I have started the process of converting the recordings of some of my songs from DAT (Digital Audio Tape) into CD versions, so that I can eventually post them to this blog as a, “part of my life’s journey.”  As a songwriter, I want these rough demos that I recorded to be available for you to listen to, as they are a significant part of what I have accomplished in my life.  The whole purpose of recording these songs was so that another musician could listen to my songs and understand how the melodies went, because I couldn’t write them out correctly by hand.  These songs are only a portion of the total number of songs that I’ve written, and the others were not recorded as part of this project because I couldn’t play them on guitar, and because my piano playing wasn’t good enough to play them, sing – and do it all correctly at the same time.

In fact, the first time that I ever even attempted to play the piano and sing while recording was on Sets 17 and 18A.  I had a lot of trouble playing the studio piano well, because my old piano at home had “slippery” keys, and this expensive studio electric piano had “non-slippery” keys.  I found that my fingers didn’t move and slide around as I wanted them to; which was frustrating to me because it all didn’t work out very well and the performances were sub-par at best.  I suppose that my sweating palms had a little something to do with it too!

I found a quote in WikiAnswers, from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem, “In Memoriam: 27, 1850,” that says: “Hold it true, whate’er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; ‘Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all.”  So in the end, I would rather have dreamed of writing songs, written songs and then recorded my own attempts at translating them for the world, then to have never tried.  If no one in the entire world likes these songs, and negatively critiques my abilities to write and record songs – that’s fine – because I actually did something that I had dreamed of doing!  🙂  And, exceeded my own personal expectations in the process.  When I originally said a prayer for the ability to write songs; at the time I had never written a song, couldn’t sing, couldn’t play guitar, and my piano playing was only really a distant memory from grade school.  I then started writing my first song in the very minute the prayer was finished.  The fact that I actually wrote and recorded 18 Sets of songs in this process (and wrote more that are not recorded here) – really amazes me.

During the process of writing songs in the very beginning; I asked a friend of mine, Gordon Olvera, to try and help play them for me – as I didn’t sing and didn’t play guitar.  I wrote all of my early songs on the piano only, and had everything else “floating in my head” that I couldn’t get out.  I have always personally thought of Gordon as the American version of “Paul McCartney” – as he is the most gifted and talented musician, vocalist and guitar player that I have ever known.  We played with these early songs and eventually progressed to a little practice studio to have fun with them.  Gordon gave my songs a “voice” in the beginning.  I had originally written them, and we then worked on them together, and there was no way to know where my original version and his contributions started and stopped; so when I went to register them for copyright protection I gave Gordon full songwriting credits for all of the early songs we worked on together – indicated by an asterisk (*) below.

As I’ve said before, you can listen, play and perform these songs for your personal use and enjoyment as you like.  The only thing I ask is for you to remember that they are copyrighted; so if you want to do anything in a commercial capacity with them – like sell or publish them, I ask that you contact me to discuss your project(s).  (mark.d.jones @cox.net – close the gap when sending an email to me)  I’ll sort out the details with Gordon as necessary.  On Monday I go to a local studio to begin the DAT tape to CD project, and once I have the recordings on CD, I’ll figure out how to get them posted into this blog for you.  Each song will eventually be posted as a separate article with the song’s background, lyrics and chords; but this will take some time.  So, if you hear a song from this collection and would like the lyrics and chords to it, just let me know – and I’ll get it posted for you as soon as I can get to it!  🙂

 

 Mark D. Jones – Studio Recording Sessions – Set Lists

1996-1998, at ZigZag Music Productions, Cambridgeshire, UK   (http://www.zigzagmusic.com)

Copyright 1990-1993, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

*Songs: Copyright 1990-1991, Mark D. Jones and Gordon Olvera, All Rights Reserved

 

Set One:  (DAT Tape #1, September 21, 1996 – Vocals & Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar)

1. The Lord’s Prayer
2. The 23^rd Psalm (Take One)
3. The 23^rd Psalm (Take Two)
4. Simple Man
5. The World Gently Weeps
6. Hold out for the Dawn (Plus Distortion)
7. Hold out for the Dawn (Minus Distortion)
8. Children of Woodstock (Slow Tempo) *
9. Children of Woodstock (Fast Tempo) *
10. Walkin’ Shoes
11. Masquerade
12. Little Darlin’ *
13. Open My Eyes
14. One Man
15. Dreams Never Die

Set Two:  (DAT Tape #1, October 5, 1996 – Vocals & Ovation 12 String Acoustic Guitar)

1. (16)        Green Eyed Sally
2. (17)        Cross of My Lord
3. (18)        Time Stands Still
4. (19)        Labor of Love
5. (20)        Reflections
6. (21)        Love and Life
7. (22)        Answered the Wind
8. (23)        Baby, Baby
9. (24)        Show the World
10. (25)        Changed Man

