Life, Love and the Human Condition

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | May 12, 2013

Original Song – “Mercy, Mercy”

Mercy, Mercy is a little song I wrote in 1992 about relationships and the generic power of attraction they can have over us. This song always puts a smile on my face and tells the story of a girl named Mercy and the attraction she holds on the singer. The song isn’t autobiographical, but serves as a reminder of the power of love and attraction – especially reflected in the common saying “mercy, mercy…goodness sakes alive!” The singer acknowledges in each verse, “That girl’s got a hold on me, Her name is Mercy…sweet sweet Mercy…Got a hold on me!”

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Mercy, Mercy

Verse One:

D G

Mercy, Mercy won’t let me be

D G

Mercy, Mercy got her sights on me

D G

Mercy, Mercy think I’m goin’ down

A G D

That girl’s got a hold on me (x3)

E G

Her name is Mercy, sweet sweet Mercy

D

Got a hold on me (D-G-D) (x2)

Verse Two:

E A

Mercy, Mercy she’s the girl for me

E A

Mercy, Mercy got her eyes on me

E A

Mercy, Mercy she’s my only one

B A E

That girl’s got a hold on me (x3)

D A

Her name is Mercy, sweet sweet Mercy

E

Got a hold on me (E-A-E) (x2)

Verse Three:

D G

Mercy, Mercy makes me feel alright

D G

Mercy, Mercy likes to hold me tight

D G

Mercy, Mercy she’s the only one

A G D

That girl’s got a hold on me (x3)

E G

Her name is Mercy, sweet sweet Mercy

D

Got a hold on me (D-G-D) (x2)

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1 Comment

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), Im - "You Get What You Pray For" - Collected Works Volume XIII | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | May 10, 2013

Original Song – “Heart and Soul”

Heart and Soul is one of the many love songs I’ve written in an attempt to capture the essence of what love is all about. Love is such a complex and all-consuming topic, yet at the same time very basic and elemental. Love ranges from God’s love for us to romantic love between two hearts to love for one’s fellow man. Rarely has such a simple word been used to describe such a wide range and scope of activities. This song began with the first four lines that popped into my head and flows in a single verse that’s repeated half-way again to end: “If I could fly, High in the sky with, Birds on a wing, Flying so high, If I could sing, Songs from the heavens, I’d sing for you, A simple love song, A love song for you…”

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Heart and Soul

Dsus4 D Dsus4 D

Dsus4 G

If I could fly

Dsus4 G

High in the sky with

Csus4 F

Birds on a wing

Csus4 F

Flying so high

Dsus4 G

If I could sing

Dsus4 G

Songs from the heavens

Csus4 F

I’d sing for you

Csus4 F G

A simple love song

F G D

A love song for you (End)

Gsus4 C

If I could love

Gsus4 C

You in this moment

Fsus4 B♭

I’d cherish you

Fsus4 B♭

And hold you forever

Gsus 4 C

If you were here

Gsus4 C

Sitting beside me

Fsus4 B♭

I’d give to you

Fsus4 B♭ C

My heart and my soul

B♭ C G

My heart and soul to you

B♭ F Esus4 E

Dsus4 D Dsus4 D

2 Comments

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), Id - "Listen to the Music" - Collected Works Volume IV | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | May 5, 2013

Original Song – “Papa”

Papa is a song I wrote that tells the fictitious story of a young person’s difficult relationship with their father. Their father was a drifter who lived a hard life of drinking, gambling and womanizing while neglecting his wife and his family – both emotionally and financially. Despite this rocky and stormy relationship the young person never gives up hope and confirms, “But you know I still loved him so.” The song hits a high point with the young person acknowledging that, “My Papa was a dreamer, And a ladies man, He always had ideas, But never had a plan, He spent his life dreamin’, Gamblin’ his life away, But you know he always dreamed, I’d live my dreams one day, And you know I still love him so.”

