• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Mark Shepard Sings

A Life In Song: 4 Decades of Original Music

  • About
    • Bio
    • Mark Shepard Photos
    • Testimonials
  • Song Index
  • Full Albums
    • The Key To Your Cage (Full Album)
    • Spark and Flame CD
    • Purest Form of Trance CD
    • Visions and Voices CD
    • Home Across The Sea CD
    • The Fire Before the Flame CD
    • Ocean of Dreams CD
    • Eyes On The Horizon CD
    • Thirsty for the Sky CD
  • Songs
  • Contact

August 17, 2010 · Life In Song 1970's, Songs of Interest, Spiritual Songs

No Longer Strangers Song 004

Song #4: “No Longer Strangers” was written to commemorate and honor my church youth group leader, Lois Leardi who was heading off to new adventures. One of the hugely influential sparks she lit in my creative life was the book, “Letters To A Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke. In particular I have loved the concept of “living with questions”. Sometimes we don’t have the answers to our burning questions and it’s because we might not be ready for the answers. Rilke’s advice to the young poet he was writing to was “love the questions themselves like locked doors that can not yet be opened to you because you would no be able to live the answers…” (I’ve paraphrased it here because my dog eared copy of “Letters To A Young Poet” is somewhere in a box from my recent move) Good stuff! This is also my first use of “open tunings” on the guitar. For this song I re-tuned from the standard EADGBE to DADGAD.

PLEASE! Use headphones or decent speakers to listen to this instead of your tinny little computer speakers. It’s recorded in crystal clear digital sound and the headphones really make a difference!

Video

Audio

To get a downloadable mp3 file for your personal use Get Your Back Stage Pass! (it’s free for a limited time) and you get unlimited downloads of the entire Life in Song Project.
.
Lyrics

No Longer Strangers | Song # 4 | March 1977

You have passed another step
In that series of events
That grows around your life
You’ve done reasonably well
Though you’ve had your share
Of hard times and sorrow
You’ve been here for a while
But it’s time to move on
To new mountains and rivers

Refrain:
I think you realize
I think you know, that
We are no longer strangers
We are of the same family
We are no longer strangers…

I hope that you’re happy
You came to us here
Even though
There were times when you felt
You were being compared
To those who went before you
But don’t think of that now
Cause it’s over and done
And we don’t have much time left…

Refrain:

Bridge:
Words fail to express
The feeling we have for you
But I see in your eyes
That you understand
What I am speaking of

And when you’re out on your own
With no place to call home
Please remember
That we’ve traveled together
For quite a ways
Living with questions…

Refrain:
Tuning: DADGAD

.
Creative Commons License

“No Longer Strangers” by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
.
Get Your Back Stage Pass!
(it’s free for a limited time) and you get unlimited downloads of the entire Life in Song Project

Filed Under: Life In Song 1970's, Songs of Interest, Spiritual Songs

Previous Post: « If I Were In Love-Song 003
Next Post: Running In Rain Song 005 »

Primary Sidebar

A Life in Song Newsletter

Hey! Every time I record a new song I send a short email to let you know. If you want to be on the list sign up below...

Mark Shepard’s CDs

Like me on facebook

Some reviews & testimonials

You write some great songs!

Hi Mark, You write some great songs! I really enjoyed listening to all of them on Spark and Flame. Thank you for all that you do. Keep up the good work! All the best.

Susan

Been singing the chorus since the first day I heard it…

I sh*t you not when I say I’ve been singing the chorus to Honest Rock since the first day I heard it. I sing this every single day. Many times a day. Seriously. It’s like a mantra to me. It soothes me:-)

Gene Moore

Brilliant!

Brilliant! I LOVE seeing the words to all these beloved songs, thanks!

Mary F.

You have put a grown man in tears…

Mark, this song and message really hit home for me today. You have put a grown man in tears. Thank You for what you do. Sometimes I think you sound kind of cheesy, and then others, I think you are a genius, and I’m beginning to realize that you actually care about helping people. So hard to “get out of your own way” sometimes…thanks for the reminder.

Jeremy

Never fails to move me…

Your incredible music never fails to move me. Thank you, Mark.

Paula

Your lyrics embody everything we hold sacred…

Your lyrics embody everything we hold sacred and dear as a faith community.

Gina Sullivan, Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph

Total awesomeness!!!

‘Let’s Run’ is MY FAVORITE so far.. I LOVE THIS ONE.. great job.. total awesomeness!!! I thank Jana Stanfield for introducing me to your gifts. I am grateful.

Merril

Love your lyrics!

Love your music! Love your lyrics!

Robin Bridgeford

I Love listening to all your songs…

Mark, you really are an amazing songwriter! I Love listening to all your songs and sitting in the creative aura they create!

Cheri

For me these songs are transformational lessons in self-love…

Dear Mark, THANK YOU for sending *Spark & Flame*!!!! This CD certainly is a compilation of Conscious Love Songs! As I listen I am transported to memory after memory past, present and future, fulfilled and unfulfilled. I was flooded with many different emotions. I cried, laughed, held my breath and also breathed deep heart-centered breaths of connection to the Divine. I feel joy, grief, sadness, compassion, love, awe, freedom, kindness, gratitude and appreciation. For me these songs are transformational lessons in self-love, releasing, acceptance for what was, what is and who I am. Knowing that I am enough and that I am Divinely Loved.

J

Your song was just perfect to start my day…

Mark, your song ‘Freedom (It’s Been  Long Road)’ was just perfect to start my day. I LOVE IT!  Thank you, Thank you.  Blessings to you and much gratitude for your musical gift.

Judy

Just awesome…

Your music is taking over my life and it’s awesome!

Eric

Love the “Key To Your Cage” album…

Love the “Key To Your Cage” album. I hear so many different influences and styles woven throughout the songs, really keeps it interesting from start to finish!

Dan Z

I loved the song and listened to it 3 times….

Hi Mark, I just had to tell you this. I emailed my 3 granddaughters the song you wrote who are sisters with the youngest being 11 years old, has cerebral palsy and is very smart, is able to talk, very funny, uses a computer, is able to write, now is learning to play drums, emails me ‘Thanks. I do.’ I loved the song and listened to it 3 times.

Gail Russ

They love (your song) and ask to listen to it, ALWAYS.

My name is Cecile. I teach kindergarten at OMSD. I had the pleasure of using your song Together We Can Change The World to help my students make a difference in this wonderful world! They love it and ask to listen to it, ALWAYS.

Cecile Arvizo

Enjoying your songs so much…

Hello Mark. I am enjoying your songs so much! I’d love to see you play live somewhere.

Marianne

Song Search

Contact, Like, Follow, Donate

  • facebook
  • youtube
  • twitter
  • soundcloud
  • mail

Copyright © 2025 · Mark Shepard Sings
Powered by Success Marketing · Log in