The Church Songs, Biblical-based self-written songs by Alan Ewing 1990-91

THE CHURCH SONGS

a blog by Alan Ewing

St Michaels Church, Pensby, Wirral

There are those days when you open a draw that you have not looked in for ages. You root around and then something jumps out at you.  In the subject of this blog, it was a set of songs discovered from over 40 years ago that drew my attention. These basic recordings were a memento of a time when I would write and perform self-written Biblically based songs within the Church of England. That being St Michaels Church, Pensby, to be precise.

The recordings were meant to sound "as live" in seeking to capture them as acts of worship. They were well received by the congregation, and also at St Marks Church, Saltney, in youth groups, which I took part in as a Parish Assistant. These were the days when ordination appeared to be my path in life. Though that never came to pass, the sheer honour and joy in writing these songs specifically for the church gave its own reward. For to perform and sing in The Lord's House is the greatest honour of all.

St Mark's Church, Saltney, Chester

The lyrics to the songs follow: by clicking on the links under the song titles, the recordings can be heard. By clicking back, on this blog tag, the words can be followed to the music.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

by Alan Ewing

based on Gal 5;22 Rom 8;5

Click To Play

The fruit of the Spirit begins with love

The descending of the Spirit like a dove

The Spirit in us living, 

With the peace that God is giving

The fruit of the Spirit begins with love

The Spirit of life sets us free from sin

Taking us closer to Jesus and glory with him

The seal is on us with the Spirit in our hearts

Understand clearly that the future is ours

The fruit of the spirit begins with love ...

Lord set our minds on what the Spirit desires

As in the days of tongues of fire

Hallelujah Lord, we call on your name

Knowing that those who do will be saved

The fruit of the Spirit begins with love ...

THE SHEPHERD'S WARNING

by Alan Ewing
based upon Matthew 25: 31-46

Click To Play

When the Son of Man comes in His glory
All nations will tell their story
From each other the people he will separate
At the moment for which the angels wait

I am hungry - will you feed me
Or will you go away and leave me
I am a stranger - can I come in?
Or shall I go and come another day

All the ones who helped to ease the strife
They will be rewarded with eternal life

But those who neglected the needy
Will be cast down with all the greedy

I am hungry ...

THE DAY OF THE LORD

by Alan Ewing
based upon 2 Peter 3; 1-18

Click To Play

Let's seek out our peace with Him
He knows our hearts and the state they're in
The Day of The Lord will come like a thief
So let's speak out and show our belief

The Lord's patience means salvation
So make His House your habitation
Come rejoice in a new birth
With thoughts on the new Heaven and Earth

A thousand years are like a day
Listen to what the prophets say
A day is like a thousand years
Open your heart for The Lord is near

Aim for a holy and godly life
As you wait for The Lord to arrive
Be on your guard don't get carried away
But grow in Grace as you wait for The Day

To Jesus be the glory now and forever
For He is The Lord our heavenly treasure
So let's worship Him in truth
As we seek and find Him together

A thousand years are like a day ...

THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

by Alan Ewing

based on John 11:25-28

Click To Play

I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

Yes Lord, I believe that you are The Christ: The Son of God who was to come into the world.

copyright dewysumoz 2019

Deano Jones And The Obscure Rogues: ebook & music by Alan Ewing

Deano Jones And The Obscure Rogues
 a light comedy novel by Alan Ewing

The new light comedy ebook novel by Alan Ewing. A tale of an independent band seeking to resist the mainstream, while its lead man gets into comic romantic capers.

A little opus. Twenty years in the making. A play to begin with.  All songs within it written. A musical in its way. This little tale about "Deano Jones And The Obscure Rogues" now out as an ebook ...https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07L8JM611

1. Preview Chapter from beginning of ebook

2. Links to musical numbers from book written by Alan Ewing


PREVIEW CHAPTER

IN THE BEGINNING

Chapter 1

 

Suburbia

 

    In the beginning was suburbia. And suburbia produces many surprising results. As the sun beat down on Westgrove Avenue, on the outskirts of the city of Poolchester, hedges were being trimmed and lawns being mowed. It was an everyday scene no doubt being played out a million times around The English Land. But the scene being played out in the living room at 32 Westgrove Avenue was one of the more unusual of suburbia’s outpourings. A stereo in the corner of the room was playing “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash. Sitting in armchairs listening to this were Deano Jones and Billy The Bass.   