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Papa

Verse One:

D C

My Papa was a drifter

G D

He was a gamblin’ man

D C

He lived a life of drinkin’

G D

I could never understand

D C

I never knew my Papa

G D

I never knew him at all

D C

My Papa was a drifter

G D

A man I never saw (x3)

C G D

But you know I still loved him so (x4 and End)

Verse Two:

D C

My Papa was a gambler

G D

He never had a dime

D C

Always out of money

G D

He never spent the time

D C

To take care of his wife

G D

Or his family

D C

He was always runnin’ from trouble

G D

And never saw much of me (x3)

C G D

But you know I still loved him so (x4)

Verse Three:

D C

My Papa was a dreamer

G D

And a ladies man

D C

He always had ideas

G D

But never had a plan

D C

He spent his life dreamin’

G D

Gamblin’ his life away

D C

But you know he always dreamed

G D

I’d live my dreams one day (x3)

C G D

And you know I still love him so (x4 and Repeat Verse One to End)

1 Comment

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), Il - "Pages Of Life" - Collected Works Volume XII

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | April 28, 2013

Original Song – “Children Of Woodstock”

Children Of Woodstock is a song I wrote in 1990 – 21 years after the historic music festival of ‘Peace & Love’ in 1969. I was only 13 at the time and remember the controversy surrounding the event, music and counterculture movement of the day. I grew up in this turbulent time of transition during the 60s – as the Vietnam War protests, Civil Rights movement, Women’s Liberation Movement and cultural and musical revolutions first rocked the establishment’s status quo. It was a time of upheaval that tore the social fabric of the day and ultimately led to a more just society for everyone. In many respects, I am a ‘child of Woodstock’ having lived through those times and embraced the positive social changes that the 60s brought to our society and to the world, “So very long ago, But that love still rolls on, In the heart of a rock and roll child, In the heart of a rock and roll child.”

As with all of my early songs during which I worked with my friend Gordon Olvera, I’ve shared the copyright with him for trying to give voice to my songs. Also, emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide.

Children Of Woodstock

Verse One:

G C

They were coming by the thousands

G C

To be part of a dream

G C

Hitching rides from most everywhere

G D

In nothing but their old blue jeans

G C

It was a time of peace and love

G C

With flowers in their hair

G C

Choosing to live a different life

G D

In blue jeans and long hair

G F

Where are all the flower children

C G

Where have they all gone

Em Am

From the days of Woodstock

F C

I can hear them in their songs (x2)

Em C

Oh children of Woodstock

Em D

Where have you all gone

Em D

Country Joe and Jimmy

C D

We will always remember you

Em C

From the days that were Woodstock

Am F

So very long ago

F C

But that dream still rolls on

C Am B♭

In the heart of a rock and roll child

C Am B♭

In the heart of a rock and roll child

Verse Two:

G C

They came together in New York

G C

For three days of peace and love

G C

It was nineteen hundred sixty nine

G D

There was a war in Vietnam

G C

Three hundred thousand people gathered

G C

On a farm they called Woodstock

G C

And the music played on and on

G D

With peace and love in the air

G F

But time has carried on

C G

Woodstock is now a dream

Em Am

And the music of today

F C

Is made for MTV (x2)

Em C

Oh children of Woodstock

Em D

Where have you all gone

Em D

Janice sang the blues for us

C D

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young rocked on

Em C

For those days that were Woodstock

Am F

So very long ago

F C

But that love still rolls on

C Am B♭

In the heart of a rock and roll child

C Am B♭ F

In the heart of a rock and roll child

4 Comments

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), Ib - "Turn To Face The Music" - Collected Works Volume II | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | April 20, 2013

Original Song – “Love Again”

Love Again is a slow, tender, thoughtful, pensive, melancholy, bluesy sort of song pondering lost love and questioning whether love will ever find a way back to your heart again. At the same time, this song is a dialogue between the singer and an ‘unseen’ second person, so the listener doesn’t really know if the singer is contemplating their own situation out loud to no one in particular or if the singer is trying to comfort another. Comforting another person’s heart in their hour of need is one of the most tender and thoughtful of human emotions – after all, emotion is the very basis and foundation of both new and rekindled love. ”Can you ever love again, Once your love is gone, Can you ever love again, With a broken heart…”

As with all of my early songs during which I worked with my friend Gordon Olvera, I’ve shared the copyright with him for trying to give voice to my songs. Also, emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide.

