The Fire Before The Flame

The Fire Before The Flame CD cover

“The Fire Before The Flame” New Thought Songs inspired by Unity Church and Centers For Spiritual Living

It has only taken me 6 months since the release of my CD The Fire Before The Flame to start adding the individual songs from the CD to my site as well as to the daily song program.

My apologies for the delay.

Here’s the song:

Lyrics and Chords:
The Fire Before The Flame
Song #444 | 2/2/2012 | by Mark Shepard
(Capo 2nd fret)
D
When you strike a match on the side of the box
“D/G” (add low G and high E)
And the flame bursts into view
Did it exist a moment before
Or is it something new?
When the flame of the match catches the candle
Is it still the same flame?
Now blow out the match where did the flame go?
Is it here or did it disappear?
Is it still alive if you close your eyes
And imagine its spark against a darkened sky

Refrain:
G                             D     A                   Bm
Where was the fire before the flame?
G                              D          A             Bm A
Where was the river before the rain?
G                               D               A                Bm
Where was the pleasure before the pain?
G                                D                   A                Bm A
Where were the diamonds before the claim?
G                              D               A                Bm
Where were the verses before the refrain?
G                            D       A                Bm A G
Where was the fire before the flame?

Did you exist before you were this?
Before you dared the air
And where will you go after you’re gone
When you complete your song?
Will something go on like day follows dawn
Like the ripples in the pond move on…
When you breathe a breath from abundance you take
Yet abundance still remains

Refrain:

Where was this song before it came along
And leapt from my guitar?
Was it a hum vibrating from
Some faint and distant star?
Was it a thought here in my head
That danced out through my mouth and hands?
Was it a shout that rang its way out
From some distant time or land?

Refrain:

Copyright 2012 by Mark Shepard. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here For performance and recording licensing permission

Click Here To Purchase this song or the entire Fire Before The Flame CD

Garden of Dreams (Live)

After the inspiring worship services at Unity Church in Albany, I sometimes slip into the sanctuary and play the piano after everyone has gone.

I’ve written a number of songs here. While I was just noodling around on the piano I could hear the persistent song medley of a mocking bird outside the church windows.

Even though the people were gone for the moment, I could really feel the Spirit lingering.

Rev. Jim Fuller had given me some ideas about what his next Sunday’s sermon topic was so it was a natural process to incorporate that into this new song… Garden of Dreams

Since this is a live digital recording listen with headphones! It makes a difference! Check it out!

This live recording feature myself on vocals and piano and Angelina M. Hart, Norma Seaward, and Pete Furlong on vocals.

Garden of Dreams 5/20/12 | Song #448 by Mark Shepard

Refrain:
A stray beam of sunlight caresses the church pews
The mockingbird sings it’s heart out to the sky
Worship is over the people are gone
But the Spirit still lingers as I welcome it’s song…

The ripples that live on the pond where we swim
Move outward in circles and then back again..
If we choose fight them they’ll splash and they’ll churn
And cause us to wonder how the tide can be turned

Refrain:

In the passing of days and the living of lives
Some wade in the shallows, some go deep when they dive
And always the lesson we must constantly learn
The love that we are never has to be earned

Refrain:

If you could grasp the wonder you are
How could you not shine out along with the stars?
And dance in the moonlight in the garden of dreams
All that you are is much more than you seem

If you would like to sing this song in your church please contact me at Mark [at] MarkShepard.com or use the contact form below.

Namaste!

-Mark Shepard, “Compulsive Songwriter”

 

Photo by Flickr.com

Good Morning (Live)

Good Morning!

Good Morning is one of the first songs I wrote last year specifically for Unity Church In Albany. Rev. Jim Fuller had done a series of talks about the interactions of the disciples after Easter. I thought the image of walking down the road and conversing with some friendly stranger who later turns out to be Jesus was something that metaphorically works in our lives now. Every person we share our life’s path with embodies the Christ within. Everyone we rub elbows with is a teacher. Every difficulty brings a seed of positive growth.

Since this is a live digital recording listen with headphones! It makes a difference! Check it out!

This live recording feature myself on vocals and piano and Angelina M. Hart, Norma Seaward, and Pete Furlong on vocals.

Good Morning 4/29/11 | Song # 428

Refrain:
Good morning, good morning, good morning
Rise and shine….
Good morning, good morning, good morning
Rise and shine….

I met a stranger on the road to Galilee
I didn’t know him but he seemed quite friendly
He said some things that didn’t make a lot of sense to me (at the time)

Refrain:

What you think of me is none of my business
What I think of you is all about me
So I choose to think of you magnificently (in my mind)

Refrain:

Look around and breathe a breath or two
Remember you decide what it means to you
Whatever you believe will seem to be true…(rain or shine)

Refrain:

I met a stranger on the road to Galilee
I didn’t know him but he seemed quite friendly
He said some things that didn’t make a lot of sense to me at the time…
(But now they do!)