     “I don’t know what I’d do if fame came my way. I think I’d just sit around all day eating bacon barm cakes. Mind you, that’s all I do now”, said Deano. He sat dressed in his usual jeans and tee shirt with slogan; his whole look reminiscent of James Dean, only with Deano having dark hair. The regulation leather jacket was hanging up in the hall. This was a young man, twenty-one years of age, who knew what he liked. 

     “I know what you mean Deano. There’s nothing quite like a barm cake wrapped around bacon with lashings of brown sauce. Who’d want to give that up for champagne and caviar?” The reply came from Billy The Bass, otherwise known as William Brevvers, but he felt that attaching his name to his instrument was a good thing. He had blonde wavy hair but was dressed like Deano in neo-fifties garb.

     “Yeah, I know; imagine not being able to run down to the chippy because you might get pestered if you go out. I don’t really think that I’d like that. I’m too set in my ways.

Just think of it Billy lad, you’d have to be up at six in the morning to be able to take a

walk in peace”. Deano’s reply was sincere. Here sat a person who sought expression through his music, not fame, although infamy had its appeal. 

    “Six in the morning! You must be joking. I don’t even know what that time of the day looks like. I’ve got out of bed at six in the evening a few times though”, laughed Billy. 

     This prompted Deano to suggest a song title, “I Lost My Heart To A Bacon Barm Cake” at which the two friends and musical colleagues let out peals of laughter.

     “All this talk about food is making me hungry. A good one for the band though; you need odd song titles with a name like The Obscure Rogues”, said Billy, for such was the name of the music combo to which they both belonged. 

     “Yeah, and it would probably be a big hit, meaning that we’d end up in a situation where we were not supposed to eat that sort of thing”. 

     “Shall I open the bread bin?” Asked Billy

     But before Deano could answer, the living room door flew open and in walked Mrs Jones, Deano’s mother, the daughter of Desmond and Molly Jones –a name she had kept after marriage and given to her son as she couldn’t bear to part with it—Gloria Jones was a young looking woman, somewhere in her thirties, with dark hair and grey-green eyes, not unlike her son in looks and appearance. The big difference between them lay in interpretation of the work ethic. For Deano it meant music, but for his mother it was a case of being realistic, in taking what was available to earn money in order to get on. 

     “ Oh, hello Billy. I didn’t realise you were here. How are your mum and dad?” Gloria Jones always believed in politeness when opening dialogue.

     “Fine thanks Mrs Jones”, came Billy’s response.

     “Have you two been down to the Jobcentre this morning? Didn’t you have one of

those Restart interviews to attend Dean?”

     “That’s on Thursday mum. Billy and me were just discussing eating habits in relation to certain types of career”.       

     “You won’t find a job by sitting around all day. It’s about time you pulled yourself together Dean. At twenty-one you should be holding down a regular job”.

     “I think it would be best if I sorted it out myself mum”.

     “That’s all very well for you to say Dean. I’m the one who has to put up with all this, you know. I think that you are being very selfish. And what about Samantha? She’s a lovely girl and you’re lucky to have her. So what are you going to do about it?”

       The reference here was to Deano’s girlfriend of some standing, Samantha Burrows; a young lady with reddish-brown hair with green tints and highlights, coupled with deep green eyes.  Mrs Jones would usually play this card when wanting to remind Deano of responsibilities. Her motivation for these exchanges was simply the fact that she wanted Deano to succeed in life. She didn’t disapprove of his music, but felt that it was not a reliable basis for a lifetime’s career and economic need.

     “Okay mum, we’ve been through this before”, cut back Deano.

     “Yes, and we’ll go through it again and again until you pull your socks up, my lad”, and Mrs Jones meant what she said. Having decided that the exchange could no longer be productive, she took her leave of the room.

     “Phew! She didn’t seem very happy”, said Billy who had sat rather sheepishly through the proceedings.

     “Yeah, the bugbear of all musicians”, responded Deano, “the pressures from family to take a steady job. And with Dad on leave at the moment, I’m getting an overdose of earache. I can’t see there being anything at the Jobcentre for the likes of me. Last time I went, the only jobs on offer were at that dump of a hamper factory down-town. You’d end up in depression working in a place like that. But that’s mum all over when she takes the mood. She thinks that I should just go out and take the first thing that appears; she has no understanding of the way I am”.

     Deano sighed. He knew that when the worlds of suburbia and rock n’ roll collided then fireworks would ensue.

     “Maybe it’s about time that I got myself a flat or something. Never mind not getting peace when you make it: I’m getting none now! I suppose I’d better go and mow the lawn or one of those other jobs I said I’d do. It really is too much”, he continued.