Love Again

Verse One:

G D Bm

Can you ever love again

A G

Once your love is gone

A G

Can you ever love again

D (End)

With a broken heart

Bm A

If you’re looking for some comfort

Bm G

If you’re looking for a shoulder

A G

Come on and cry on me

A G A G

Oh baby cry on me, Cry on me

A G

Oh baby cry on me

Verse II:

D Bm

Can you ever love again

A G

Once you’ve lost your love

A G

Can you ever love again

D

Once love’s grown apart

Bm A

If you’ve ever lost a love

Bm G

If your love was turned away

A G

You know that love can hurt

A G A G

Oh baby love can hurt, Love can hurt

A G

Oh baby love can hurt

Verse Three:

D Bm

Will the sun ever shine

A G

Once your love has gone

A G

Will you ever see the sun

D

Shine on in your life

Bm A

If you’re running from trouble

Bm G

If you’re looking for some shelter

A G

You can lean on me

A G

Oh baby lean on me

A G

Oh baby lean on me

A G (Return to the beginning)

Oh baby lean on me

9 Comments

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), Ib - "Turn To Face The Music" - Collected Works Volume II | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | April 14, 2013

Original Song – “Little Darlin’” (Version II)

Little Darlin’ is about trying to right wrongs in life and tells the story of a guy who wants to make amends and apologize to his true love. He’s sorry for what he’s done in the past and realizes he may never receive the forgiveness he so wants to hear from her – as he sings, “I’ve been looking, For a way, To say that I’m sorry, For the things, That I’ve said, And I’ve done, Can’t expect you, To ever, Forgive me, ‘Cause I’ve made, Some mistakes, I regret.” We never learn what his mistakes actually were – we only hear his remorse and his professed love for her. We never know if she accepted his song as an apology or if she ever forgave him for his actions.

We’ve all found ourselves in both positions in our lives, after realizing we’ve made mistakes and when people have wronged us. The song speaks to us individually through our experience, as we reminisce about our personal dilemmas of seeking and extending forgiveness. May we all be quick to apologize and forgive as well – for life is too short and precious to be lived any other way…

As with all of my early songs during which I worked with my friend Gordon Olvera, I’ve shared the copyright with him for trying to give voice to my songs. Also, emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide.

Little Darlin’ (Version II)

Verse One:

F C

I’ve been looking

F

For a way

C

To say that I’m sorry

C

For the things

Dm

That I’ve said

C (F)

And I’ve done

F C

Can’t expect you

F C

To ever forgive me

C

‘Cause I’ve made

Dm

Some mistakes

C (F)

I regret

F C

Little darlin’

F

Don’t you cry

C

Little darlin’

F

Dry your eyes

C

Because I love you

F

Yes I do

G

Love you true

F

Yes I do

G

Love you true

F

Yes I do

F C

Little darlin’

F

Smile for me

C

Come on baby

F

Can’t you see

C

That I love you

F

And it’s true

G

I love you

F

I love you

G

I love you

F

I love you

Verse Two:

F C

If you said

F

Goodbye

C

I wouldn’t blame you

C

For not wanting

Dm C (F)

To see me anymore

F C

Don’t know

F

If it will ever

C

Make a difference

C

But I wanted

Dm C (F)

To tell you how I feel

F C

Little baby

F

Hold me tight

C

Little baby

F

It’s alright

C

When the morning

F

Comes around

G

When the morning

F

Comes around

G

When the morning

F

Comes around

F C

Come on baby

F

Do me right

C

Come on baby

F

It’s alright

C

For you to love me

F

Like you do

G

I love you

F

Yes I do

G

I love you

F

Yes I do

C (F)

Love you true

C (F)

Love you true

C (F)

Love you true

C

Love you true

6 Comments

Posted in Ib - "Turn To Face The Music" - Collected Works Volume II | Tags: Little Darlin'

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | April 7, 2013

Original Song – “Walkin’ Shoes”

Walkin’ Shoes is a fictitious, bluesy song about a guy who’s relationship has just fallen apart, as he’s relates to the audience: “I was walkin’ down the street just the other day, I was walkin’ with my Baby when I heard her say, Don’t feel bad but I’ve got some news, You better put on your walkin’ shoes, Cause I’m leavin’, Oh I’m ‘a leavin’, And my Baby’s got me singing the blues.” We all go through good times and bad in life and we never know what tomorrow brings us, so all we can try to do is be better today than we were yesterday – and always remember – that it’s not that we’ve stubled in life that matters…it’s how we’ve recovered that counts!

