“Only Three – David’s Song” is based on my original song of the same name and my photographs of our son’s 3rd birthday through his 4th birthday when we lived in Germany during 1990-1991. The song speaks to how quickly time goes by and children grow up ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
“Love Again” is titled after my original song and set to the photographs I took of a day trip we took to Mackinac Island, Michigan back in 1994 ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark”
“Children Of Woodstock” is a music video I made today using my original song set to the photographs I took during my solo bicycle adventure from Grand Blanc, Michigan, to Woodstock, Cambridge and Stratford, Ontario, Canada, during Spring Break of 1980 from Michigan State University. I was trying to reach Toronto but the time and weather turned me back before reaching my goal. I used the photos I took of abandoned barns and houses as metaphors for the line out of the song, “Oh children of Woodstock, Where have you all gone…” Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
In The Name Of Pride is a song about our pride getting in the way of loving the people in our lives that we really care about. Instead, we often find ourselves focusing on our needs, our concerns, our views and our opinions in life and messing up our lives because our pride has clouded our vision and blinded us from seeing what was really important to us – standing right in front of us all along. Life is an experiment in choices and oftentimes our choices simply miss the mark and can’t be taken back…which leaves us standing in the rain… “In the name of pride, I threw my life away, In the name of pride, I threw it all away, I never thought I’d find myself, Standin’ in the rain…”
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I recorded my original song “In The Name Of Pride” as a demo on Set 16 in 1997, and it speaks to letting pride get in the way of love, “In the name of pride, I threw my life away, In the name of pride, I threw it all away…” Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
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(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.)
In The Name Of Pride
“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
Verse One:
F Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw my life away
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw it all away
Em D
I never thought I’d find myself
C D
Standin’ in the rain
Em D
Walkin’ down this highway
C D
With nothin’ much to gain
Em D
Except maybe my foolish pride
C D
That you took away
Em D
On the day you left me
C D
On another rainy day
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw my life away
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw it all away
Am
For storm clouds have
G Em
Followed my life
Em C
Raining down on me
Am
Wind in my face
Em
All day long
Em C
Makin’ it hard to see
C G F
My way home, My way home
C F
My way home
G
I’ve been lookin’ for
F C
My way home
Verse Two:
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw my life away
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw it all away
Em D
My pride was always in the way
C D
Of my love for you
Em D
I couldn’t ever understand
C D
What I should do
Em D
I never told you
C D
How I really feel
Em D
But now it’s over
C D
Not much that I can do
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw my life away
Am G
In the name of pride
F C
I threw it all away
Am G
For you were the only one
Em C
That I ever loved
Am Em
Don’t know what I will do
Em C
Or how I’ll find
C G F
My way home, My way home
C F
My way home
G
I’ve been lookin’ for
F C
My way home
C G F C F
My way home, My way home, My way home
G
I’ve been lookin’ for
F C
My way home
Promised Land is a bluesy, Gospel song about a train bound for heaven. Although there have been many train-themed songs written over the years, this is my version to add to the mix. Historically, trains have symbolized a very civilized way of traveling in relative comfort and ease – all you have to do is buy your ticket, show up at the platform on time, board the train once the doors have opened and find your seat. There’s also a community feeling attached to trains because they hold a lot of people from every walk of life and are essential modes of mass transport – especially for workers commuting to and from their jobs in the city. This feeling of community is also an inherent part of faith as Christianity is a faith-based community of believers – so a train bound for heaven is a perfect way to symbolize our trip to heaven together when we’ve finally reached the end of the line! “Climb aboard this train’s a leavin’, There’s a seat for everybody, Take my hand and climb aboard, Just in time, There’s a day that’s soon a comin’, Don’t be left behind, As it’s pullin’ from the station, Right on time.”
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I recorded my original song “Promised Land” on Set 3 in 1996, and it conveys the idea of boarding a train bound for heaven. Trains are popular themes in music as they work well as metaphors for many aspects of our lives, and “Promised Land” is one of two train themed songs I’ve written ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
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(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.)
