Wrote this little singalong many years ago for a fellow Soundclouder who was feeling a bit low.

My daughter was in her early teens when she took the lead vocals, and my son was pre-teen.

I’m hugely indebted to the supremely talented Russ Sinfield for taking time out to mix and master this little pick-me-up - thanks a ton, mate, I’m really very grateful. (https://soundcloud.com/russell-sinfield #chaoscookhouse)

Enjoy!

Levana: Lead vox, bvs

Jehan: Bvs

Me: the rest

Russ Sinfield: Mix and mastering

Singing The Song (Brian Peters)

Looking for a brighter day

To come and wash your worries away

Hey come on now, come on

Searching for a bluer sky

And you don’t know the reason why

Hey come on now, come on

*You got to keep on holding on

You got to keep your spirit strong

You got to keep on singing the song

And it won’t be long*

Looking for that ray of hope

And finding that it’s hard to cope

Hey come on now, come on

Wishing on a shooting star

Trying to figure who you are

Hey come on now, come on

Well I ain’t walking in your shoes

And we all carry our own blues

A real joy to have Karin-Maria Brunner join me on this song. She has really done an amazing job with my basic track. My grateful thanks and deepest appreciation to you, Karin-Maria. (@user-53145152-479345033)

https://soundcloud.com/karin-maria-brunner

K-M: Epic pad, Vintage synthesiser strings, harp, violin, viola, cello, crash, bass, processing, mixing and mastering

Me: vocals, guitars, drums, keyboards

Promise Me (Brian Peters)

It's hard to believe

Takes courage of man to admit it

There's a memory within me

The sound of your name recalls it

We're living in days

Dancing too close to the heat

There's pockets of fires

Scattered all over the streets

*Promise me baby

You won't let another come between our love

Promise me baby

You won't imprison the dove*

They tied up the servant

They killed the messenger

Made a home explosive

Marked it ‘return to sender’

There’s a crack in the conscience

A finger of light in the skies

There’s bug on your telephone

Your windows are full of eyes

It’s the day of the aliens

Night of the UFOs

They took all the war brides

The baby boomer girls

There’s halls of illusion

Perverted sex on the screen

Young minds in confusion

Old men with adolescent dreams

The prophet is dishonoured

Especially in his own home

I’ve been reading Borges

Listening to Leonard Cohen

There’s sex on the telephone

A hundred iniquity dens

But the women are sexless

There are no real men

There’s blood on the doorposts

The angel of death is near

Speak softly, darling

Even the walls have ears

There’s a place in the hills

It’s like the top of Masada

It’s the gateway to paradise

Or the scene of a murder

Well, the world’s getting smaller

It’s like a one horse town

But the circle gets faster

As it spirals down

And the more things are changing

The more they are the same

And I sound like my daddy

I guess he felt the same

I bought a 12-string for the first time in my life - had a little play around. I just love that ringing jangly sound.

And repetitive mantric devotionals are great to listen to as well!

My Grace Is Enough (Brian Peters)

My grace is enough for you

My grace is enough for you

For all that you do

And all you go though

My grace is enough for you

Look A Little Higher (Brian Peters)

Look a little higher than your dreams

Look a little higher than your times

Look a little higher than your schemes

Look a little higher than your mind

Look a little higher than your will

Keep on looking unto the hills

Look a little higher than your power

Look a little higher than your plans

Look a little higher than your strength

Look a little higher than your hands

Look a little higher than your skill

Keep on looking unto the hills

Look a little higher than your silver

Look a little higher than your gold

Look a little higher than your barns

Look a little higher than your folds

Look a little higher than your fields

Keep on looking unto the hills

I wrote this last year after some tragic news events. While the gun control discussion goes on, I’m still hoping…

A real pleasure to have Pravinand joining in…thanks mate, your harmonica really gives this a lift. @johnny-minstrel

Last Bullet To Fall (Brian Peters)

He had his workout, got into shape

With a pre-dawn run

Bought some takeout, briskly escaped

Into the morning sun

A rodded wood beam, trigger and tape

That he found on the ‘net

Some target shooting, sling bag and cape

And he was finally set

He moved behind the crowded scene

Like a snake on the ground

Raised his head, uncoiled to spring

As he fired his rounds

Now I’m holding my breath

Like I’m under water

For the death of death

In the ever after

Where the reels of regret

Will be turned into laughter

But till that trumpet calls

I’ll be shouting from the top of the city walls

Waiting for the last bullet to fall

Some weeks before I was glued to my phone

Just scrolling through

Caught my eye some kids had died

In a Texas school

Slip of a lad just went mad

With an AR-15

Shot his gran, got into her van

Headed down the street

Powder and lead were burning red

In the midday heat

Twenty-One Dead, the headline read

It was the bloodiest scene

So I’m holding my breath

Like I’m under water

For the death of death

In the ever after

Where the peals of lament

Will be spun into laughter

But till that trumpet calls

I’ll be shouting from the top of the city walls

Yes I’m holding my breath

Like I’m under water

For the death of death

In the sweet hereafter

Where the steel of dissent

Will be bent to a ploughshare

But till that trumpet calls

I’ll be shouting from the top of the city walls

Waiting for the last bullet to fall

This is a delightful departure from my norm. I’ve always loved the Wayfarer cloud, and suggested a collaboration. DG sent me this powerful, haunting music, and the whole song lyric was written within a few hours of listening to it. This is the first time I’ve written something to another piece of music. Thanks a million for such a pleasurable and novel experience, DG. Such a joy working with you on this!