Refrain:

© 2011 by Mark Shepard

If you would like to sing this song in your church please contact me at Mark [at] MarkShepard.com or use the contact form below.

Namaste!

-Mark Shepard, “Compulsive Songwriter”

 

Photo by Flickr.com

Name
Email
Comments
Please Prove Your Human!
Please Prove Your Human!

Alleluia Namaste (Live)

Alleluia Namaste

Alleluia Namaste was inspired by a guest speaker we had at Unity Church In Albany last year name John Welshans. He talked about the many names of God and the universal principles that all world religions share. It has become a frequent worship opener that serves to set up a prayerful meditational state that serves as a jumping off point for whatever message is being delivered that Sunday.

Since this is a live digital recording listen with headphones! It makes a difference! Check it out!

This live recording feature myself on vocals and guitar and Angelina M. Hart, Norma Seaward, and Pete Furlong on vocals.

Alleluia Namaste | May 25, 2011 | Song #430

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Namaste (2X)

Refrain:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Kyrie Elesion

Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh, Namaste (2X)

Refrain:

Allah, Allah, Allah, Namaste (2X)

Refrain:

Wakan-tonka, Wakan-tonka, Wakan-tonka, Namaste (2X)

Refrain:

Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Krishna, Namaste (2X)

Refrain:

Jesu Jesu, Jesu Christos, Jesu Jesu, Namaste (2X)

Refrain:

Notes:
Capo 5

Verse: D9 | Em7 | Asus/A
Refrain: G | D | A

If you would like to sing this song in your church please contact me at Mark [at] MarkShepard.com or use the contact form below.

Namaste!

-Mark Shepard, “Compulsive Songwriter”

 

Photo by Flickr.com

Name
Email
Comments
Please Prove Your Human!
Please Prove Your Human!

Different Notes of the Same Song

"Are we separate? Are we One? Are we different notes of the very same song?"

May 3-12, 2010 | Song # 421

I saw a light in the window of a church
And I wondered “is that God or is it just the Sun?
And you said you once saw a fire in a forest
That turned out to be the rising giant of the moon
Are we random or filled with purpose
Are we phantoms wondering what birth is?
Are we separate or are we one?
Are we different notes of the very same song?

And who can tell what is real and what’s imagined?
Who can tell what is true and what is the stuff of legend?
What is virtue, what is sin?
Did you catch the scent of lilac on the April wind?
Are we stardust or are we earth
Are diamonds of infinite worth?
Are we separate or are we one?
Are we different notes of the very same song?

Refrain:
“I believe, I believe!” she cried
As she dared her heart to open wide
“I believe, I believe” he sighed,
“That the cynics all have lied
Because I love you more with every day
I love you more in every way”

The human heart is more fragile than an iris
Or the will ‘o the wisp in a strong man’s fist
But I will take the risk of reflection
As we join together our two directions
Are we flags of hope flying on the wind?
Are we the spark of lights penetrating the evening?
Are we separate or are we one?
Are we different notes of the very same song?

Refrain:

Sweet cream in the bitterness of coffee
Swallows dancing in the air beneath the bridge
Take my hand and climb with me
To the place where we can dangle our legs over the edge
Are we apart from the air we breathe?
Are we the sum of what we believe?
Are we separate or are we one?
Are we different notes of the very same song?

Refrain:

copyright 2010 by Mark Shepard

Photo by Ivan Rumata AttributionNoncommercialNo Derivative Works Some rights reserved by Ivan Rumata

Fire Before The Flame

Where was the Fire before the Flame?....

The Fire Before The Flame

Song #444 | 2/2/2012 | Mark Shepard

When you strike a match on the side of the box
And the flame bursts into view
Did it exist a moment before
Or is it something new?
When the flame of the match catches the candle
Is it still the same flame?
Now blow out the match where did the flame go?
Is it here or did it disappear?
Is it still alive if you close your eyes
And imagine its spark against a darkened sky

Refrain:

Where was the fire before the flame?
Where was the river before the rain?
Where was the pleasure before the pain?
Where were the diamonds before the claim?
Where were the verses before the refrain?
Where was the fire before the flame?

Did you exist before you were this?
Before you dared the air
And where will you go after you’re gone
When you complete your song?
Will something go on like day follows dawn
Like the ripples in the pond move on…
When you breathe a breath from abundance you take
Yet abundance still remains

Refrain:

Where was this song before it came along
And leapt from my guitar?
Was it a hum vibrating from
Some faint and distant star?
Was it a thought here in my head
That danced out through my mouth and hands?
Was it a shout that rang its way out
From some distant time or land?

Refrain:

Copyright 2012 by Mark Shepard.