#14: My Thanksgiving Prayer

Dearest friends and readers of my newsletter,

Next week, I'll be performing a concert, along with cabaret legend KT Sullivan, at Urban Stages in New York City at the Opening NIght Gala of the Winter Rhythms songfest, which is an amazing series of concerts they hold every year as a fundraiser for their library and community outreach service to young people all over the city. https://www.tixtree.com/e/winter-rhythms-kt-sullivan-in-my-piano-me-c4f1f4f46e1c

Nine years ago, I was privileged to present "New World Waking" there as a part of this same series, featuring an incredible chorus of singers and, on the stage, a group of young people who were a part of their theater outreach program.

In that presentation, we performed "My Thanksgiving Prayer" sung by Stephen Anthony Elkins and Jake Wesley Stewart, written by myself and Rev. Peter J. Carman. There are a number of versions of this song, but this one is kind of special because of Stephen's amazing vocal, but also because of the context of the song, offered as a prayer of peace in response to violence in the community, in our souls and in the world.

Here is the link to that performance. And in this holiday season, as we gather and hopefully enjoy being with friends, family and loved ones, we also remember how many lives right now are scarred by war, terror and isolation.

I do pray for peace and the best way to start is by being thankful and grateful for the things we have that give us life, joy and comfort in our own lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PbdXgt-Vvg

Next is a link to that same song being performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and Women's Community Orchestra at Davies Symphony Hall.

Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/us/album/my-thanksgiving-prayer/481791968?i=481792769
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/682AnA5Z8xKiheqDm897J0?si=86ef44ce9dc54328

And another version sung by the Sanctuary Choir at Christ Church Bay Ridge Brooklyn

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/4fp4Ddu5AJ5Jbe9Er7BhEu?si=a1f47939efba44c0

Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/us/album/my-thanksgiving-prayer-feat-christ-church-bay-ridge/1038988148?i=1038991188

#13: The Rain Will Come

“This is one of my favorite songs you’ve ever written!”

That was the unexpected response from Jim Brochu when I played him the first demo for this week’s new song, “The Rain Will Come.”

And I knew he meant it because he played it five times in a row!

This brand new song uses rain as a metaphor, not for relationship troubles as is often the case, but for the renewal that follows hardship. The character, driving through the desert, encounters a storm and realizes that rain signifies life. It brings forth new growth in a barren landscape and revitalizes all living things.

This reminded me of the dual nature of rain. While we've seen the destructive force of hurricanes in recent years, rain is also a blessing. It cleanses and nourishes life. This resonates particularly strongly now, as drought conditions across the USA have many people praying for rain.

I hope you enjoy "The Rain Will Come." Here are the listening links. The lyrics are below.

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3euc0HVAbamBFBbvtyNyuI?si=f43e65af45b44788

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-rain-will-come-feat-bonus-round-band-single/1780375701

YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/rHJZTvRdpK8?si=_uz-GbyvHmWOkWC-

THE RAIN WILL COME
©2024 by Steve Schalchlin

Mile Marker 102
Temperature says 103
Driving from where I was before
To where I never wanted to be

Heat waves dance on the blacktop
Mirages of what we could have been
Broken highway up ahead
Prickly cactus dusty green

The rain will come
The rain will come
The desert knows
The rain will come

Jack rabbits dash across the road
Wildflowers push through the rock
I pull into a barren stop
When the engine starts to knock

I listen to it tick as it cools
I take a dusty breath of air
I see a gathering storm
On purple mountains over there

The rain will come
The rain will come
The desert knows
The rain will come

My heart beats faster with each flash of lightning
My windshield pops with heavy drops
Burned out seeds spring into action
Colorful blooms pop in blazing reaction

Mile Marker 101
I turn the car to go back home
We shouldn’t be afraid of rain
It’s something that’s just gonna come

I burst into the open door
Apologize for my retreat
A storm can bring out signs of life
No reason to admit defeat

The rain will come
Let it come
The desert knows
The rain will come

You are free to stream the songs but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.

And please share this with friends!

[This is the hand-crafted, non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]

-- Steve Schalchlin
Living in the Bonus Round

Spotify Links

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin Spotify Playlist https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs
Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin Spotify Playlist https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal
Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin Spotify Playlist https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor
Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin Spotify Playlist https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire
Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin Spotify Playlist https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate
Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin Spotify Playlist https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics
Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin
https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#12: Beatles Singalong and Two Things Too!

Am I a heretic or a believer?

A liar or an Honest Abe?

A genius or a fool?

The answer: YES. And so are you. We are all these things. To someone, at least.

That's why it's useless to try to label yourself as all good or all bad. All sane or all crazy.

That's the beauty and terror of being human. We are all these things. And that's what I tried to comically convey in this new song, released this week, called Two Things Too.

But before that, here is the YouTube link to this week's Beatles Singalong at Strawberry Fields. If the news from this past week, has you down, this will put a huge smile on your face.
https://youtu.be/3P9nCstPgcM?si=jL2AI_kv0EzB8R37

Two Things Too
©2024 by Steve Schalchlin

I'm a dream come true, I'm a nightmare too
I'm the stars above and I'm hell to love
I am Lancelot, with a twisted plot

I'm a Shakespeare sonnet, with a murder on it
I'm the Taj Mahal, with a crumbling wall
I'm a saw that swings, with an edge that sings
Cause it cuts both ways
And it's oh so true


You can be one thing and be two things too

I'm the king of hearts throwing poison darts
I'm the ace of spades tossing handguns
I am comfort class and a donkey's ass
A romantic tale on a gothic scale
I'm a valentine from a withered vine
I am French champagne made from acid rain

If that makes no sense it can still be true
We can be one thing and be two things too

Two things too no matter what we do
A mirror wall in a fun house mall

We can dive so far that we get the bends
We can both be lovers and yet still be friends
We can run red hot and sometimes feel blue

I can be a woman or a man for you
I can be too busy and have nothing to do
If I'm lost at sea, but my course is true
I can be one thing and be two things too

We can be one thing, and be two things too.

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/two-things-too-feat-bonus-round-band-single/1778376503

YouTube:
https://youtu.be/lu8wZ18DSRc?si=1CMxKAMsLCSYchX_

Spotify link:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5IIxfONESnIQk31TVg7TwI?si=b292f9d4399646e


-- [This is the hand-crafted, no-AI, non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be added to the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]

STRAWBERRY FIELDS Beatles Sing-Along - Nov 6, 2024

Newsletter #11: Comfort Food - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Since today is voting day here in the United States, most of us are going to be breathing a sigh of relief that all the political ads are going to be over. We’re gonna be huddled around our TVs hoping for our desired outcomes.

So, today, a little comfort food. This past year, I recorded "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." I hadn't intended to, but I was rehearsing for a show I was putting together for the folks in my dad's assisted living facility, recording myself singing this.

The original was released in 1939 on the brink of World War 3. No one knew what was up ahead. Or maybe it had already started and the world needed some hope. But this simple song has such a lovely message.

Perhaps because I wasn't trying too hard, or because it was a labor of love, I released it after polishing up the accompaniment. I hope it gives you a little breath of fresh air.

YouTube Link:
https://youtu.be/ZrpmDyXS0Fc?si=b4ala0O2r4Z977YH

Spotify link:
https://open.spotify.com/track/33gkPCHqKZtkjJNIWTRHjn?si=e0aa6a231062417c

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/somewhere-over-the-rainbow/1705326781?i=1705326782