my chains
I lost my guilt and shame
Found a reason to praise Your name
I'm so glad that I was found by love
I lost my heart again
Found somebody who loves me as I am
Lost these chains that bind, and found freedom
I lost my guilt and shame
Found a reason to praise You, praise Your name
I'm so glad that I was found by love
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1991
I started writing this song after my next door neighbour went
AWOL for two weeks,
and then came back one afternoon
to pick up his clothes and say goodbye to his kids.
She breaks down in the doorway as she sees him drive away
How's she going to feed her children now
Eleven years of marriage packed inside a black sports bag
Fighting back the tears he wonders where he'll spend the night
Alarmed by the intensity of pain he feels inside
People who are lost, people who are lonely
People who are being torn apart
People who are hurt, people who are broken
Help me Lord to see that your solution could begin with me
She shivers in the alley from the bitter winter wind
She's broken free this time, but for how long
Seven years of nightmares and it hasn't ended yet
Why did father have to be so twisted and so vile
Who can she turn to when she learns she's carrying his child
People who are lost, people who are lonely
People who are being torn apart
People who are hurt, people who are broken
Help me Lord to see that your solution starts with me
Creation groans, the angels weep, war rages endlessly
Jesus, my hands, Jesus, my feet, Jesus, my heart is Yours – send me
People who are lost, people who are lonely
People who are being torn apart
People who are hurt, people who are broken
Help me Lord to see what your solution is
For people who are lost, people who are lonely
People who are being torn apart
People who are hurt, people who are broken
Help me Lord to see that your solution could begin with me
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1992
Written after the unexpected but merciful death of my mother,
which released her from the body in which she had become a prisoner.
She#39;s gone, fled the frail frame
The heart that used to beat for us now still
We who remain behind are left to face our loss
In a world a little darker, a little colder
A little older, but then I remember
Now she sings with the angels the praises of her Lord
Now she sings with the angels. His love lets her voice soar
Her voice on earth now silent is beautiful once more
As she sings, as she sings
Yet in his kingdom, a party#39;s going on
As one of His is welcomed to her home
We who remain behind are thankful for his care
For we know he really loved her, took care of her
Finally called her in the fullness of his time
And now she sings with the angels the praises of her Lord
Now she sings with the angels. His love lets her voice soar
Her voice on earth now silent is beautiful once more
As she sings
Her spirit soars like an eagle on the praises of her Lord
Yes she soars like an eagle as she#39;s never done before
As his love lifts her higher she will live forevermore
As she sings
If I could only breathe life to her lips I surely would
For five more minutes sitting by her side
But she#39;s gone to somewhere better
Where there#39;s no more tears, no pain
Now she sings with the angels the praises of her Lord
Yes she sings with the angels. His love lets her voice soar
Her voice on earth now silent is beautiful once more
As she sings with the angels
She sings with the angels
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1998
Written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings
So wild, standing there, with her hands in her hair
I can't help remember just where she touched me
There's still no face here in her place
So cool, she was like jazz on a summer's day
Music, high and sweet, then she just blew away
No she can't be that warm with the wind in her arms
Valerie, call on me – call on me, Valerie
Come and see me – I'm the same boy I used to be
Love songs fill the night, but they don't tell it all
Not how lovers cry out just like they're dying
Her cries hang there in time somewhere
Someday, some good wind may blow her back to me
Some night I may hear her like she used to be
No it can't be that warm with the wind in her arms
Valerie, call on me – call on me, Valerie
Come and see me – I'm the same boy I used to be
So cool, she was like jazz on a summer's day
Music, high and sweet, then she just blew away
No she can't be that warm with the wind in her arms
Valerie, call on me – call on me, Valerie
Come and see me – I'm the same boy I used to be
Bear's Greatest Hits Volume I
(The basement tapes)
Recorded between February 1977 and April 1979.
Valerie (1987).
Originally included on Bear's Greatest Hits Volume II.
