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Killin' da Mammoth
"Killin' da Mammoth" will
very likely be the title tune for Randy's latest album. This song has been in the writing process for over
a year. I finally got it together one day at camp this summer. I was angry and frustrated with life.
It's been a long time since I've played the "rat-race" game of modern life but the guilt of not living it
was wearing on me. I felt as though I had to go out and do "the man" thing and make some real money. Fortunately,
I got over it!! I hope you like the song!
Killin da Mammoth
Martin
Had a Dream
I wrote this song with Paul Wilson. It was written to be performed at a Martin
Luther King Jr. celebration in Fort Wayne, In. in the mid '90's. Paul contributed a lot of energy over
the long-distance phone line and came up with the magic line "hand-me down hate" After performing the
song for an appreciative audience we returned home only to find that the KKK had left a threatening message on the family's answering
machine. Needless to say, the song became even more important to Randy and others. I hope you enjoy it!
Martin Had a Dream
Feed
My Sheep
This tune was commissioned by Rev. Richard Hartman for the Fort Wayne Hunger Walk. It rocks
like I truly like to rock! If we were truly willing to feed the hungry, I wonder what our world might look like?!
I remixed this tune on St. Patrick's day 2010. The vocals are more out front and the instruments more separate and
distinct. I hope you like it!
Feed My Sheep
Came Down From
the Mountain
I wrote this song at the request of
Deanna Brown while I was leading music at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, IN. It's based on
Luke 9:23-43. I tried to tell the story from the point of view of one of the three disciples who went up the mountain
with Jesus. This is an early version (I think). Let me know what you think needs to happen to the recording to
make it better!
Came Down From the Mountain
Church Fightin' Blues
This tune came as a result of
a lark while writing Christian Education curriculum with my goodwife Denise! I've been around and through enough
church fightin' in my days to know what these blues are like - I'd rather not go into details. So... This
is the way it sounds after adding some lead guitar. I'm still not sure it's really "done". I
would eally enjoy your input and ideas about how to finish it out and make it as good as it can be!!
Church Fightin' Blues
Cherokee Morning Song (a prayer)
Robbie Robertson & Rita Coolidge
arranged this lovely song in the mid '90s. As you may have guessed, I've changed it a bit and made it my own.
I hadn't heard the song until Denise asked me to prepare it for her church's celebration of "Native American
Awareness Sunday". Along with our friend Adrienne Trevathan, we led the congregation in singing it. I wasn't able
to get it out of my head so I had to rearrange and record it. By using syllables which, for me, have no meaning,
(but which are ascribed to a very ancient Cherokee dialect - and may mean "I am the Great Spirit") I'm
able to pray things that are deep within me... "as the spirit groans with us"... It's a little different
from my usual approach to recording. I hope you like it!
Cherokee Morning Song (a prayer)
Dancin' On the Edge
I wrote this song for Naomi Kirstein's
ordination in 1993. It's just one of the tunes that won't let me go. I'm proud to be a member of the
Wellspring community in Des Moines, IA (where Naomi is the pastor) even though I live in the greater Chicago area. Naomi's
that kind of pastor! I really enjoyed doing the chimey 12 string guitars as well as the "one-take" sparkly
piano!! I'd appreciate your opinion about how the song sounds. Thanks!
Dancin On the Edge
Know a Little Less (understand
the latter)
This is one of those angsty songs
that seems to want to come back to joy and peace. I love the chorus!! I also really have found the truth of "tough
stuff" being an impetus for singing "Alleluia..." I wrote this one with Paul Wilson and it has changed
substantially since its first incarnation. But then, songs worth keeping grow with the writers!! I hope you enjoy
it and I'd love to hear what you think about it! Thanks!
Know a Little Less...
Hiroshima - Nagasaki
I wrote this song for the 50th anniversary
of the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. I performed it once (maybe twice) and haven't done it since.
Still, when looking through the archives, this is one that stood out! I hope you enjoy it! I also hope we
can learn that weapons such as those used against these two cities and people of Japan should never be used again!
Hiroshima - Nagasaki
Blessed
I wrote "Blessed" while I
was a music minister at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, IN. It was intended to be used with
the theme of the beatitudes for a worship service. I really enjoyed how it felt to sing it!! When
I do it "live" I end up on piano and it has a wonderful feel of passionate joy and journey. Doing this recording,
I followed my heart and it has lots of subtlety embedded in multiple vocals and guitars. I hope you enjoy it!
Blessed
Mirror, Mirror
"Mirror, Mirror" was
written for a summer camp experience I helped lead in late June of 2010. I wrote it the night before we left for
the event. So... the kids (middle high aged) kinda helped me finish out the melody and vision for the tune. When
we got back from camp, I recorded it as a more complete sonic vision of what I was hearing around the campfire. I hope
you understand the concepts related to the complexity of our self-image as well as those very wise children did!
I have to admit I kinda miss David's guitar, Denise's voice, and the rest of the staff and campers as we belted
it out together at camp. But, they're with me in the spirit of the recording!
Mirror, Mirror
Butterfly Wings
This is another one of the tunes
that I wrote for worship at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, IN. It was used as a theme song
for a Senior High Youth Sunday. I love the way the poetry builds upon "the butterfly principle"! The
heaviness of the tune really appeals to me as well. It came together slowly in the studio but I think it turned out
well. Let me know what you think!
Butterfly Wings
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