     Billy shifted awkwardly in his armchair; he did not really know how to approach the internal domestic conflicts of the Jones family.

     “I know. It’s not too much to ask for. A quiet life I mean”, he managed to meander out.

     The stereo in the corner had for some time been in a state of silence. Deano’s thoughts turned towards it and away from suburban lawns. He had, prior to his mother’s entrance, been indulging in a punk/new wave CD session. He clicked on the stereo remote control for the Ian Dury and the Blockheads track “What A Waste”. This seemed an apt reflection on the world of Westgrove Avenue and the status of the musician within it.

Musical links

Musical numbers for the ebook were recorded as Aylon (Alan Ewing) and are available online: click on links for audi ...

Gloria Told Me https://soundcloud.com/aylon/gloria-told-me-mastered
Bernadette's Maisonette https://soundcloud.com/aylon/bernadettes-maisonette-by-aylon-alan-ewing
Coming To Get You https://soundcloud.com/aylon/coming-to-get-you-mastered-aylon-alan-ewing
Storm Clouds https://soundcloud.com/aylon/storm-clouds
Mine, Not Yours https://soundcloud.com/aylon/mine-not-yours
Jolly Hockey Sticks https://soundcloud.com/aylon/jolly-hockey-sticks
Immortal https://soundcloud.com/aylon/immortal-mastered

The Obscure Rogues Experimental work, recording demonstrations by Alan Ewing
I Lost My Heart To A Bacon Barm Cake (Parts 1.2.3)/The Train To Fame/Busking For Love In The Big Apple/The Poolchester Anthem/I Asked For A Bacon Toastie/The Best Names Are Never Dropped http://aylon1.bandcamp.com/album/the-obscure-rogues-experimental-work

The Shining, The Novel, a reading ... by Alan Ewing

THE SHINING

a reading by Alan Ewing

The Shining novel differs in many aspects from the Stanley Kubrick movie.  In the book there are scenes that are different or unused in the film. The wasps’ nest scenes are only in the book, while the maze in Kubrick’s cinematic have no place in the written work which instead has a series of animal hedges that move..

The character of Jack Torrance is the biggest difference between the works, in the movie Jack is driven solely by the ghouls and monsters that haunt The Overlook Hotel. In the novel it is his own monstrous thoughts about violence in his childhood which carries over into his adult life that hounds him King says in his introduction that in his only conversation with Kubrick that they discussed whether our thoughts are the monsters that give us or is it supernatural forces. For Kubrick, says King, it was clearly the latter that came out in his version of “The Shining.” It is psychological horror that King deals with, with hallucinations arising from that.

Jack is a deeper character in the book. A school teacher/writer whose career goes wrong following a violent incident with a pupil. He is an avid reader writer. Violence flares again though when he breaks his son’s arm in chastisement. The threat of divorce lingers in the air from his way Wendy. Jack is remorseful about what he did to Danny, He lives in terror of being caught out by his father’s violence and how it has crossed into him. He loved his father though the beatings in childhood caused damage to him, his siblings and their mother.

The supernatural element to the novel chiefly lies in Danny, with his gift of the shine, it is clear that Jack has no ability in this, while Wendy only has a little. Only Danny can see what is happening.  The rest is psychological violence and the input of violent people into our lives.  The thoughts and emotions that are left behind are like those of ghosts of the past. The whole point of the novel lies within this.

copyrightdewysband2018

Father Aylon's Spiritual Reflections , written by Alan Ewing

FATHER AYLON'S

 SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS

written by Alan Ewing

Don't look back. Unless you want to become a pillar of salt, that is. [Genesis 19]. Looking back destroys the present. Now, I don't mean that we don't cherish happy times ... that would be emotionally ruthless. I'm writing from faith: that forward looking from the present brings our loved ones back into view; rather than them being simply memories. In this way we can leave the pain of the past, while wearing our scars as a reminder of where we are now, and what is to come ... the place to where Our Lord is taking us.