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Walkin’ Shoes

Verse One:

E

I was walkin’ down the street just the other day

E

I was walkin’ with my Baby when I heard her say

E

Don’t feel bad but I’ve got some news

E

You better put on your walkin’ shoes

A E

Cause I’m leavin’, Oh I’m ‘a leavin’

G A E

And my Baby’s got me singin’ the blues (x3)

Verse Two:

E

I couldn’t understand what she had to say

E

I couldn’t understand why she said it that way

E

I went back home after hearin’ the news

E

And dusted off my walkin’ shoes

A E

And I’m ‘a walkin’, Oh yea I’m ‘a walkin’

G A E

And my Baby’s got me singin’ the blues (x3)

Verse Three:

E

I never ever thought it could happen to me

E

I never ever thought that I would see

E

I never ever thought I’d be singin’ the blues

E

But here I am in my walkin’ shoes

A E

And I’m walkin’, Oh yea I’m ‘a walkin’

G A E

And my Baby’s got me singin’ the blues (x3)

Verse Four:

E

Now I’m standin’ on the street just singin’ the blues

E

Standin’ on the street in my walkin’ shoes

E

Miles ahead and miles behind

E

Hopin’ someday that I will find

A E

A new lady, Oh yea a little lady

G A E

And then I’ll stop singin’ the blues (x4)

2 Comments

Posted in Il - "Pages Of Life" - Collected Works Volume XII | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | March 31, 2013

Original Song – “Labor Of Love”

Labor Of Love is a song that describes both me and my life very well, told in a very simple and bluesy style. Sometimes life feels like such a struggle and an effort to get through, but despite all the hard work over the course of the decades it really has been a Labor Of Love! ”I’ve lived the life of a simple man, Doin’ the best I can, I carried my weight and pulled my load, While walkin’ on down that road, Miles and miles and worn out shoes, What was a man to do, I worked every day my whole life long, But you know I kept singin’ the blues, What’s a man to do…”

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Labor Of Love

Intro:

A G E D G E (x2)

D G E (x2)

Verse One:

E A

I’ve lived the life of a simple man

E A

Doin’ the best I can

E A

I carried my weight and pulled my load

E A

While walkin’ on down that road (x2)

E A

Miles and miles and worn out shoes

E A

What was a man to do

E A

I worked every day my whole life long

E A

But you know I kept singin’ the blues (x3)

A E

What’s a man to do

Bridge:

A G E D G E (x2)

D G E (x2)

Verse Two:

E A

I’ve lived the life of a workin’ man

E A

Never worried about dirty hands

E A

I’ve rolled up my sleeves and worked all day

E A

Bringin’ home only peanuts for pay (x2)

E A

Never known what it means to live a life

E A

Of leisure by a pool all day

E A

I’ve always sacrificed for the ones I’ve loved

E A

And sang the blues to get me through the day (x3)

A E

Chasin’ troubles away

Bridge:

A G E D G E (x2)

D G E (x2)

Verse Three:

E A

I’ve lived the life that I wanted to live

E A

Never had to tow the party line

E A

I’ve walked a mile in another man’s shoes

D A

And gave my very last dime (x2)

E A

When I look back on the life I’ve lived

E A

On this life of mine

E A

My life has been a labor of love

E A

And the blues helped me pass the time (x3)

A E

In this life of mine

Ending:

A G E D G E (x2)

D G E (x2)

2 Comments

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), In - "Take It To The People" - Collected Works Volume XIV | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | March 29, 2013

Original Song – “Lost and Found”

Lost and Found is a fictional account of a husband that had lost the love he shared with his wife – and how he found it again. He was reading the classified ads at breakfast with his wife and saw an advertisement: “It read lost and found, And in the paper, My love was found…If you want your love, Call the followin’ number…It was my own phone number…And I gave my wife a kiss, Honey I missed that tenderness, That I knew when we were young so long ago, Her touch caught my attention, She didn’t even have to mention, The love that I had found again inside.” It’s a sweet song about refocusing on what’s important to our lives, that our modern lifestyles may have caused us to be complacent about. The moral of the song is to not neglect what’s most important to our hearts…

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Lost and Found

Verse One:

