Love And Life is a fast paced and driven song about walking in the truth, recapturing the innocence of youth and walking in the light of Christ.  It’s about getting lost in the living of life and trying to return to basics while there’s still time.  So often in this modern world, we find ourselves going through the motions of marching to someone else’s drummer and waking up to the notion that there has to be something better – something more – something true, innocent and real.  We find ourselves lost in the darkness of life and need to seek out the light… “Days will come, days will go, but you know it’s hard to ever know, If the road we’re walkin’ is the truth, Have we lost the innocence of youth, How will we know what to do, It’s up to me and you…”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Love And Life” is another song from Set 2 that I recorded in 1996 using my Fender Strat, and it speaks to the twists, turns, ups and downs of life’s winding road as we all walk towards our own personal truth ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

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(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 And Life

“Take It To The People”, Collected Works Volume XIV, Copyright 1993, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Intro:

A   G   E   D   A   E     (x2)

Verse One:

A                                                                                      E

Love and life, life and love, you know there has to be a better way

A                                                                                          E

Give me love, give me life, you know that we will have to find our way

A                                                                                  E

Days will come, days will go, but you know it’s hard to ever know

         D              A                E

If the road we’re walkin’ is the truth

            D          A                E

Have we lost the innocence of youth

       D        A                  E

How will we know what to do

     D       A          E

It’s up to me and you     (x2)

Bridge:

A   G   E   D   A   E     (x2)

Verse Two:

A

Walkin’ down along the road, you know that life can be such a heavy

E

load

A

Twists and turns, ups and downs, you know that road is windin’ all

E

around

A

Walk that road one step at a time, and you’ll find yourself walkin’

              E

down the line

            D            A          E

For you know the time will come

       D            A             E

We’ll have our day in the sun

   D     A         E

A new day will dawn

             D   A          E

And we’ll all sing our song     (x2)

Bridge:

A   G   E   D   A   E     (x2)

Verse Three:

A

Live your life one day at a time, as you find yourself walkin’

               E

down that line

A                                                                                         E

Each new day you walk the line, each new day is another step in time

A                                                                                        E

Think about where your life has been, think about how you can begin

     D          A               E

To walk the road to the truth

     D          A                 E

To gain the innocence of youth

     D           A            E

To walk that line in the light

D       A                 E

Christ died that we might     (x4)

Follow Your Heart was written in 1993 near the end of my songwriting period and explores the notion of your heart being the key to leading you to both life and love.  This is a fast, upbeat and enthusiastic song that declares, “Passion has a way of findin’, A road to your heart where none exists…”  Your heart is an emotional compass that guides you without deception, showing you the path you must take to fulfill your life.  It’s easy for our minds to over think a situation and lead us astray in the wrong direction for all the wrong reasons, but our hearts – like a compass that can only point to true north – only points us in the direction that is true to ourselves. However, life is a two-way street.  Just because we’re heading in a direction that’s true to ourselves doesn’t mean the path is easy or will be successful.  For life is a complicated process and doesn’t always fit into a simple equation or situation, but regardless of the outcome – all we can do in the end is be true to ourselves.  “Free your soul and let it fly, Ride the winds into the sky, Follow your heart where it will lead you, Follow your heart and don’t ask why…”

~~~~~~~~~~

I recorded my original song “Follow Your Heart” on Set Three in 1996 and it speaks to following your heart, “Follow your heart where it leads you, Open the door and step inside…” Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

~~~~~~~~~~

(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!)

Follow Your Heart

“Take it To The People”, Collected Works Volume XIV, Copyright 1993, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Intro:

E   A   D   A   E   A   D   /   E   A   D   A   D   A   E     (x2)

Verse One:

E                        A

Follow your heart where it leads you

E                          A

Open the door and step inside

E                         A

Follow you heart it won’t deceive you

E                            A

Open your heart and look inside     (x3)

Chorus:

E            A          D   A

Love and life they go together

E              A        D              A

There’s no way to keep them apart

E        A          D               A

One is nothing without the other

E          A          D               A                      (E)

Look to love and follow your heart     (x3)     (End)

Bridge:

E   A   D   A   E   A   D   /   E   A   D   A   D   A   E     (x2)

Verse Two:

E                  A

Passion has a way of findin’

   E                                   A

A road to your heart where none exists

E                        A

Love will take and grab a’hold you

A                       A

Love will give you eternal bliss     (x3)

Verse Three:

E                         A

Free your soul and let it fly

E                   A

Ride the winds into the sky

E                                A

Follow your heart where it will lead you

E                              A

Follow your heart and don’t ask why     (x3)

(To Chorus, Bridge, Verse One, Chorus to End)

Dreams Never Die is a bluesy, autobiographical song that captures the essence of my life in this one song.  In early 1976, at the ripe old age of 20, I was at the end of my road and facing a seemingly unavoidable dead end.  I wasn’t accepted into Veterinary School at Michigan State University and no other option I looked into interested me in the least.  After lots of soul searching, I decided to just create my own option and go on an adventure!  Thus began the rest of my life and this song describes it perfectly, “Life’s never been a bed of roses, Never had a silver spoon, I carried my dreams in a paper bag, And slept by the light of the moon, But I never lost sight of the goal before me, Never let it fade away, I kept that vision before my eyes, And it stands here before me today, Never fading away.”

~~~~~~~~~~

I recorded my original song “Dreams Never Die” on Set One in 1996, and it tells the story of never giving up on your dreams despite all odds ~ your dreams are out there just waiting for you to claim them ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

~~~~~~~~~~

(Note – The guitar chord Esus4* is a simpler form of the traditional chord structure – either version works.)