Written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings
Valerie
I've heard others talk the way you do, but they've got better reasons
There's something to look forward to, it's not the journey it's the goal
But as I look at you I think you ought to perceive who you're teasing
Your senior maths is lacking, you're up against a brick wall
'Cause you're aiming for the wrong side of the field
Can't you see that you lose the game if you score there
If you cross the line too many times you'll seal your fate
To be withdrawn from the race to be seen no more there
Well what do you aim for in life, is it living loving danger
Are you too far involved with yourself to read the faces of your friends
When you cross past that point of no return will you be willing to change a
Thing that you've done, realise it's too late to make amends
'Cause you're aiming for the wrong side of the field
Can't you see that you lose the game if you score there
If you cross the line too many times you'll seal your fate
To be withdrawn from the race to be seen no more there
Can't you see it doesn't help to balance the scales
When one pan's resting over the flame
Come back to the sidelines back behind the rails
The strongest side must win the game
I know you like to be there every moment you can
And accountants fill your nightmares it seems
Believe me when I tell you that the world you create
Is just as much a world of dreams
Wake up to reality
Wake up to reality
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
I'm selling out, moving down to the city
(Selling out, moving back)
That's where I really really really, I really wanna go
(Selling out, moving back)
I know what I want, and I know where I can get it
(Selling out, moving back)
Stepping out in the city
Those cows and sheep just cramp my style
Fun and games in the city ... but
No loving I could find
Those slickers were unkind
They made me change my mind
I think I'll move on back to the country my friend
I'm selling out, moving back to the country
(Selling out, moving back)
That's where I really really really, That's where I belong yeah
(Selling out, moving back)
Kindness and consideration in the country
(Selling out, moving back)
So, I think I'll settle in the country
Didn't like the city anyhow
Buy a wife and raise a family ... but
She broke our wedding vows
She looks just like my cows
I think I'll leave my ploughs
And move on down to the city again
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1978
Alita, let me address you
Alita, my intentions are clear
Alita, my prospects are promising
Alita, there is more you should hear
Ever since we met your beauty haunts my every waking moment
If I am refused I'm certain I should surely die
Living life without you is a thought I would not contemplate
So realise my happiness depends on your reply, so
Alita, what will your answer be
Alita, I'm sure you know what is best
Alita, I can't believe what you're telling me
Alita, surely you jest
It's not in your best interests to refuse security when offered
This is your last chance Alita, come on, answer favourably
Do I detect a slight indifference to my generosity
Well, I've never been so humiliated
Foolish ungrateful girl
Then this interview has ended
You may withdraw from my life
Remain a servant all your years
Never a wife
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
Since my world has become you
I can hear the breathing, see the brush
And life becomes more than door to door
All the rules are broken, every step I take
Is a reflection of my soul
See the greasepaint appear, I don't care
I've handed over control
For love was given substance I'm aware of that fact
And my life is someone else's, senior management was sacked
Death can bring life by the bridging of barriers unseen
For your love can come quickly like a thief in the night
But it also can grow like a parasite
Destroying the old, making way for the new different life
These new eyes see much more clearly
But though the storm has passed, a drizzle still remains
There's breeze moving from the east
A tree becomes a lens, a leaf a mirror
Glorifying natures source
Sense is a compass pointing to martyr source
For love was given substance I'm aware of that fact
And my life is someone else's, senior management was sacked
Death can bring life by the bridging of barriers unseen
For your love can come quickly like a thief in the night
But it also can grow like a parasite
Destroying the old, making way for the new different life
Your love
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
There she was, discrete, but how to treat her
Standing lonely in my mind
Outstretched, my soul desired her yet it fired her
Gossip colours deeply what I find
Some within me pine for thoughts ago
Others relish recent tints through which I view
Was I blind to all hypocrisy related
Of the past is ended, present starts anew
Jenny, all I loved was my own shadow
Couldn't see I'd trapped you in a well appointed cage
(Of this I am persuaded)
Open eyes and ears can bring me sorrow
Better sadly knowing now than finding out with age
But is believing knowing?
