Okay

If I hide a lonely frown 
And I’m looking down upon the ground 
I’ll sigh at nature’s gown 
Gathered all around in green and brown 
No tears while I’m walking here 
It all comes clear 
Dissolves the fear 

And hey, will you come this way?
‘Neath the trees that sway 
And the high birds play 
Where the green fields lay 
Walk around the bay 
On this sunny day it’s safe to say 
I feel okay 

The sun is shining through 
Those leaves of rose 
And the blue sky glows 
I let my warm eyes close 
And the river flows while I compose 
And oh, my troubles go
No cold wind blows 
Let this feeling grow 

And hey, will you come this way?
‘Neath the trees that sway 
And the high birds play 
Where the green fields lay 
Walk around the bay 
On this sunny day it’s safe to say 
I feel okay 

December 2022

OKAY!

So Loved

So loved, so adored
So much grief, out it pours
So must I soldier on 
It’s so much harder now you’re gone
You must have known this from the start 
When you resided in my heart 
Where just a smile, just a touch 
Would cost so little, mean so much 

So alone since your sojourn’s done 
Solitude is all I’ve known 
So what now? My soul is bared
My soles are worn through running scared 
What made you special, made you shine 
Made you for all, made you mine 
Made you holy, made you royal
Has all dissolved into the soil 

In the end you played your part 
The Empress of my head
The Queen of my heart
You came like an angel 
You came like a dove 
And you’re so adored 
And so loved 

So I’m here to consolidate 
My Solemn vow, though it seems too late 
So I end this soliloquy 
Soaked in tears that wash over me 
In the light of the setting sun
Your shadow touches everyone 
But it’s not enough for me to hold 
You were my world, now the world’s revolved

In the end you played your part 
The Empress of my head
The Queen of my heart
You came like an angel 
You came like a dove 
And you’re so adored 
And so loved 

Of everyone I’ve ever met 
You gave so much 
I’m forever in debt 
And though you’re gone 
I can’t shut the door 
‘Cause you’re so loved 
And so adored 
In the wake of loving you 
I’ll always remember
The things that we’d do 
Yes you came like an angel 
Down from above 
And you’re so adored 
And so loved 

January 2022

So Loved

She Loves the Rain

Oh she loves the rain 
She stands in bare feet 
How she loves the rain 
She runs into the street 
Let it soak her
That heavy downpour 
It’s no joke 
It’s what she’s renown for 

She doesn’t like humidity 
She prefers to keep cool 
Feel the raindrops on her skin 
She doesn’t need validity 
To jump in the pools
Where the water’s gathering 

I love her in the rain 
That wettens her hair 
As showers fall again 
I’ll follow her there 
Of all the raindrops 
I know which I’d be 
One billion raindrops 
Those ones are lucky 

That splash upon her hands 
And onto her cheek 
The ones she catches on her tongue 
Not the ones that quench the land 
Nor fill up the creek 
Nor make rainbows with the sun

Of all the raindrops that must have fallen 
In darkening blooms on paving stones 
Or pointlessly into the ocean deep 
Or dripping from the eyelashes 
Of rain lashed North Sea fishermen 
Or hiding lonely tears when someone weeps 

Or swished by windscreen wipers 
From cars speeding towards maternity wards 
Or bouncing down from leaf to heavy leaf 
Or running in silver rivers 
Down umbrellas held over elderly lovers 
When they kiss as if they’re teenagers beneath 

What I’d be is those
That fall down upon her feet 

Oh she loves the rain 

August 2022

She Loves the Rain

Time and Tide

Time and tide they wait for no-one
You feel it when you’re melancholy 
Oh so down and blue 
So don’t fill your cup with sorrow 
And lace it with bad news 
Open up your eyes 
See the brand new skies 
Stretching overhead 

Lips that touched the brim of knowing 
What is good and felt it glowing 
But never took a drop 
You’re wanting something better 
And hope it comes along 
Remember time’s not tide 
Once it’s offered you a ride 
Won’t come this way again

It’s difficult to make predictions 
Based on what you think is true
Uncertainty prevails 
Everybody feels like this
Each moment is a precipice
So step up to the edge
And when you take that stride
Spread your wings and glide 
Let loose all the threads 

It’s difficult to make predictions 
Based on what you think is true
Uncertainty prevails 
Everybody feels like this
Each moment is a precipice
So step up to the edge
Remember time’s not tide 
Once it’s offered you a ride 
Won’t come this way again

When the moon pulls on the ocean 
And makes you feel so melancholy 
Oh so down and blue 
Don’t fill your cup with sorrow 
Nor lace it with bad news
Open up your eyes 
See the brand new skies 
Stretching overhead 
Reach for them instead.