I'm not perfect, though not totally imperfect: somewhere in the middle. I swear when I get frustrated. Do you? Maybe you have achieved perfection and are the perfect human being. I wish that I was. Then God's Grace would not be necessary through The Cross. No self-justification exists whether through faith or works. The Unmerited Favour (Grace) is for everybody. All consciousness has to be brought back into the fold. One way or another. The Universe cannot exist without consciousness. We all die. The human race will die in its current form. Consciousness will remain, and all, even Christ, will become part of that consciousness [Revelation 22-23]

 Jesus. For whom? Church-goers meeting the ritual every week? Some maybe. Depends what is in their hearts and who their loyalties are with. An examination of Jesus' life shows that he loved the church (synagogue) though chose to be with the people outside of it. Contacts like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathia remained. Though essentially, Jesus was an anti-organised religion figure. Jesus was always for the people ... that was his church. Bricks and mortar are a club. The Bride of Christ is the people ... fail to see this and populist political figures will continue to rise for the anti-christ - Father Aylon

BOOK OF EVE: When a man does not love a woman (pun) then it can only mean living in a cave on rice and water; a complete ascetic. Or alternatively swilling it up at the bar and not caring about life. [Book Of Eve Book 7713, Chapter 73, verse 894] 

BOOK OF EVE: When a man does not love a woman (pun) then it can only mean living in a cave on rice and water; a complete ascetic. Or alternatively swilling it up at the bar and not caring about life. [Book Of Eve Book 7713, Chapter 73, verse 894] - 

copyright 

dewysumoz 2018

Black Dog: A personal perspective on Mental Health, by Alan Ewing BA Hons, MSc, Cert HE

BLACK DOG

A personal perspective on Mental Health

by Alan Ewing, BA Hons, MSc, Cert HE

Mental Health has been in the news over the past week with the annual awareness campaign. My own experience of living with “The Black Dog” has spanned fifteen years now and has, as for many, been an up and down experience, with a diagnosis relating to anxiety, relative OCD and self-destructive episodes.  I feel that many GPs see “depression” as a term of generic reference. A passing phase that can be cured by getting out more.

Artistic depression gives another angle on the experience. There are times when you want to write till the cows come home. You want to act, dance, sing and create. When the darkness descends you feel as though nothing is worth doing. To comprehend this is difficult. It is like sinking into the void. All is empty and hopelessness surrounds you in every area of life.

Medication can be a bane. Anti-depressants are now acknowledged by medical research to have severe withdrawal symptoms, including electric dreams caused by chemical withdrawal on brain inhibitors, together with feelings of illness. In my own experience these experiences are akin to a form of cold turkey, or at least what I imagine what heroin users describe. Attitudes from medical administration staff are usually abysmal.

There are various therapies such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which can help with aims, goals and self-esteem, thought it is important to remember that depression is an illness caused by physical functions within the brain. What it is not is an emotional or psychological frame of mind. Relationships, alcohol, a depressant, have to be under self-management. It is a day-to-day experience which has to be taken in all seriousness. 

Alan Ewing BA Hons, MSc, Cert HE

copyright dewysumoz 2018

Fudge, A Video Blog on Friendship by Alan Ewing

 FUDGE

A Video Blog on friendships/relationships

by Alan Ewing

Friendship? What is it? It is fudge. We compromise ourselves within it. We meet in the middle. Is that not the case within a working marriage? For if we do not agree to disagree then we are finished. To love another is to see their point of view. While holding yours, of course. This could be politics, religion, the price of fish or whether eating out is better than eating in. We fudge it. Find a compromise. If not, then the ways part. We become our own island again refusing entry by another. This can be to our cost in life.

copyright dewysumoz2018

Israel/Palestine

 Israel/Palestine

Some kind of rationality needed on the Israel/Palestinian problem. "Land of Israel" was primarily Jewish around 1,000 years BCE (Judaism)...From around 1st Century CE it became Greco Roman owing to the onset of Christianity. Around 13th Century The Caliphate invaded and it became primarily Arabic with the onset of Islam. In step the British as we whizz forward to 20th Century. 

After The Disapora of The Jews: The Holocaust happens ... The state of Israel is born in 1948 and it becomes primarily Jewish once more as many return to "the homeland". Formally recognised by US and Russia. British PM Atlee not happy. Partition is made for Arab sector ...Palestine. Arabs don't like it and decide to invade, Israel repels them and takes partition territories. A buffer zone against further invasion. Along the line groups like Hamas emerge (backed by Iran): terrorist organisations. Israel, now a right-wing country after starting life as a social democrat one, clamps down with harsh force. And so here we are. 

Rationality is needed. Not taking sides.  The International Code of Holocaust Remembrance is important in keeping Israel on board, and not causing it to become further defensive, if Palestine is to be free. Just my thoughts on it all ... hot-headedness and partisanship help nobody. What is needed is a two-state-solution that ensues that both these sets of people are allowed to live in peace alongside each other. It's a complex issue that needs cross-party support from around the world. 

Alan Ewing