Mark Shepard: Singer Songwriter

Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters

April 21, 2010 By Mark

My first cover song…Bob Baker, in his virtual music business coaching course, strongly suggested that one way for singer songwriter types like me to build an audience is to do something totally counter-intuitive:

Do cover songs.

Basically people who like the songs I like might also be open to the songs I write… Well, this tune by Elton John and Bernie Taupin is one that I have always loved… the first version is in an open tuning (EAEBEB) on my new electric guitar. The second version (scroll down) is acoustic. Enjoy! Let me know what you think. – Mark

p.s. definitely listen with headphones as you watch.

p.p.s do you like the electric or acoustic version better?

Electric Version:

Acoustic Version:

Filed Under: cover songs

Listen To Me

April 20, 2010 By Mark

Here's another song for the new play I'm writing with Jill Jaysen: There is a scene where the older "popular" girls have to participate in "Buddy Day". They are supposed to mentor some younger kids. Instead they end up ignoring the younger kids and just staying in their "clique". This song will be song by the younger kids. The older ones will just be talking on oblivious... (BTW definitely listen with your headphones. I think you'll notice a huge difference)

Here's the audio only version:

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Download "Listen To Me" (and all the other songs written in 2010)

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Lyrics:

Listen To Me! | 4/18/2010| Song # 417 | EAEBEB capo 4th fret

I am talking to you!
But you don’t seem to hear
I am talking to you
But it’s like I’ve disappeared

What do I need to do
So that I can get a little bit of your attention?
What do I need to say
So you’ll zip your lips and listen?

Refrain:
Listen to me! Listen to me!
I’ve got something to say
Listen to me!
I don’t have all day
Listen to me Listen to me!

Refrain?

Do I have to shout?
To get my message out
Do I have to scream
To break in to your scene?

Do I have to dance
To even get a chance
Do I have to stomp
To interrupt your pomp?

Bridge
Just because I’m younger than you
Doesn’t mean my words are less true
Just because you’re older than me
doesn’t mean that I cannot see
What’s going on…around here

Refrain:
(possibly repeat 1st two verses and end quietly with the older kids still talking)

Listen To Me by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Filed Under: BeautyFull

Easter Song: Light Over Your Shoulder

April 3, 2010 By Mark

Here's a song for Easter... Recorded live at Watering Pond Yoga Studio in the Spring of 2006 It's a song I wrote in 1997 at a moment of huge transition in my life. Please Leave a comment below! Members: Down load the entire "Live At Watering Pond" CD

Lyrics:

Light Over Your Shoulder | Song # 286 | 8/24/1997

There’s a Light over your shoulder
It’s a dream. It’s a song. It’s a road
It’s a story that’s been aching
For a quiet moment to be told
You can say that it is power
But it’s power of a very different sort
You can say that it is justice
But it’s not the kind you’ll find in any court

You can that it is peace
But I guarantee it will disturb your sleep
The only way that you can have it
Is by gladly giving it away
It is plenty for the poor.
It is light for those who stumble in the dark
It is wholeness for the cripple.
It is healing for the wounded heart

It’s the promise of a quiet day
In the house where you’re always welcome to stay
It’s the Labrador retriever
Who always seems to be in the way
It’s an enemy who becomes a teacher
It’s a teacher who dares to be a friend
It’s the lovers who cling to nothing
Because they have nothing to defend

It’s the ruthlessness of compassion
And the cunning of an open heart
It’s the active patience of a tree root.
It’s the sweetness of a conscious fool
It’s thunderclouds on the horizon
It’s the sound of seabirds out of sight of land
It’s the antidote to every poison.
It’s the punctuation of a marching band.

It’s the promise made to Jeremiah
That he was chosen in the womb
It’s the dawn on Easter morning at a certain empty tomb
I don’t know what it is.
There is so much I do not know
And I don’t know where it takes me
But I do know that I have to go…

Light Over Your Shoulder by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License