Earlier, I introduced you to the first verse and chorus of a song of mine titled, England, written while returning from my flight training at Cannon AFB, NM, where I learned to fly the F-111G ‘Aardvark.’  In the fall of 1991, after the first leg of my return flight took me to Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, and while waiting for my overseas connecting flight to London, England – I began jotting down a few lyrics that came to me in the airport so I could later finish the song.  On my flight to London I asked the flight attendant for some paper and a pen which she graciously brought to me, and I continued working on the song’s lyrics.  At the time I was longing to return home to England and see my family again after being away for over three months at Cannon AFB, NM, in the southwest of the United States.  I couldn’t wait to see something green again, and return to the Old World – where most everything was quaint and picturesque – with stone walls, thatched roof cottages and church spires that had withstood the test of time.

So without further ado, here’s my original song, England.  The nature of this song is slow, with feeling and reverence.  If you were to conceptually film a video of the song, the singer(s) would walk through a historic market square – while black and white transparent images of people in period costumes from hundreds of years of English history would be passing by and greeting them in the streets.

This song is dedicated to all the wonderful folks of the United Kingdom who have been so hospitable to me during my: solo bicycle adventure in 1979, while on Temporary Duty with the U.S. Air Force, while visiting on vacation, and while permanently stationed in the UK with the U.S. Air Force for almost eight years.  You have given me so much more than I could ever give back to you in return!  This song is a small token of my appreciation for your care and concern for me as my hosts during my delightful stay in your very pleasant and green land!  I’ve released my personal Copyright rights to this song as a way of saying ‘Thank You’ for the memories and for the wonderful hospitality you’ve shown me and my family!

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I wrote the lyrics for my original song named “England” in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, airport, as well as, on my return flight to London, England, in the fall of 1991 – following almost 4 months of flight training at Cannon AFB, NM, in the F-111G. My wife and son were waiting for my return in our rental home in Bloxham, England, at the time, and I was longing to return home to them, and to this very pleasant and green land called England! Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

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England

“Follow the Light” – Collected Works Volume IX, Copyright 1991, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Released

Verse One:

C                          D

Stone walls casting shadows

     C                 D

For hundreds of years

C                      D

Green fields and forests

C                D

Echoes ring clear

         A               G

From church bells above me

             A           G

Through all of the years

      A              G

This land called England

               D

Draws me near

       A             G

This land called England

                      D

I’ll always hold dear

Chorus:

D                  A                G

Castles stand silent in the mist

D             A                 G

Cathedral spires I have missed

      D          A      G

As I journey from afar

D             A                 G

Returning home to that land

       D       C       G

That island in the sea

  D           C          G

I hear her callin’ to me

      D      C      G

This land called England

                 D

Is calling to me

                 G

Is calling to me

                 D

Is calling to me

                 G                   D

Is calling to me   (Callin’ to me)

Verse Two:

C                     D

Narrow winding streets

       C               D

That all seem to meet

C                  D

In the market square

        C       D

From most everywhere

       A                       G

As I walk through the streets

          A                 G

All the people that I meet

          A              G                D

In this land called England I call home

       A              G                D

This land called England I call home

Verse Three:

  C          D

A land of history

 C                D

Surrounding me

C                      D

Echoes from the past

C                       D

Footsteps on the path

 A                   G

Out in front of me

       A                 G

As I walk through history

        A            G                      D

This land called England calls me home

       A             G                      D

This land called England calls me home

Verse Four:

C                        D

Another time and place

         C                     D

Silent footsteps that I trace

C             D

Down the cobblestones

       C             D

As I wander all alone

                   A           G

Through the doors of history

        A            G

That surround me

       A             G                  D

This land called England that I love

       A             G                  D

This land called England that I love