Musical Poetry
“Words make you think thoughts, music makes you feel a feeling, but a song makes you feel a thought.” –Yip Harburg
I was pleased when in high school I found out songs are just poetry set to music. While I have many favorite songs, there are some of the lyrics that stand alone without the music as moving or inspiring poetry. Below are some of my favorites. Hope you enjoy them!
You've gotta have heart
All you really need is heart
When the odds are sayin' you'll never win
That's when the grin should start
You've gotta have hope
Mustn't sit around and mope
Nothin's half as bad as it may appear
Wait'll next year and hope
When your luck is battin' zero
Get your chin up off the floor
Mister you can be a hero
You can open any door, there's nothin' to it but to do it
You've gotta have heart
Miles 'n miles n' miles of heart
Oh, it's fine to be a genius of course
But keep that old horse
Before the cart
First you've gotta have heart
You Gotta Have Heart, Damn Yankees
s
All you really need is heart
When the odds are sayin' you'll never win
That's when the grin should start
You've gotta have hope
Mustn't sit around and mope
Nothin's half as bad as it may appear
Wait'll next year and hope
When your luck is battin' zero
Get your chin up off the floor
Mister you can be a hero
You can open any door, there's nothin' to it but to do it
You've gotta have heart
Miles 'n miles n' miles of heart
Oh, it's fine to be a genius of course
But keep that old horse
Before the cart
First you've gotta have heart
You Gotta Have Heart, Damn Yankees
s
'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh oh
All of Me, John Legend
Looking in your eyes, I see a paradise.
This world that I found is too good to be true.
Standing here beside you, I want so much to give you this love in my heart that I'm feeling for you
Let them say we're crazy.
I don't care about that.
Put your hand in my hand, baby, don't ever look back.
Let the world around us just fall apart.
Baby we can make it if we're heart to heart.
And we can build this thing together, standing strong forever, nothing's gonna stop us now.
And if this world runs out of lovers we'll still have each other.
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, Starship
This world that I found is too good to be true.
Standing here beside you, I want so much to give you this love in my heart that I'm feeling for you
Let them say we're crazy.
I don't care about that.
Put your hand in my hand, baby, don't ever look back.
Let the world around us just fall apart.
Baby we can make it if we're heart to heart.
And we can build this thing together, standing strong forever, nothing's gonna stop us now.
And if this world runs out of lovers we'll still have each other.
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, Starship
And before dying I want
To let out the verses of my soul
My verse is light green
And it is flaming red
Guantanamera, The Sandpipers
To let out the verses of my soul
My verse is light green
And it is flaming red
Guantanamera, The Sandpipers
I am the eagle, I live in high country
In rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky
I am the hawk and there's blood on my feathers
But time is still turning they soon will be dry
And all of those who see me, all who believe in me
Share in the freedom I feel when I fly
Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
Sail over the canyons and up to the stars
And reach for the heavens and hope for the future
And all that we can be and not what we are
In rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky
I am the hawk and there's blood on my feathers
But time is still turning they soon will be dry
And all of those who see me, all who believe in me
Share in the freedom I feel when I fly
Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
Sail over the canyons and up to the stars
And reach for the heavens and hope for the future
And all that we can be and not what we are
When you walk into a room,
Your beauty steals my breath away.
When you look into my eyes,
I find it hard to find the words to say.
Neil & Dara Sedaka, Should Have Never Let You Go
Your beauty steals my breath away.
When you look into my eyes,
I find it hard to find the words to say.
Neil & Dara Sedaka, Should Have Never Let You Go
And if I should ever go away
Well, then close your eyes and try
To feel the way we do today
And then if you can remember
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Dionne Warwick, That's What Friends Are For
Well, then close your eyes and try
To feel the way we do today
And then if you can remember
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Dionne Warwick, That's What Friends Are For
When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Josh Groban & Jen Malenke, Bridge Over Troubled Water
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Josh Groban & Jen Malenke, Bridge Over Troubled Water
Oh, I'm beginning to think that man has never found
The words that could make you want me
That have the right amount of letters
Just the right sound
That could make you hear, make you see
That you are drivin' me out of my mind
Oh, I could say I need you
But then you'd realize
That I want you
Just like a thousand other guys
Who'd say they loved you
Like all the rest of their lies
When all they wanted
Was to touch your face your hands
And gaze into your eyes
The Association, Cherish
The words that could make you want me
That have the right amount of letters
Just the right sound
That could make you hear, make you see
That you are drivin' me out of my mind
Oh, I could say I need you
But then you'd realize
That I want you
Just like a thousand other guys
Who'd say they loved you
Like all the rest of their lies
When all they wanted
Was to touch your face your hands
And gaze into your eyes
The Association, Cherish
Note: I saw the Association perform live at the OU gym about the same time as this You Tube performance. Before the age of fancy mixers, the group moved in and out individually to get the smooth harmonies and transitions. It was a wonderful night for a young freshman!