(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!)

Dreams Never Die

“Take It To The People”, Collected Works Volume XIV, Copyright 1993, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Intro:

D   DV   D   DIIV   D   DIIV   DV   D     (x4)

G   A   E

Bridge:

E   G   D   A   E     (x4)

Verse One:

E                         Esus4*

Life’s never been a bed of roses

E                        Esus4*

Never had a silver spoon

  E                               Esus4*

I carried my dreams in a paper bag

       E                                Esus4*

And slept by the light of the moon     (x2)

        E                              Esus4*

But I never lost sight of the goal before me

E                      Esus4*

Never let it fade away

  E                     Esus4*

I kept that vision before my eyes

          E                              Esus4*

And it stands here before me today     (x3)

                   E

Never fading away

Bridge:

E   G   D   A   E     (x4)

Chorus:

D                  C

Dreams never die

     G                     D

For those who hold on

D                   C

Reach out and try

G                        D

Before the time is gone

D                  C

Hold out your hand

G             D

And you’ll understand

D               C

Follow your dreams

      G                        D

And hold them in your hand     (x3)

Bridge:

E   G   D   A   E     (x4)

Verse Two:

E                            Esus4*

Give it your best see where it takes you

E                                 Esus4*

Never lose sight of your dreams

      E                         Esus4*

The world goes around every day

        E                          Esus4*

Life’s never really what it seems     (x2)

E                                    Esus4*

Just when you think you’ve lost all hope

       E                   Esus4*

One day you’ll turn around

       E                    Esus4*

And see that dream before your eyes

            E                                Esus4*

You can reach it if you just hold on     (x3)

                             E

You just gott’a hold on

Bridge:

E   G   D   A   E     (x4)

Verse Three:

E                            Esus4*

Dreams are made to go and take them

            E                              Esus4*

But you know they won’t hang around

E                           Esus4*

Set your sights and follow the stars

              E                                    Esus4*

And your feet are going to leave the ground     (x2)

E                     Esus4*

If you try you’ll never know

E                              Esus4*

Where that dream will take you

     E                    Esus4*

It’ll lift you up to a higher plane

               E                                 Esus4*

And you’ll live your life where it will take you     (x3)

              E

It’s up to you

Bridge:

E   G   D   A   E     (x4)

Workin’ Man is a bluesy sort of song that tells the story of  a young man who took on the responsibility of helping his mama provide for their family after his father passed away before he was nine years old. He became the ‘man of the family’ at an early age and was always there to lend her a hand.  As he grew up, not only did he learn the value of work and responsibility – he learned from his mother’s example that material goods and possessions weren’t the important aspects of life: “My mama she raised me the best she could, She gave us a roof and we had enough food, We didn’t have much when I was a boy, But she gave us love and filled our home with joy.”

~~~~~~~~~~

I recorded “Workin’ Man” in one take as part of Set 4 playing my 12-string acoustic Ovation guitar ~ and it turned out as best as this songwriter could ever hope to expect! 🙂 This song tells the fictional story of a son who has to step up and help his mother support their family…and becomes a workin’ man! Enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

~~~~~~~~~~

(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!)

Workin’ Man

“Take It To The People”, Collected Works Volume XIV, Copyright 1993, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Intro:

E   G   E   G   D   E     (x2)

G   D   E     (x2)

Verse One:

     E                                 D         E

My mama she knew I was a workin’ man

G                                  D                E

Workin’ every day by the sweat of my hands

E                        D             E

Up in the mornin’ before the dawn

G                              D             E

Workin’ for a livin’ the whole day long     (x2)

     E                                  D       E

My papa passed away before I was nine

     G                                    D    E

My mama had to start workin’ overtime

        E                                 D    E

Then I became the man of the family

       G                                  D                 E

And went to work ’cause they depended on me     (x2)

Chorus:

      E                      G         E

I’ve lived the life of a workin’ man

       E                                   G        E

Ever since I was old enough to lend a hand

     E                        G                 E

My mama she always depended on me

     G                                 D   E

To help her take care of the family     (x3)

Bridge:

E   G   E   G   D   E     (x2)

G   D   E     (x2)

Verse Two:

     E                                 D            E

My mama she raised me the best she could

       G                              D               E

She gave us a roof and we had enough food

      E                               D         E

We didn’t have much when I was a boy

            G                                   D              E

But she gave us love and filled our home with joy     (x2)

     E                                               D           E

My mama always knew that she could count on me

                    G                                  D   E

And I’ve been workin’ all my life for our family

      E                               D              E

We never had anything we didn’t work for

        G                                              D       E

And I always helped my mama give our family more     (x2)

Verse Three:

            E                                     D         E

Now my mama spends her time in a rockin’ chair

             G                             D          E

With her grandchildren and the love we share

       E                                        D         E

She tells them that their papa is a workin’ man

        G                                 D                E

Who worked every day by the sweat of his hands     (x2)

            E                          D         E

Now I’m lookin’ back on the life I’ve lived

         G                        D            E

Just a workin’ man givin’ all I could give

     E                           D             E

I’d never ever change a day of my life

        G                                  D                 E

But I wish my papa could have shared in my life     (x2)

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…”

Here’ a link to my first ever Soundcloud recording of this song that I originally recorded in the mid 1990’s – enjoy!  ♡ 🙂 Mark

(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

“Take It To The People”, Collected Works Volume XIV, Copyright 1993, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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)