Lately I’ve decided that if I’m going to continue blogging I need to change it up a little. I’m going to focus on music. I’ll still write about my life and other stuff that’s going on, but it will be less frequent.
I’ve announced a new album, and I’ve begun writing a lot of new music. I think I’m going to blog about the songs I’m writing and show you bits and pieces of them as I bring them along. I will also put up videos and even have downloads at times.
Music is one of my favorite forms of expression, and I feel like I’ve got a lot to express. Hopefully this change will be one you enjoy.
A friend just mentioned to me that he heard this song and it reminded him of me. So of course I checked it out. I was surprised to find a song that gave me the chills it was so good. Please listen to this song. It is amazing.
P.S. I have no idea what this video is about… I haven’t watched it, only listened.
<<Update: this video was removed for terms of use violation… I have tried to find another video with the song but haven’t been able to yet…>>
Last night I went and saw Benton Paul at the Boardwalk in Sacramento (it’s actually in Orangevale or Citrus Heights…). It was an awesome show. He was playing with Brooke White and Michael Johns from American Idol Season 7.
Benton Paul Live at The Boardwalk last night
Besides being one of my good friends, he is an excellent musician and songwriter. If you’ve never heard any of his music, please take a listen to the following songs. The first is a cover of Yellow (by Coldplay) from his live show at the E Center with David Archuletta.
This second is my favorite song of his: The Devil. If you look close in this video you might be able to see me in the third row or so. This is a live video recording from his CD release show last year.
After the show I took a photo with him, and then we sat down and chatted for awhile about life.
Benton Paul and I after his show at the Boardwalk
Benton and I after his show... Here we are chatting on the Boardwalk (literally a walkway made of boards)
I have been working on lyrics for a new song called “The Flame” or maybe just “Flame”. Tonight I got the urge to write music for it. So, for the last hour I’ve been figuring out how it goes. Here is a sample clip (not high quality audio or video; this is me in the middle of being creative–writing music and melody)… The song may change as I continue to work on it.
The lyrics in this portion go like this:
Walk away
Don’t stay
The flame is just a vision of what’s hurting me
I need the flame not the pain
But when I get too close you consume me
The flame is just a game that brings the pain
A song I’ve been listening to lately that I just love is “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles. I first heard this song on the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance”. It was used in a dance choreographed by Mia Michaels between Kayla and Kupono. It was all about addiction, and I thought it was one of the most beautiful and moving pieces of art I have ever seen. I have included the video below to the dance and to the song. I hope you enjoy them both.
On Saturday Paul and I got together and recorded for a few hours. It was all piano/vocal arrangements. I will hopefully have at least one of the songs up by the end of this week (if Paul is able to mix it). One of the songs we did was an accoustic version of Rendezvous. I think that’s the one I was most excited about. It’s a little different than the version on the album. Hopefully you will like it.
This was during our recording session Saturday. We recorded at my parent's house on the baby grand piano I learned on.
Well, it’s official… As of about 7pm today, I am going to record another album.
I’ve been writing a lot of new music lately and have been wanting to start another recording project. Tonight I met with Paul and put plans in place to begin recording between now and the end of the year. I’ve got a couple of projects I want to work on–one of which is another full-length album. I will also be recording and releasing some accoustic versions of songs you may know: covers and originals.
I have also been kicking around the idea of recording a religious album, or maybe just a couple of songs for a religious EP. We’ll have to see how this project turns out. Either way, I wanted you all to know of my new plans. I hope you are all as excited as I am.
This is a song I finished this year. I wasn’t sure what to name it, so I named it “Untitled”. I may have had a slight cold when I recorded this…
Untitled Lyrics
Will you watch me fly
Will you watch me as I jump through the sky
Will you catch my fall
Will you catch me if I start to fall down
Will you wait for me when I’m out alone
Will you pray for me that I’ll make it home
Being with you makes it easy
Being with you makes it right
What have I done to deserve this
I must be dreaming if this is my life
Will you draw me in
When no one else will see me
Will you draw me in and believe in me
Will you hold my hand with your life
Will you take me home tonight
Will you come for me when I can’t stand
Will you strengthen me when I don’t think I can
Being with you makes it easy
Being with you makes it right
What have I done to deserve this
I must be dreaming if this is my life
I must be dreaming cause you’re by my side
I must be dreaming cause this is my life
Why do I always feel like there’s never enough time? A friend told me recently that we really only have time for one extra-curricular activity… For him it’s the gym. For me, it switches back and forth. I should be spending more time promoting my music, but for some reason other things always get in the way.
For example, my full-time job; volleyball on Thursdays; racquetball Wednesdays; gym every day; the lake some days; hanging out with friends most days; Church on Sunday; sleep every night; and who can forget the current book that I’m reading? I can’t–especially since my brother reminds me that he is waiting for me to finish it so he can start it.
Do you ever feel like you are bigger than the world you live in? Do you ever feel like you are meant for greater things?
I totally feel that way. And yet, I think that I am the biggest obstacle to achieving those greater things.
I recently told myself that I was going to stop being a child. Children flit around and do whatever they want. They have no care in the world. They have no responsibility. They have a ton of fun but rarely achieve any great things.
That’s how I feel I’ve been for the last few years. I’ve had a great time, but I haven’t affected the world as I wish I could.
I used to pray that God would give me the pain of others so they wouldn’t have to suffer. I have since realized that that is a selfish desire. It is through pain and suffering that we grow stronger. By taking other people’s pain, I’d be taking from them the opportunity to grow and become stronger.
While I have not always enjoyed the struggles I have in my life, I have always tried to be thankful for them. They have made me who I am and helped me to sculpt myself into the man I want to be, and the man God knows I can be.
Anyway, it’s late and I should be tired, but I’m not. My heart is full and my mind is alert. I feel like I can change the world–if only my voice could be heard.
If you read this, I hope you recognize how amazing you are. I may not know you personally, but I really feel like every person I have ever met has the potential to be brilliant and amazing. I hope you can see that in yourself.
Well, my thoughts continue but my fingers feel like they’ve written enough. If you get a chance, check out my friend Catherine Papworth. She’s got a great voice and writes beautiful music.
Wow. I just read through this post and I seem to have wandered much as I typed. Hope you enjoy it anyway.
While I was driving through Nevada I put in my soundtrack from Schindler’s List. The main theme from that movie is one of the most moving pieces of music I have ever heard. And the violin solo was played by Itzhak Pearlman, one of the most brilliant violinists of our day.
I’m not sure if it was the music itself, or the fact that Pearlman is Jewish, or that the music is from a movie on the Holocaust, or the fact that I was driving through the barren Nevada desert (which looked absolutely beautiful)…
Whatever it was, or the combination of all of those things together, almost brought me to tears. I’ve never heard a violin cry the way it does in that song–with longing, beauty, desperation, elegance, and graceful dignity. I wish I could find better words to describe it. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a song with such raw emotion…