Set Three:  (DAT Tape #1, October 19, 1996 – Vocals & Ovation 12 String Acoustic Guitar)

1. (26)        You’re the One (Take One – With Pick) *
2. (27)        You’re the One (Take Two – Fingers Only) *
3. (28)        You’re the One (Take Three – Fingers Only) *
4. (29)        Love You So (Take One)
5. (30)        Love You So (Take Two)
6. (31)        Dreamer *
7. (32)        Follow Your Heart
8. (33)        Promised Land *
9. (34)        Walk With Me
10. (35)        Lost and Found
11. (36)        Love Again *
12. (37)        Jennifer *
13. (38)        Do You Care

Set Four:  (DAT Tape #2, November 16, 1996 – Vocals & Ovation 12 String Acoustic Guitar)

1. (39)        The Dream Lives On (Take One)
2. (40)        The Dream Lives On (Take Two)
3. (41)        Treat ‘em Nice (Take One)
4. (42)        Treat ‘em Nice (Take Two)
5. (43)        Sign of the Times
6. (44)        On My Knees (Take One)
7. (45)        On My Knees (Take Two)
8. (46)        Lord You Know
9. (47)        Papa
10. (48)        Workin’ Man
11. (49)        Need Your Lovin’
12. (50)        Love For You
13. (51)        You Get What You Pray For

Set Five:  (DAT Tape #2 or #3, November 30, 1996 – Vocals & Ovation 12 String Acoustic Guitar)

1. (52)        Simple Man (Version II) (Take One)
2. (53)        Simple Man (Version II) (Take Two)
3. (54)        Dance With Me *
4. (55)        Dawn of Morning (Take One)
5. (56)        Dawn of Morning (Take Two)
6. (57)        Live For You (Take One)
7. (58)        Live For You (Take Two)
8. (59)        Love’s Like a Rainbow (Take One) *
9. (60)        Love’s Like a Rainbow (Take Two) *
10. (61)        Love’s Like a Rainbow (Take Three) *
11. (62)        Girl Next Door
12. (63)        Loves Me Crazy
13. (64)        Love is the Key (Take One) *
14. (65)        Love is the Key (Take Two) *
15. (66)        Christ Callin’
16. (67)        Sixteen Candles (Take One)
17. (68)        Sixteen Candles (Take Two)

Set Six:  (DAT Tape #3, December 14, 1996 – Vocals & Ovation 12 String Acoustic Guitar)

1. (69)        Mercy, Mercy (Take One)
2. (70)        Mercy, Mercy (Take Two)
3. (71)        Mercy, Mercy (Take Three)
4. (72)        Winds of Change
5. (73)        Copenhagen (Take One) *
6. (74)        Copenhagen (Take Two) *
7. (75)        My Life’s Journey (Take One)
8. (76)        My Life’s Journey (Take Two)
9. (77)        Little Baby *
10. (78)        Too young To Understand
11. (79)        Looking For the Sun (Take One) *
12. (80)        Looking For the Sun (Take Two) *
13. (81)        The Emperor Has no Clothes
14. (82)        One Man Against Time *
15. (83)        One Day

Set Seven:  (DAT Tape #4, January, 18, 1997 – Vocals & Ovation 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (84)        England (Take One)
2. (85)        England (Take Two)
3. (86)        Thousand Faces *
4. (87)        Mountain Starlight *
5. (88)        Tropical Dreams *
6. (89)        Climbing My Mountain
7. (90)        Penny For Your Thoughts (Take One)
8. (91)        Penny For Your Thoughts (Take Two)
9. (92)        House of the Lord
10. (93)        Like a River (Take One)
11. (94)        Like a River (Take Two)
12. (95)        Still Have Time
13. (96)        When Will We Begin (Take One) *
14. (97)        When Will We Begin (Take Two) *

Set Eight:  (DAT Tape #4, February 15, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (98)        Hand in Hand (Take One)
2. (99)        Hand in Hand (Take Two)
3. (100)      Singin’ the Blues
4.  (101)     My Little Lady
5. (102)      Seems Like Rain (Take One) *
6. (103)      Seems Like Rain (Take Two) *
7. (104)      Lonely Eyes (Take One)
8. (105)      Lonely Eyes (Take Two)
9. (106)      Great Divide
10. (107)      Love is Like a Flower (Take One)
11. (108)      Love is Like a Flower (Take Two)
12. (109)      On the Trail (Take One)
13. (110)      On the Trail (Take Two)
14. (111)      On the Trail (Take Three)
15. (112)      Your Love (Take One) *
16. (113)      Your Love (Take Two) *
17. (114)      Oh Lord (Take One)
18. (115)      Oh Lord (Take Two)
19. (116)      Oh Lord (Take Three)