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
You poke your lunar landscape around the doorway
And expect me to be pleased at the sight
Your champagne chatter goes down like the Titanic
You won't get appreciated tonight
Well, who invited you anyway
No friend of mine
No friend
You're always wearing clothes that are far too revealing
They reveal a twisted jealousy
You've never had this impact on a man before
You don't understand what you do to me
You make me sick
Anyway, is there a doctor in the house
Doctor
I'm really getting tired of you coming around
And I hate the things that you represent
You really make a desk job seem attractive
I think it's about time you went
Borrow a roadie if you must
You must go away
Now
Immediately
If not sooner
Just go
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
Those eyes
I know I've seen those eyes before
In dreams I can't ignore
And now I see the face that they belong to
I realise I couldn't love you more
Love me forever, stay with me
Let your wish be my command
Mutual bliss, a heaven on earth I'll show you
Let me take your hand, love
Those lips
Their savage colour and their fire
Purposeful thoughts in me inspire
And if I said I didn't want to take you
I must admit that I would be a liar
This was meant to be
It's God's design, it's fate, the two of us entwined
Become as one, forever my life partner
Leaving loneliness behind us
What's the matter darling, I expected your unquestioning devotion
Is love asymmetric, an imbalanced allocation of emotion
Absence of your love will render life a bitter sentence void of meaning
Satisfied, you've torn away my will to live
I wish that I was dreaming
These dreams
Of disillusion cause such pain
But they're worth it all the same
And for a moment, Oh that moment
You say you love me, I'm in paradise again
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
You came to the party with that look on your face
I'm just another conquest since my fall from grace
Seems this direction is the same that you charted
The same that you charted
Charted so long ago
I didn't know much about you when I first met you
I reckon that I should have been warned
It goes to show appearances can be deceptive
And now I wish you'd never been born
You came to the party just to laugh in my face
You're just a heartless hunter, you enjoy the chase
Seems that deception was a game that you started
A game that you started
Started playing long ago
Didn't know you went through lovers like a box of matches
Didn't know that you were twice my age
Didn't know that you were up to your fourth address book
And I was listed near the back page
You went from the party leaving egg on my face
You played your winning card and then you left the place
Seems that Virginia was a name you discarded
A name you discarded
Discarded so long ago
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
So you thought you could see loving in her eyes
That was her disguise, it's already fooled you
She can get what she wants and she wants you next
She's just oversexed and underfed too
She's not the type of girl you're needing
(I know what you need)
She's not your class of girl at all
She will gorge on the flesh and discard the shell
And life after death is hell
She took me in when I was young
Filled up my life with song
It only seems like yesterday
I remember those games we played
I've heard it said that love is kind
It certainly left me blind
I was left standing in the wings
She went on to higher things
She's a siren of doom and you've heard her voice
You have little choice except to succumb
You'll be in deeper water than you might think
It's not hard to sink pinioned under her thumb
It's all a question of domination
(She'll dominate you)
She has no sympathy at all
I see history repeated before my eyes
So take my advice Paul
Or else it's your funeral!
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
Translation by Miles Coverdale of a hymn by Martin Luther
The blessed son of God only
In a crib full poor did lie;
With our poor flesh and our poor blood
Was clothed that everlasting good
Kyrie eleison
The Lord Christ Jesu, God's son dear
Was a guest and a stranger here
Us for to bring from misery
That we might live eternally
Kyrie eleison
All this did he for us freely
For to declare his great mercy
All Christendom be merry therefore
And give him thanks for evermore
Kyrie eleison
Oh God, why can't they understand
Why I must do what's planned for me
They all love me but still
There's an ache in my heart when I realise
That the present is all I see in their eyes
I've spent three heavy years of teaching,
Will it all be in vain
I've exhausted myself from the healing
Disregarding the pain in my feet from life's travels
And there's little time left for refreshing myself from my father's oasis
Am I fulfilling my purpose
Have I taught my disciples enough
Will they be strong when the time comes
Will they communicate my love to all lands
Without being discouraged by prisons, derision and scorn
And certain persecution
But then, then I remember my father
And I want his love to flow to the ones I love
And that their sins might not be remembered
And I'm happy to die
For I love them much more than myself
Let it be so
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
Gee it must be real swell going out with a rock star (Uh Huh)
Is The Bear really taking you out again tonight (Uh huh)
By the way, how'd you meet him
Corner shop meetings were fine for a while
But then you got a hankering for Kentucky style
And now it's only restaurants that make you smile
What are you after, what are you after
It seems to me you've changed a lot since I've been your man
You were happy with my means when our involvement began
But now you're asking me to give much more than I can
What are you after, what are you after
Would you still be attracted if I let my hair grow
What are you after, what are you after
