Philosophy | Life, Love and the Human Condition

Masquerade is a special song for me, that is, if it was possible that one song could mean any more than the others to a songwriter. Every song holds something special and unique in a songwriter’s heart, because the song itself is an extension and a direct reflection of that heart. Conceptually, as if in a dreamy video, the singer is walking through the reality of what is life today, and looking around and commenting on what he sees – without complete clarity or understanding himself – but no one seems to notice him, hear him or even know that he is there. He is a detached presence trying to get everyone’s attention and wake them up to how they’re living, but they keep going about their normal lives. The song is about the contrast of good versus evil, beauty versus emptiness, kind hearts versus cold hearts, awareness versus unknowing, love versus pretense, truth versus masquerade and what’s possible versus the status quo. It starts slow and passionately and slowly builds in intensity. During Verse II there is a sharp, dramatic and momentary pause or hesitation after the word “stop” – before immediately beginning again with continued intensity.

Someone not from our world – say a visionary angel who came to our world to enlighten us – could rightly ask us to justify why we live and have structured a society the way we have. Why have we placed the emphasis on ourselves and not on others? Since we live for such a short relative time span, why don’t we concentrate our priorities on values instead of possessions? When love is the most precious element of the universe, and is universally free and in unlimited supply, why isn’t the foundation of our society constructed with such a wondrous substance? Why do we hold currency and precious metals as a currency of exchange – instead of kindness, tenderness and love?

When we finally experience Heaven, we will truly understand what it means to love, to be loved, to cherish and to hold dear the things of the heart. In our human experience we can’t understand the vast potential of possibility that could exist here on Earth – if we only but tried. One thing I’m very sure about though – if I was to start over with the Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs on the living room carpet in order to build a new society completely from scratch – it wouldn’t look anything like ours does today. Here I’m talking about the social fabric and not the political structure. For humans, nothing can replace democracy, but even that can be improved upon. The emphasis in my new world would be on truth, on values, on cherishing time as a precious commodity, and heartbeats as a measure of units. Value would come from hearts that are true, and our treasure would be the love we share and give away.

Perhaps dreaming of things unknown, but long hoped for isn’t a prestigious job title in our society today – but sign me up – because it’s the job that I want and the job that I strive for. I would rather be a volunteer in a self-defined imaginary position, than to accept something less. Because time is fleeting and short – and this just may be the very last job title that I ever hold – even if no one reads it or recognizes the value in it. It really doesn’t matter in the end, because it’s the job title that I’ve given myself – “Dreamer of All Things Possible, but Unknown to the World.” Welcome to my world – there’s room for everyone!

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‘Masquerade’ is another song from my first recorded set of songs, and you can tell how my voice wavers a lot from my nerves ~ especially in the first half of the song before settling down a bit in the second half of the song. In the coming days I’ll post one song a day from all 19 sets of songs that I recorded back in the mid-1990’s ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

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Masquerade

Verse I:

Everywhere I look around

I see the sights and hear the sounds

D A

Of life, as I pass along my way

Things I see and things I hear

Are often cloudy never clear

D A

Where, is the truth in life today

The world has turned itself upside

Down the things we’ve lost can’t be

D A

Found, it’s only a masquerade

D A

It’s only, a masquerade (x2)

Chorus:

C G

Where, has beauty gone

D A

Where, have kind hearts gone

C G

Why, is life so cold

D A

Why, does evil hold

C G

The hearts, of so many men

D A

I pray, Lord Amen

C G

That love, will fill the world

D A

That love, will fill the world

G A

That love, will fill the world

Verse II:

Can’t you see the things I see

Can’t you feel the things I feel

D A

As I look around me every day

Why does the world have to go on this

Way why don’t we stop – and

D A

Say, we’ve had enough today

Let’s, build a world based on

Love, build a world we can be proud

D A

Of, instead, of a masquerade

D A

Instead, of a masquerade (x2)

Hold Out For The Dawn was written on the guitar and is rather up tempo and can be played slow to start and rather fast to finish. It has the urgency of someone who is at wits end, with the symbology of someone about to drown or dry up in the desert – except the real theme is the fallen world around us. The singer is pleading for salvation for the fallen world and the only answer is in Jesus Christ. The singer equates the salvation of Christ to a life ring thrown to a drowning man or someone that is lost struggling to be found – for both them self and for the world. The guitar chord Esus4* has the asterisk because it is slightly modified. My guitar is put away right now, but I’m sure that only the top two strings of the three that are normally depressed to make the chord are held down – the other four remain open. It is still an Esus4 – but not only is it easier to play, I think it gives a slight modification to the chord’s sound that I liked. The melody remains flat along the first line, and then rises falls and rises again on the second line. The chorus goes downhill as far as melody goes. I like to think of song lyrics as complete entities all to them self, sort of like poetry, telling a story or making a point that can stand alone. Good song lyrics could be published without the chords or music as literature that stands alone. The (x3) notation at the end of the verses and chorus denotes that the line is to be repeated three times. I suppose that the type of rock music today that would equate to this song when played well would be U2 – with Edge keeping a consistent rhythm throughout the verses and cutting loose into the chorus. As a songwriter…it is my option to dream big dreams! 🙂

"You Get What You Pray For", Collected Works Volume XIII, Copyright 1992, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Hold Out For The Dawn

Verse I:

E Esus4*

Where do you go when life around you

E Esus4*

Seems to fall apart

E Esus4*

Where do you look when the world around you

E Esus4*

Slowly breaks your heart

E Esus4*

What do you do and where do you go

E Esus4*

Is anywhere safe today

E Esus4*

I’m watchin’ as the world around me

E Esus4*

Slowly fades away (x3)

Chorus:

G A E

As we slide into the dark (x3)

D A E

Hold on to the light

D A E

Don’t let the darkness come

D A E

Hold on with all your might

D A E

Hold out for the Dawn (x3)

Verse 2:

E Esus4*

Stranded in the desert sun

E Esus4*

Without a drop to drink

E Esus4*

Cast off in a lifeboat

E Esus4*

As the ship begins to sink

E Esus4*

We are the victims in the world

E Esus4*

As man tears himself apart

E Esus4*

Lookin’ all around me

E Esus4*

Slowly breaks my heart (x3)

Verse 3:

E Esus4*

I’m reachin’ out for somethin’

E Esus4*

That I can understand

E Esus4*

I’m holdin’ on to a golden Cross

E Esus4*

Held tightly in my hands

E Esus4*

Please Lord will you give me

E Esus4*

The strength of your guiding light

E Esus4*

Lord give me Salvation

E Esus4*

And save my soul tonight (x3)

Life, Love and the Human Condition

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Original Song – “Masquerade”

Original Song – “Hold Out For The Dawn”