And then one day, a magic day
He passed my way, and while we spoke
Of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"
Nat King Cole, Nature Boy
He passed my way, and while we spoke
Of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"
Nat King Cole, Nature Boy
How can I say thanks
for the things You have done for me?
Things so undeserved,
yet You gave to prove Your love for me;
the voices of a million angels
could not express my gratitude.
All that I am and ever hope to be,
I owe it all to Thee.
To God be the glory,
to God be the glory,
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.
With His blood He has saved me,
with His power He has raised me;
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.
Just let me live my life,
let it pleasing, Lord to Thee,
and if I gain any praise,
let it go to Calvary.
for the things You have done for me?
Things so undeserved,
yet You gave to prove Your love for me;
the voices of a million angels
could not express my gratitude.
All that I am and ever hope to be,
I owe it all to Thee.
To God be the glory,
to God be the glory,
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.
With His blood He has saved me,
with His power He has raised me;
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.
Just let me live my life,
let it pleasing, Lord to Thee,
and if I gain any praise,
let it go to Calvary.
Andrea Crouch, My Tribute
Sissel Kyrkjebø, My Tribute
Wintley Phipps, My Tribute
Precious Moments Fountain of Angels Show (Best rendition of "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and "My Tribute, To God Be the Glory" I have ever heard. Moving Christian experience now closed.)
Sissel Kyrkjebø, My Tribute
Wintley Phipps, My Tribute
Precious Moments Fountain of Angels Show (Best rendition of "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and "My Tribute, To God Be the Glory" I have ever heard. Moving Christian experience now closed.)
Note: I first heard My Tribute at the Precious Moments Fountain of Angels and was moved beyond belief. My Tribute is one of the most powerful Christians songs I have heard. Now I find that the songwriter, Andrea Crouch, is the Senior Pastor at the New Christ Memorial Church of God in San Fernando, CA. I included multiple artists because each is so unique and powerful.
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
...
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
...
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
The Gettys, In Christ Alone, Choir Version
The Gettys, In Christ Alone, Solo Version
ThenCrew, In Christ Alone, A capplla Version
Christina Grimmie, In Christ Alone, A Talent Lost Too Soon
The Gettys, In Christ Alone, Solo Version
ThenCrew, In Christ Alone, A capplla Version
Christina Grimmie, In Christ Alone, A Talent Lost Too Soon
Girl we made it to the top
We went so high we couldn't stop
We climbed the ladder leading us nowhere
Two of us together
Building castles in the air
We spun so fast we couldn't tell
The gold ring from the carousel
How could we know the ride would turn out bad
Everything we wanted
Was everything we had
I miss the hungry years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind
Not to see the door
Closing on the world
I now hunger for
Looking through my tears
I miss the hungry years
We shared our daydreams one by one
Making plans was so much fun
We set our goals and reached the highest star
The things that we were after
Were much better from afar
Here we stand just me and you
With everything and nothing, too
It wasn't worth the price we had to pay
Honey take me home
Let's go back to yesterday
I miss the hungry years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind
Not to see the door
Closing on the world
I know hunger for
Looking through my tears
I miss the hungry years
I miss the hungry years
We went so high we couldn't stop
We climbed the ladder leading us nowhere
Two of us together
Building castles in the air
We spun so fast we couldn't tell
The gold ring from the carousel
How could we know the ride would turn out bad
Everything we wanted
Was everything we had
I miss the hungry years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind
Not to see the door
Closing on the world
I now hunger for
Looking through my tears
I miss the hungry years
We shared our daydreams one by one
Making plans was so much fun
We set our goals and reached the highest star
The things that we were after
Were much better from afar
Here we stand just me and you
With everything and nothing, too
It wasn't worth the price we had to pay
Honey take me home
Let's go back to yesterday
I miss the hungry years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind
Not to see the door
Closing on the world
I know hunger for
Looking through my tears
I miss the hungry years
I miss the hungry years
When I am down and, oh, my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.
Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are
Josh Groban, To Where You Are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are
Josh Groban, To Where You Are
Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime;
let me lead you from your solitude.
Say you need me with you, here beside you,
anywhere you go, let me go too,
that's all I ask of you.
That's All I Ask of You, Phantom of the Opera
let me lead you from your solitude.
Say you need me with you, here beside you,
anywhere you go, let me go too,
that's all I ask of you.
That's All I Ask of You, Phantom of the Opera