D G

I was sittin’ down to breakfast

D G

Just readin’ the old newspaper

D G A

Looking at the classified

D G

The words caught my attention

D G

The ad went on to mention

D G A

The love that I had lost inside

D G

It read lost and found

A

And in the paper

G

My love was found

D

Sooner or later

G

The ad said please

A

If you want your love

C

Call the followin’ number

G

Call the followin’ number

D D G

It read four, two, nine

D D D A

Five, six, eight, three

D D G

It read four, two, nine

D D D A

L O V E

G

It was my own phone number

Verse Two:

D G

I looked up from under my paper

D G

There was my wife just a lookin’ at me

D G A

And I knew she placed that ad just for me

D G

It caught me by surprise

D G

I didn’t even realize

D G A

She had that love I had lost inside

D G

I put down the paper

A

And in her eyes

G

My love was found

D

Sooner or later

G

My love was found

A

And it was sittin’

C

Right in front of my eyes

G

Right in front of my eyes

D D G

It read four, two, nine

D D D A

Five, six, eight, three

D D G

It read four, two, nine

D D D A

L O V E

G

It was my own phone number

Verse Three:

D G

And I gave my wife a kiss

D G

Honey I missed that tenderness

D G A

That I knew when we were young so long ago

D G

Her touch caught my attention

D G

She didn’t even have to mention

D G A

The love that I had found again inside

D G

It read lost and found

A

And in the paper

G

My love was found

D

Sooner or later

G

The ad said please

A

If you want your love

C

Call the followin’ number

G

Call the followin’ number

D D G

It read four, two, nine

D D D A

Five, six, eight, three

D D G

It read four, two, nine

D D D A

L O V E

G

It was my own phone number

C

It was my own phone number

D

It was my own phone number

7 Comments

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), If - "Three Chords and a Prayer" - Collected Works Volume VI | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Posted by: livelovethinkexist | March 24, 2013

Original Song – “Sign Of The Times”

Sign Of The Times describes a chance encounter between a young man (myself) and an old man meeting alongside the highway. I imagine the young man walking towards his future, while the old man is nearing the end of his road. The young man says, “And I asked him for directions, To help show me the way, From the troubles of the world, And to a better day.” The old man replies with the wisdom of his years, “He told me the problems, Of livin’ in the world today, Reflect the lives we’re livin’, Each and every day.” Then the young man ponders to himself, “There is no better day, To reflect on the life I’m livin’, Time to start today.”

(Note: Emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide!)

Sign Of The Times

Verse One:

Am

I was walkin’ down a highway, tryin’ to find my way

G

When I met an old man, who was goin’ my way

Am

And I asked him for directions, to help show me the way

G

From the troubles of the world, and to a better day

Dm

And he told me a story, of how he found his way

C

When he was a young man, and how he came my way

Dm

He told me the problems, of livin’ in the world today

C E

Reflect the lives we’re livin’, each and every day

E E Dm Am

He said, it’s just a sign of the times

Dm Am G E

Just a sign of the times, a sign of the times

Am C E Am

Of the times, and he looked, at me, and he cried

Verse Two:

Am

I turned my head for a moment, tryin’ to look away

G

And I heard that old man, startin’ to walk away

Am

And I asked him to stop, but he walked away

G

Leavin’ me standin’, beside that highway

Dm

And I started to think, about what he had to say

C

And I looked at my life, and how I’d gone astray

Dm

And I thought to myself, there is no better day

C E

To reflect on the life I’m livin’, time to start today

E E Dm Am

He said, it’s just a sign of the times

Dm Am G E

Just a sign of the times, a sign of the times

Am C E Am

Of the times, and I looked, down, and I cried

2 Comments

Posted in I - Original Songs (All Lyrics, Music and Commentary), Ie - "Turn Up The Volume" - Collected Works Volume V | Tags: Life, Love, Mark D. Jones, Original Songs

Life, Love and the Human Condition

Original Song – “Mercy, Mercy”

Original Song – “Heart and Soul”

Original Song – “Papa”

Original Song – “Children Of Woodstock”

Original Song – “Love Again”

Original Song – “Little Darlin’” (Version II)

Original Song – “Walkin’ Shoes”

Original Song – “Labor Of Love”

Original Song – “Lost and Found”

Original Song – “Sign Of The Times”

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”Life, Love and the Human Condition” by Mark D. Jones

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