Songs, Stories, and Lyrics
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All the songs are written and performed by Mark Hansen (except as noted below). Special thanks to Jodi Hansen, Linda Tomkinson, and the LDSM folks
Rejoice
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This one's a simple tune about how much fun it is to be married to someone as cool and wonderful as my wife. Really not much more to say about it than that!
Rejoice
By Mark Hansen
For Jodi
Bumped into a younger man this morning
You'd best not mess with me he said
His angry eyes flashed out a warning
Unless you'd rather end up dead
I said please pardon the intrusion
I was grinning ear to ear
I hate to spoil your disillusion
But I'm just being of good cheer
Chorus
Rejoice Rejoice
Rejoice Rejoice Rejoice Rejoice
Rejoice Rejoice
Days like this are so exciting
I'm just glad you let me be
The one that brings you your delighting
And I'm glad he showed you to me
Chorus
My words might not be so romantic
And for that I apologize
I just get lost in the semantics
But you can see it in my eyes
Chorus
- Written and performed by Mark Hansen
- Produced by Mark Hansen
- Drums by Steve Hill
Two Houses
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Several years ago, as I was visiting a friend, I was struck by her odd situation. She lived not more than a mile from her mother, but their relationship was so strained that they never spoke to each other. Yet, my friend drove us by her mother's home, and said she came this way very often on her way home from work.
That seemed very sad to me. As I learned more about her situation, it moved me. Here's the song about it:
Two Houses
In the town house lives a daughter
A young and slender girl
Goes to work, comes home again
A simple peaceful world
And every time she steals a glance
A tear will blur her eye
She wipes away the memories
Whenever she drives by
The other house
From a window in the house of brick
A mother breathes a sigh
As the motion of a familiar car
Catches in her eye
All those nights she's laid awake
And all those days she's wept
The daughter has a partner
That the mother can't accept
In the other house
Chorus:
Two houses
Only a mile apart
Close enough to hear
The beating of their hearts
Two houses
Each in separate worlds
Both of them are crying
From the biting sting of words
And the pain flows fast between them
Like a river deep and wide
Two houses
Each on the other side
(Alone on the other side)
In one house there is sadness
The daughter made her choice
To leave the things she loved behind
To find another voice
In one house there is loneliness
That cuts to the mother's core
And yet she chose to turn her back
And forever close the door
To the other house
Chorus
- Written (2/9/03) and performed by Mark Hansen
- Harmony vocals by Rachel Luke
- Produced by Mark Hansen, with assistance from John Newman
How Beautiful
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In the world of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) there's a subgenre called "Praise and Worship" music. I understand that it's used a lot in worship services as well as revivals and larger meetings. It's usually slower and "bigger" than most Christian pop music. Often a CCM group will put out a whole album of "P&W" music separate from a pop release.
I love LDS music an musicians, and still I got fascinated with the P&W sound. Sometimes I think that we Mormons get too wrapped up in teaching in our art that we forget that it's cool to just sing praises to God. I guess a balance is always the best, right?
Anyway, so I tried my hand at it. I'm not sure where the inspiration hit, but it came from the verse in Isaiah and Mosiah that says: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace... that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" -Isaiah 52:7
How Beautiful
When I climb the mountain
I'll look into the skies
I'll look across the valley
The sunrise in my eyes
I'll sing out to the city
Waking down below
Words to bring them peace
And the joy that they can know
Chorus:
How beautiful
How beautiful my feet feel
Standing on the mountain
While I'm singing words of peace
How beautiful
How beautiful my soul
When I say to Zion
Your God reigns
A city full of struggles
Busy working day to day
Everyone in motion, but
We still make time to pray
I'll sing out to the city
Moving down below
Words to bring them peace
And the joy that they can know
Chorus
And I will watch them gather
In the chapels filled with love
To lift their voices upward
And sing to God above
So I'll join in with the city
Singing down below
We'll sing our songs of peace
The joy that we already know
Chorus
- Written and performed by Mark Hansen
- Produced by Mark Hansen
- Drums by Steve Hill
- Choir: Sopranos: Lindy Kerby, Cheri Christensen, Kahla Keyser, Altos: Amanda Burri, Charisse Horne, Tenors: Bruce Burri, Michael Christenson, Baritones: Uwe Hansen, Mark Hansen, Bass: Uwe Hansen
- Choral arrangement by John Newman
- Soprano Solo by Lindy Kerby
Turn It Up
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This one started out, like so many others of my songs, as a cool guitar riff waiting for lyrics and a melody to come a long. As so often happens with these kinds of songs, it can take a long, long time for the rest to happen.
I'd also been playing with the idea of a hard 80's rocker tune, and flirting with the title "Turn it Up". As I thought about that concept, I started to flow into the idea that the first verse would be about turning up the music and driving it loud, and the second verse would be all about turning up your life and your committment to the Gospel.
It turned out that wasn't working out, and so I just made the whole song about turning your life effort up. And that worked.
Hmmm... Seems to be another metaphor in there...