Set Nine:  (DAT Tape #5, March 1, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (117)      Hills of Tennessee (Take One)
2. (118)      Hills of Tennessee (Take Two)
3. (119)      Hills of Tennessee (Take Three)
4. (120)      Blues State of Mind
5. (121)      For You *
6. (122)      Hypnotized
7. (123)      A Feelin’ (Take One)
8. (124)      A Feelin’ (Take Two)
9. (125)      Barriers
10. (126)      Amen
11. (127)      The One I Never Knew (Take One) *
12. (128)      The One I Never Knew (Take Two) *
13. (129)      Dreamin’ Man
14. (130)      Yahweh (God) (Take One)
15. (131)      Yahweh (God) (Take Two)

Set Ten:  (DAT Tape #5 and #6, April 26, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (132)      Fly Eagle Fly (Take One)
2. (133)      Fly Eagle Fly (Take Two)
3. (134)      Times of Our Lives (Take One)
4. (135)      Times of Our Lives (Take Two)
5. (136)      Sail Away (Take One)
6. (137)      Sail Away (Take Two)
7. (138)      Lookin’ For Heaven (Take One)
8. (139)      Lookin’ For Heaven (Take Two)
9. (140)      Tell Me Please (Take One)
10. (141)      Tell Me Please (Take Two)
11. (142)      Dry My Tears (Take One)
12. (143)      Dry My Tears (Take Two)
13. (144)      Someone New (Take One)
14. (145)      Someone New (Take Two)
15. (146)      You Challenge Me (Take One)
16. (147)      You Challenge Me (Take Two)
17. (148)      Can’t Stop That Feelin’ (Take One)
18. (149)      Can’t Stop That Feelin’ (Take Two)
19. (150)      A Better Way (Take One)
20. (151)      A Better Way (Take Two)

Set Eleven:  (DAT Tape #6, May 24, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (152)      You and Me (Take One) *
2. (153)      You and Me (Take Two) *
3. (154)      Story of My Life
4. (155)      Lady, Oh Lady (Take One)
5. (156)      Lady, Oh Lady (Take Two)
6. (157)      Lady, Oh Lady (Take Three)
7. (158)      Lady, Oh Lady (Take Four)
8. (159)      Follow the Light (Take One)
9. (160)      Follow the Light (Take Two)
10. (161)      Breakthrough (Take One)
11. (162)      Breakthrough (Take Two)
12. (163)      Who Do You Love
13. (164)      Time Gives Me No Answers (Take One) *
14. (165)      Time Gives Me No Answers (Take Two) *
15. (166)      Only One (Take One)
16. (167)      Only One (Take Two)
17. (168)      Two Paths
18. (169)      Do You Know (Take One)
19. (170)      Do You Know (Take Two)
20. (171)      Do You Know (Take Three)
21. (172)      For The World (Take One)
22. (173)      For The World (Take Two)
23. (174)      For The World (Take Three)

Set Twelve:  (DAT Tape #6, June 28, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (175)      Man and Wife
2. (176)      Lost in Love (Take One)
3. (177)      Lost in Love (Take Two)
4. (178)      Unconditional Love (Take One)
5. (179)      Unconditional Love (Take Two)
6. (180)      Missin’ Her (Take One)
7. (181)      Missin’ Her (Take Two)
8. (182)      Fly Away (Take One)
9. (183)      Fly Away (Take Two)
10. (184)      Pretty Baby (Take One)
11. (185)      Pretty Baby (Take Two)
12. (186)      Mary
13. (187)      On My Own (Take One) *
14. (188)      On My Own (Take Two) *
15. (189)      Win the Peace (Take One)
16. (190)      Win the Peace (Take Two)
17. (191)      Dreams Come True (Take One)
18. (192)      Dreams Come True (Take Two)
19. (193)      Girls (Take One)
20. (194)      Girls (Take Two)
21. (195)      Follow Your Dreams (Take One)
22. (196)      Follow Your Dreams (Take Two)
23. (197)      Follow Your Dreams (Take Three)

Set Thirteen: (DAT Tape #7, August 30, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (198)      Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Take One)
2. (199)      Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Take Two)
3. (200)      Sing Songs of Joy
4. (201)      An Old Fashioned Christmas (Take One)
5. (202)      An Old Fashioned Christmas (Take Two)
6. (203)      Glory To God
7. (204)      Light Of Christ
8. (205)      Peace Be With You
9. (206)      Noel
10. (207)      How Could I Serve Him
11. (208)      Eyes of a Child (Take One)
12. (209)      Eyes of a Child (Take Two)
13. (210)      Just as I Have Loved You