Time and Tide

Three Perfect Endings

The sun had set
A reddened glow across the sky 
The evening star was beckoning 
Drawing into the night 
So quiet and still 
No breath of wind, no breath at all
A soundless world 
We’re watching as the sun goes down 
Beyond the lake and trees so tall 
Why can’t this just go on and on
The moment will not wait for us too long 

But when it’s here 
Really here 
So close, so clear 
You feel If you could hold it now 
If it would stop somehow 
It would be the perfect end 

Together when the crowd had gone 
Looking down to the street 
Where traffic passed 
As grains of sand through an hourglass 
Feel the softness of a hand
Pressed in mine
Holding tight 
Something said without a word 
Just a touch beneath the light
Of street lamps and the moon 
Too soon, the moment is just passing 
Through the room

But when it’s here 
Really here 
So close, so clear 
You feel If you could hold it now 
If it would stop somehow 
It would be the perfect end 

Flying over a diamond sea 
Beneath me a million stars 
Flash off and on 
As they rise and fall
To greet me 
A light like nothing else I’ve seen 
A midnight sun and shadows long
Are waiting there to lead me in 
To a place where I could belong 
Just don’t wait too long 
Too long
The moment is a spark and then it’s gone 

But when it’s here 
Really here 
So close, so clear 
You feel If you could hold it now 
If it would stop somehow 
It would be the perfect end

Three Perfect Endings

Brilliant Blue Star

It was cold, so cold
The coldest time of year 
We crossed the tree line 
To reach here 
From scorching sands
To frozen wastelands
We who once were kings 
Now on our knees 

From our endless observations
And the charts we drew 
We knew the journey would be long 
And while we left our far off kingdoms 
To pursue the signs we saw
The brilliant blue star shone

Our departure had been a great affair of state
We took diamonds and emeralds 
To pay our way 
Through neighbouring countries 
Hostile to our needs 
We traded with them in gold and slaves

From the fertile river deltas 
To the barren desert plains 
We travelled westward on
To the mountains that we climbed 
And the canyons that we crossed 
The brilliant blue star shone

As exhaustion claimed us
Our numbers dwindled fast
The strength of those remaining 
Could not last 
Our riches stolen when we, too weak to fight 
Had sheltered from a sandstorm overnight 

We were alchemists, astrologers 
Astronomers and kings
Men of highest breeding 
But now our wills are all but broken 
And we fall to the ground 

It was cold, so cold 
The coldest time of year 
We crossed the tree line 
To reach here 
From scorching sands 
To frozen wastelands 
We who once were kings now on our knees 
It was cold, so cold 
For a journey such as this 
The brilliant blue star showed us this 

He was sleeping when we offered him our gifts

Brilliant Blue Star

I started writing songs nearly 40 years ago when I joined a band with my friends in my teens and it’s something that still gives me pleasure.  In that time I’ve filled a few exercise books with songs (of varying quality it has to be said!) and now I enjoy going through them and choosing my favourite ones to record.  All my songs have been recorded very simply, just using GarageBand on my iPad with my guitar and voice and a cheap microphone.  Some of them are new and some were written many years ago, the older ones I’ve labelled Robin Solemn and new ones Joe DeVivre to reflect a change in circumstances.  I’ve recently returned to Soundcloud after a bit of a break following a period of poor health, but I’m much better now and excited to get creating again and looking forward to listening to the wonderful new music by the talented artists on here.  P.S.  They always sound better through headphones.

Chris Houghton-Wallace

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