Promised Land
“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
Verse One:
C Am C
Can you hear the whistle blowin’
F
Can you feel that train a rollin’
Am C
As it’s pullin’ from the station
G
One last time
Dm C
For that train it is a rollin’
G Em F
It’s rollin’ on forever
Am Dm
And it’s gonna’ bring us to
F C
The promised land (End)
Chorus:
C G
For this train is bound for Heaven
Am F
To take us to the promised land
G
Climb aboard here let me give you
Am G
Let me give you a helpin’ hand
F
Helpin’ hand
Dm C
So come on and climb aboard
G Em F
There’s a seat for everyone
Am Dm
Don’t be standin’ in the station
C Am
Don’t be standin’ in the station
F G
When this train starts rollin’ down
C
These tracks (Back to Verse One to end)
Verse Two:
Am C
Climb aboard this train’s a leavin’
F
There’s a seat for everybody
Am C
Take my hand and climb aboard
G
Just in time
Dm C
There’s a day that’s soon a comin’
G Em F
Don’t be left behind
Am Dm
As it’s pullin’ from the station
F C
Right on time
Verse Three:
Am C
Don’t worry about your baggage
F
You can leave that behind
Am C
All you really have to do is
G
Walk this way
Dm
Climb aboard this train’s a
C
Leavin’
G Em F
It might be leavin’ today
Am Dm
Don’t know when that old train
F C
Goes rollin’ on
A Little Time is a very slow, pensive, heartfelt and melancholy little song that focuses on the singer’s emotion and their plea for ‘just a little time’ from someone who’s too busy to even notice them. The saddest aspect is when the person on the outside looking in is a child or a spouse that longs to spend quality time with a parent, husband or wife. No matter how busy someone is, they will make the time to include those who really matter to them. For time really is our most precious and valuable gift – both to use and to share – because we never know how much we have available…for when time runs out, nothing else really matters. “Do you have a little time, Can you spare a little time, Make a little time for me…”
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I recorded “A Little Time” on Set 16 in 1997, and it tells the story of how we all need to “take a little time” and share ourselves with the people in our lives that we love and care about ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
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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.
A Little Time
“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
Verse One:
C G
Do you have a little time
Dm
Can you spare a little time
C F
Make a little time, for me
G
You’re always on the run
Dm
Going everywhere
C
How am I to know
F G
That you even care
F G F
That you even care, for me
Chorus:
G Dm
I need you, need you to need me
G F
I want you, want you to want me
C Gm
But you don’t take the time
Gm Dm B♭ G
You don’t take the time for me, for me
G C F
Never take the time
F B♭ Gm C
Never take the time for me, for me, for me
Verse Two:
C G
You don’t even seem to care
Dm
Don’t ever seem to care
C F
Never seem to care, for me
G
You think only of yourself
Dm
Only for you
C
What am I to do
F G
When you’re never even there
F C F
When you’re never even there, for me
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
“Turn To Face The Music” – Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
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
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
“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
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
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 professed love for her, and 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 these positions in our lives, both after realizing we’ve made mistakes and when people have wronged us. The song speaks to us individually through our personal experiences as we reminisce about our own 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…
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I recorded my original song “Little Darlin'” on Set One in 1996, at the very beginning of my musical journey of making demo tapes, and it speaks to apologizing for one’s mistakes and seeking/extending forgiveness. Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
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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)
“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
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
Mountain Starlight is essentially an ode to friendship, set in an idyllic mountain setting surrounded by family and friends beside a rustic campfire under a canopy of twinkling stars. Writing songs has been a long and winding journey for me, as I’ve tried to do justice to the songs songs I wrote so many years ago. As a songwriter, no single process along the way has been as difficult or as rewarding for me as have been my efforts to demo and record many of my own songs. For years, all I could see were the mistakes and shortcomings in my recordings, and I’ve finally learned to embrace my lack of skills in this area as just another part of my journey, “Here we are all gathered around, Friends from out of town, On a cold winter’s night, With snow and mountain starlight…”
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I recorded my original song “Mountain Starlight” as a demo on Set 7 in 1996, and it speaks to friendship and belonging, set in an idyllic mountain setting under a canopy of stars, “Here we are all gathered around, Friends from out of town, On a cold winter’s night, With snow and mountain starlight…” Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark
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(Note: 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.)
Mountain Starlight
“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved
Verse One:
Am Dm G
The wind’s blowin’ cold tonight
Am G F
The sun is setting low
Am Dm G
There’s a fire burning warm and bright
C F G
There’s no reason to go
Am Dm G
Come on and gather around
Am G F
Everyone take a chair
Am Dm G
Take a load off your feet for awhile
C F G
We’ll have a drink of cheer
Chorus:
Am G F
Here we are all gathered around
Am G F
Friends from out of town
Am F C
On a cold winter’s night
Am G F
With snow and mountain starlight
C G F
With our friends on a winter’s night
C F C
’round the fire burning bright
G Am G F C
On— into the night, the night, mountain starlight
Verse Two:
Am Dm G
We are the lucky ones
Am G F
We can share our lives for awhile
Am Dm G
Look around at the friends we have
C F G
We’ll sit and talk for awhile
Am Dm G
The time will come to go
Am G F
And we may not be back again
Am Dm G
So for now let’s enjoy ourselves
C F G
And make this moment last
Life, Love and the Human Condition 