In the process of writing the first verse, it occurred to me that the story of the rich young man that came to the Savior would be a perfect example of the kind of message I was conveying. He had been righteous all his life. But the Lord could see that he needed to be really committed. He needed to turn it up! So, that story became the second verse.
Mark 10:17-22
Turn it Up
By Mark Hansen
Since I was young I've tried to do what's right
Holding the Rod and walking the line
And through the years it's been great to see
The love and the joy that's set me free
But now it's time to take it higher
I need to stoke my inner fire
Chorus
Turn it up
Turn it up
Turn it up
Turn it up
A big man with a lot of wealth to report
Asked his Lord where he'd counted short
Keep the rules and study the truth
But he'd done it all since he was a youth
So the Lord told him to live it more
Sell his things and give it all to the poor
Chorus
Bridge
I've got to turn it up
Lengthen my stride
Raise my eyes
Lower my pride
Love a little more
Hoard a little less
This is my life
This is my test
- Written and performed by Mark Hansen
- Drums by Steve Hill
- Special thanks to John Newman
Here in Me
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Learn to play this song! Guitar and Bass Tabs now downloadable (pdf format requires adobe acrobat reader)
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I had sooo much fun recording and producing this tune. It's really exciting to me.
In my life, I've had two kinds of spiritual experiences. One is when I get swept over by a wonderful feeling of peace and tranquility, like all is right in the world
The other is when the Spirit grabs me by the shoulders, throws me to my feet and fills me with the power to go and do! It's an exhileration that I hope I've shown with the driving beat of this song!
1 John 2:8
Here in Me
Words and music by Mark Hansen
12/17/2002
What is this fire I feel
It’s light is bright and real
Here in me
Darkness is scattering
No longer mattering
Here in me
Chorus
Here in me is soul brand new
Turned inside out by the Love of you
Here in me is a heart that’s burning bright
Here in me
What is my life to be
What will become of me
I can see
Inside of me
I know that if I fight
Reaching up to the light
I can see
What’s ahead of me
Chorus
Bridge
What good would it do locked up inside me
What good would I do to hide it there
My empty cup is filled to overflowing
And it’s spilling Spirit out into the air
And its here in me
- Written and performed by Mark Hansen
- Produced by Mark Hansen and John Newman
- Lead and fill guitars by Bill Dent
- Drums by Steve Hill
- Recorded by Mark Hansen, Ron Hill, and John Newman
- Vocals produced by Sherri Garrett, John Newman
He's Out There
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Learn to play this song! Guitar and Bass Tabs now downloadable (pdf format requires adobe acrobat reader)
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This song is a lot of fun. But is has a deeper underlying message about respect and about the priesthood.
But it's still just a fun tune.
He’s Out There
I know a boy
He's kept it clean all of his life
He's saving it up for his wife
'Cause he knows what's right
I know a boy
He doesn't have to be mean or bad
He learned it by watching his dad
Treat his mama right
Chorus:
And the girls say
Where have the good ones gone?
They're out there
They're out there
They're out there
And they're not that hard to find
I know a boy
He likes the girls sweet and pure
Who don't have to dress to allure
They let their own lights shine
I know a boy
Just trying to keep it real
His promise is his deal
And that's his bottom line
Chorus
And you've heard all the names they call him
'Cause he walks a narrow way
He's out there
He's out there
He's out there
He's way way out there
etc... etc...
- Written and performed by Mark Hansen
- Produced by Mark Hansen and John Newman
- Drums by Steve Hill
- Backing vocals by Sherri Garrett, Jodi Hansen, John Newman
- Recorded by Mark Hansen, Ron Hill, and John Newman
- Vocals produced by Sherri Garrett, John Newman
- Special thanks to Heather and Eddie Gist
The Taker
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This song started out as one of those kinds of songs where the writer projects him/herself into someone else. The writer imagines that he/she is another person to try and get into their heads and hearts. I imagined that I was someone that had left the church, and then struggled to return to full fellowship.
But these kinds of songs have a really funny way of becoming more autobiographical than the writer intends. It's funny how imagining you're someone else can get you closer to yourself.
And closer to the Savior.
The Taker
By Mark Hansen
I had heard his simple voice
When I was just a child
Like angels brought it down to me
It filled me, warm and mild
But I had to find my own way
In living hard and wild
Through my selfish struggles
I didn’t know all the while, that…
Chorus:
I was the taker
He was the giver
I, the forsaker
He, the forgiver
He wore the thorns
And I was the sliver
He was the dyer
That let me live again
I ran through my life alone
I thought I’d take what I could get
I was heading for a wall
But it hadn’t hit me yet
I left behind a trail of friends
Bleeding on the street
Until my eyes were open
Wide enough to see, that…
Chorus
Bridge:
I wish that life were perfect now
That I have found His way
Coming back is hard somehow
But I am home to stay
I am the taker
He is the giver
I, the forsaker
He, the forgiver
He wore the thorns
And I am the sliver
He is the dyer
So that I can live again
- Written, produced and performed by Mark Hansen
- Special thanks to Steven Stewart