Wayfarer DG: Music and mix https://soundcloud.com/user-996383829

Me: Lyrics and vocal

Cloudy Charlie (Brian Peters/Dirk Gilleard)

Night crawls round your corner

Opens up an eye

Swallows all the colour

Of your life

Better read the sign

Written in the sand

Get yourself together

The hour is at hand

Cloudy Charlie calling

Down your cul-de-sac

Leave the blizzard howling

At your back

Wilderness in tatters

Moon has turned to blood

The living have been scattered

Before the final flood

*Sunlight has been broken

Pieces on the way

Sleep with one eye open

Until Judgement Day*

Leave one in the chamber

Get your running sack

Eat the bread of danger

Never turn back

This is what jamming with the great Johnny Minstrel sounds like. We always loved that light free airy sound. No added fx. Thanks Pravinand @johnny-minstrel

JM: electric guitar, harmonica

The Line (Brian Peters)

I was looking out my window on the first day of Spring

Thought I saw the Winter phantom, well he touches everything

We never know what's good or bad until one of them is gone

Everyone is looking for the line between right and wrong

Well we're looking to the heavens and we haven't left the ground

Looking for the eternal in a world going down

This road just keeps you travelling, going on and on

Everyone is looking for the line between right and wrong

I never know what's hurting, I never know what's true

But man is always restless about the things he always knew

It seems like it started from the day I was born

Everyone is looking for the line between right and wrong

All of us are blinded, learning how to survive

Someone else may tell you, you got to keep hope alive

Well I'm staring out my window, I might see another dawn

Everyone is looking for the line between right and wrong

Thank you for listening over the last 10 years, for commenting, liking and reposting. Special thanks to those I’ve collaborated with, and those who’ve covered my songs. I’m so grateful to you all, and best wishes for 2023.

Talk To Me (Brian Peters)

Talk to me about trouble

Talk to me about strife

Talk to me about men living

a double life

Talk to me about hunger

Talk to me about pain

Talk to me about men dying

and their deaths being in vain

Draw near

Put your lips to my ear

and talk to me

Talk to me about heartache

Talk to me about loss

Talk to me about men carrying

too heavy a cross

Talk to me about mercy

Talk to me about truth

Talk to me about forgiveness

in the kissing booth

Fold me

In your gentle sea

and talk to me

Talk to me in the whirlwind

Talk to me in the heat

Talk to me in the thunder

of the city’s feet

Talk to me in the stillness

far away from the noise

Talk to me sweetly

in that still, small voice

Steal away

from the cares of the day

and talk to me

--------------------

[Some unused verses]

Talk to me of the garden

Talk to me of the fall

Talk to me of that valley

and the prophets of Baal

Talk to me about religion

and the loss of God

Talk to me about the kingdom

and that level sword

Stay on

for the night is long

and talk to me

Talk to me about beauty

Talk to me about life

Talk to me about the colours

in the rainbow of light

Talk to me about magic

in a lover’s eyes

Talk to me about music

in the heart of the night

Lay down

on this covered ground

and talk to me

Talk to me in the riddle

of the spoken word

Talk to me in the alphabet

from another world

Talk to me about longing

for the one that we seek

Talk to me of that name

that no man shall speak

Thrill me

with mystery

and talk to me

This singalong was written during my young idealistic days, based on the amusing stories of Giovanni Guareschi. I thought I’d drag it out of the archives for a bit of fun!

Little World (Brian Peters)

The world of Don Camillo is a little place

Sitting on the River Po

Work enough for living, time enough to wait

And there’s space enough to grow

The faith of Don Camillo is a simple grace

Patient as the river flow

Taking up within the sphere of earthly ways

And he knows it must be so

-

We all live in a little world

We can make it grow

We all keep the universe

And we know it must be so

-

The God of Don Camillo has a human face

Watching as they come and go

Sharing in a knowledge that is people based

And He knows it must be so

For the joy of acoustic instruments.

I wrote this when I turned 35 and moved to the UK.

So grateful to have my good friend Johnson joining me - this really feels like a sweet acoustic jam, JR (@johnson-ramm)

JR: added guitars and added vocals

Me: vox, guitars, harmonica and other stuff

Middle of Life (Brian Peters)

I'm in the middle of life

So much has passed

I'm only 35

Save the best for last

Hey, riding through the middle of life

I'm in the middle of love

And I'm settling down

I can't get enough

It goes and comes around

Hey, riding through the middle of love

I'm in the middle of the world

Between the east and the west

And I'm riding the curve

Between the bad and the best

Hey, riding in the middle of the world

I'm in the middle of life

So much has gone

I'm only 35

But I'm moving on

Hey, riding through the middle of life

This is one of my very earliest songs from many decades ago. I decided to put it up here on Soundcloud.

Matt Bowman: bass

Nick Shutler: sax

In God’s Name (Brian Peters)

A village burns and leaves a scar on Mother Earth

The scented flames ascend beyond the fallen ruins

And helpless cries are stilled beneath the weight of senseless birth

A sacrifice is offered by the architects of doom

A figurehead is raised to cull the subjects’ praise

The attributes of God are transferred to his name

Unwarranted, his show of wrath and force belie his fears

His stature grows, but only death and pain support his claim

And so the game is played

No fears are allayed

And tearing down the idol

Can’t be but suicidal

Then suddenly a warning shout disturbs his rest

The spirits of the wronged are merged with forces of the right

A flash of light that brightens up the sky from east to west

He crumbles and descends into the world of endless night

And so his fate was sealed

His evil work revealed

Just memories remain

To inflict no further pain