Forest for the Trees

I stumbled across this recording.  Thought I'd share.

Forest for the Trees
© 2011 Stephen Brown



Like the forest for the trees
Can't distinguish which of these
My soul for the sin, but He's
Washing me within
Can't stay up on my knees
So I fall down on my face
Before him

Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah

David is chosen to be king
Giving his heart to the Lord, never ashamed to sing
The praises to our God he brings
Like incense on an altar
But David is known to falter
This king is not the one we need, we need a savior

Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah

Only man can atone for man's great sin
Jesus is God and man within
A body broken, on a tree He's pinned
Blood poured on the ground
Therein salvation's found
Salvation.  Hallellujah.

Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah

Psalm 23

Psalm 23
© 2012 Stephen Brown



My shepherd is the Lord my God
I shall not be in need
He makes me lie down and take my rest
In fields that are so green

He leads me by the quiet streams
And He restores my soul
He guides my path to righteousness
For His name’s sake, oh oh.

You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing

Even though I walk through the valley
of death, I have no fear
Lord you're with me, and my comfort
Is Your staff and Your shield

You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing

INSTRUMENTAL

You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing

Lord I know Your goodness, Your lovingkindness
Will follow me for all of my days,
I know Your goodness, Your lovingkindness
Will follow me for all of my days,

And I will dwell in Your house
And I will dwell in Your house
And I will dwell in Your house
And I will dwell in Your house forever

Sorrow

Sorrow
© 2011 Stephen Brown



I wrote this song some time back - initially it was just the banjo.  I added the piano part later, but this is the first time I actually played them together - that is, I tried it out yesterday, and it took me about 15 takes today to get it close to right.  The real trick is, since it doesn't have a steady tempo, it's pretty tricky to record the two parts individually, so I had to play them at the same time.  I figured that was worth putting on video...

Washed Me Clean

I was working on a different song that I just couldn't get finished, so I started a new one.  This is it.

 Washed Me Clean
© 2011 Stephen Brown

Jesus died and he saved my soul

Buried my sins in a great big hole

To tell the truth - he washed them all away

He'll do the same if you ask him to

Wash those sins all away from you

And brother, it's good to be clean

Now I've been bad and I've been good

Sometimes do the things I should

But nothing I can do can fix this ragged soul

Now it's something of a mystery

When Jesus gave his life for you and me

Ours souls - he made them whole

Jesus washed my sins away

When on that cross He died that day

Then from the grave He rose again

He won the victr'y over sin

Now you ask me why, tell you "I don't know

why sin get's it's teeth so deep in our soul"

Brother Paul wrote many years ago

He does the things that he don't want to

And what he wants is what he just don't do

But Jesus, he makes us whole

Jesus washed my sins away

When on that cross He died that day

Then from the grave He rose again

He won the victr'y over sin

Jesus died and he saved my soul

Buried my sins in a great big hole

To tell the truth - he washed them all away

He'll do the same if you ask him to

Wash those sins all away from you

And brother, it's good to be clean

Jesus washed my sins away

When on that cross He died that day

Then from the grave He rose again

He won the victr'y over sin

(Repeat Chorus)

Chord Names

Let's call this part of a series on music theory.  The first, Circle of Fifths, demonstrates the chord progression by the same name.  This demonstrates some of the chords by their names within the key.

The lyrics are nothing short of spectacular.

Chord Names
© 2011 Stephen Brown




I'm singing on the tonic chord in the key of G
I'm singing on the sub-dominant chord in the key of G
I'm singing on the dominant chord in the key of G
Then I evade the cadence by going to the sub-mediant
Then back to the dominant
Dominant seven and home
I'm going home I'm going home
I'm going home I'm going home I'm going home
I'm going home I'm going home I'm going home

Let's do it again


I'm singing on the tonic chord in the key of G
I'm singing on the sub-dominant chord in the key of G
I'm singing on the dominant chord in the key of G
Then I evade the cadence by going to the sub-mediant
Then back to the dominant
Dominant seven and home
I'm going home I'm going home
I'm going home I'm going home I'm going home
I'm going home I'm going home I'm going home
I'm going home

Fluted Funk

Dave and I did this way back when - March of 2006.  It was an improvised everything.  Dave started playing the bass line, I grabbed the flute and dug in.  I hadn't played flute in several years, and given that, I'm pretty pleased with what I got.  Dave did his typical masterful work both in playing the instruments (everything other than flute) building the drum tracks, and mixing the whole thing together.

Fluted Funk
© 2006 Dave Duce and Stephen Brown

Vocal Refresh - Now We're Going to War

I did a refresh of the vocals on "Now We're Going to War".  Little more like I sing this as I wander around the house.  To see the original post (now with the new recording):

3 March 2011 - Now We're Going to War