Set Fourteen:  (DAT Tape #7, September 27, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (211)      Merry Christmas (Take One)
2. (212)      Merry Christmas (Take Two)
3. (213)      Open Your Heart
4. (214)      Live As One
5. (215)      Love At First Sight
6. (216)      My Lord My God
7. (217)      Amazed
8. (218)      Amazed
9. (219)      Crooked Highway
10. (220)      Smile For Me
11. (221)      I Try To Understand (In Memory of Capt Jerry Lindh and Maj David M. McGuire)
12. (222)      Fountain Of Love (Take One)
13. (223)      Fountain Of Love (Take Two)

Set Fifteen:  (DAT Tape #7 and #8, November 15, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (224)      Crossroads (Take One)
2. (225)      Crossroads (Take Two)
3. (226)      Crossroads (Take Three)
4. (227)      Highway To Nowhere (Take One) *
5. (228)      Highway To Nowhere (Take Two) *
6. (229)      Lord Knows
7. (230)      The One That I Loved (Take One) *
8. (231)      The One That I Loved (Take Two) *
9. (232)      Still Got The Blues
10. (233)      Fruit Of Your Heart
11. (234)      The World
12. (235)      Me and My Piano (Take One)
13. (236)      Me and My Piano (Take Two)
14. (237)      In A Song (Take One)
15. (238)      In A Song (Take Two)
16. (239)      In A Song (Take Three)
17. (240)      Heart and Soul (Take One)
18. (241)      Heart and Soul (Take Two)
19. (242)      Heart and Soul (Take Three)

Set Sixteen:  (DAT Tape #8, December 13, 1997 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (243)      Ridin’ That Train (Take One) *
2. (244)      Ridin’ That Train (Take Two) *
3. (245)      Ridin’ That Train (Take Three) *
4. (246)      Ridin’ That Train (Take Four) *
5. (247)      In The Name Of Pride *
6. (248)      Only Three (David’s Song) (Take One) *
7. (249)      Only Three (David’s Song) (Take Two) *
8. (250)      Only Three (David’s Song) (Take Three) *
9. (251)      Paradise (Take One) *
10. (252)      Paradise (Take Two) *
11. (253)      Changes *
12. (254)      A Little Time (Take One) *
13. (255)      A Little Time (Take Two) *
14. (256)      Sunshine (Take One) *
15. (257)      Sunshine (Take Two) *
16. (258)      Sonny (In Memory of 1Lt Steve Sundstrom) *
17. (259)      Do You Think About Me (Take One) *
18. (260)      Do You Think About Me (Take Two) *
19. (261)      When Will You See (Take One) *
20. (262)      When Will You See (Take Two) *

Set Seventeen:  (DAT Tape #8, January 17, 1998 – Vocals & 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar)

1. (263)      Comin’ Home
2. (264)      Do You Wonder (Take One)
3. (265)      Do You Wonder (Take Two)
4. (266)      No Reason Why (Take One)
5. (267)      No Reason Why (Take Two)
6. (268)      Lucky One
7. (269)      Wait and See (Take One)
8. (270)      Wait and See (Take Two)
9. (271)      No Man’s Land
10. (272)      Run To You
11. (273)      More Than Friends
12. (274)      Do You Know
13. (275)      Alright Tonight

Set Seventeen (Test): (DAT Tape #8, January 17, 1998 – Vocals & Electric Piano Test Session)

1. (276)      Alright Tonight
2. (277)      Comin’ Home
3. (278)      Do You Wonder
4. (279)      No Reason Why
5. (280)      Lucky One
6. (281)      Wait and See (Take One)
7. (282)      Wait and See (Take Two)
8. (283)      No Man’s Land
9. (284)      Run To You
10. (285)      More Than Friends
11. (286)      Do You Know

Set Eighteen “A”:  (DAT Tape #9, March 7, 1998 – Vocals, 12 String Ovation Acoustic Guitar & Electric Piano Test Session)

1. (287)      Sweet Blues * (Vocals, Guitar, Piano)
2. (288)      Where Have You Been * (Vocals, Guitar, Piano)
3.  (289)     Louder Than Words * (Vocals, Guitar, Piano)
4. (290)      Sweet Love * (Vocals, Guitar, Piano)
5. (291)      Lady Of My Dreams * (Vocals, Guitar, Piano)
6. (292)      Sweet Blues * (Vocals, Guitar)
7. (293)      Where Have You Been * (Vocals, Guitar)
8. (294)      Louder Than Words * (Vocals, Guitar)
9. (295)      Sweet Love * (Vocals, Guitar)
10. (296)      Lady Of My Dreams * (Vocals, Guitar)
11. (297)      Sweet Blues * (Piano)
12. (298)      Where Have You Been * (Piano)
13. (299)      Louder Than Words * (Piano)
14. (300)      Sweet Love * (Piano)
15. (301)      Lady Of My Dreams * (Piano)