Is it all the people that I happen to know
What are you after, what are you after
chorus
Stop! – is it me you love or is it just my money
Stop! –hen file him in your catalogue with others you've met
And the knowledge quickly spreads within the trendy set
What are you after, what are you after
Do you really need a brand new outfit each week
What are you after, what are you after
Life isn't easy when your wallet seems to leak
What are you after, what are you after
chorus
Though it may be a distasteful and destructive task
I've just got to find the woman underneath the mask
So here are several questions that I need to ask
What are you after, what are you after
chorus
Andrew James © Heartburst Music 1979
(instrumental)
Written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings
So wild, standing there, with her hands in her hair
I can't help remember just where she touched me
There's still no face here in her place
So cool, she was like jazz on a summer's day
Music, high and sweet, then she just blew away
No she can't be that warm with the wind in her arms
Valerie, call on me – call on me, Valerie
Come and see me – I'm the same boy I used to be
Love songs fill the night, but they don't tell it all
Not how lovers cry out just like they're dying
Her cries hang there in time somewhere
Someday, some good wind may blow her back to me
Some night I may hear her like she used to be
No it can't be that warm with the wind in her arms
Valerie, call on me – call on me, Valerie
Come and see me – I'm the same boy I used to be
So cool, she was like jazz on a summer's day
Music, high and sweet, then she just blew away
No she can't be that warm with the wind in her arms
Valerie, call on me – call on me, Valerie
Come and see me – I'm the same boy I used to be
Written by Cissy Padgett
My faithful father, enduring friend
Your tender mercy's like a river with no end
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time I come into your presence
I stand in wonder once again
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'cause your grace still amazes me
Your grace still amazes me
O patient saviour, you make me whole
You are the author and the healer of my soul
What can I give you? Lord, what can I say
I know there's no way to repay you
Only to offer you my praise
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'cause your grace still amazes me
Your grace still amazes me
It's deeper, it's wider, it's stronger, it's higher
It's deeper, it's wider, it's stronger, it's higher
Than anything my eyes can see
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'cause your grace still amazes me
Your grace still amazes me
A song of love and loss. Funny how I get emotionally drawn to these.
People have commented on YouTube that they have played this at their weddings.
I don't know why -
It's about a guy in emotional distress who can't get over a breakup.
Today I saw somebody who looked just like you
She walked like you do. I thought it was you
As she turned the corner I called out your name
I felt so ashamed when it wasn't you, wasn't you
You are everything and everything is you
You are everything and everything is you
You are everything and everything is you
How can I forget when each face that I see
Brings back memories of being with you?
I just can't go on living life as I do
Comparing each girl with you
Knowing they just won't do - they're not you
You are everything and everything is you
You are everything and everything is you
You are everything and everything is you
Linda Diane Creed / Thomas Randolph Bell © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
Another song of love and loss.
Love the bass riff introduction which was possibly written by Lou Josie
who wrote the song and managed the Evergreen Blues Band who recorded it first.
The bass on the better known version by the Grass Roots, possibly played by
the legendary Carol Kaye, is a note-for-note copy of the earlier recording.
The sound of your footsteps
Telling me that you're near
Your soft gentle motion, babe
It brings out a need in me that nobody hears, except
In my midnight confessions
When I tell all the world that I love you
In my midnight confessions
When I say all the things that I want to - I love you
There's a little gold ring you wear on your hand makes me understand
There's another before me, you'll never be mine, I'm wasting my time
Staggering through the daytime
Your image on my mind
Passing so close beside you, babe
Sometimes the feeling is so hard to hide, but
In my midnight confessions
When I tell all the world that I love you
In my midnight confessions
When I say all the things that I want to - I love you
Lou T Josie
I am a little tin soldier
That wants to jump into your fire
You are a look in your eye
A dream passing by in the sky
Though I don't understand
And all I need is treat me like a man
'cause I ain't no child, take me like I am
I got to know that I belong to you
I do anything that you want me to
I sing any song that you want me to sing to you
I don't need no aggravation
I just got to make you - Ha - got to listen
I just got to make you - Yeah - my occupation
I got to know that I belong to you
I do anything that you want to do
I sing any song that you want me to sing to you
All I need is your whispered hello
Smiles melting the snow, nothing heard
Your eyes are deeper than time
Say a love that won't rhyme without words
So now I've lost my way
I need help to show me things to say
Just give me your love before mine fades away
I got to know that I belong to you
I do anything that you want to do
I sing any song that you want me to sing to you
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Hey
I just want some reaction
Someone to give me satisfaction
All I want to do is sit with you
'cause I love you
Steve Marriott/Ronnie Lane C 1967
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