First attempt at doing something that was:
A. No singing
B. Something more complicated than strumming

Still needs some work, but it's getting there for a first attempt.  I'll add parts for the kids if they are interested later.  Hannah is playing the bass ukulele (ubass)and I'm on a low-G ukulele.

Fairest Lord Jesus

This is the first song I wrote in August 2012.  It is recorded on my phone early one morning after I woke up with it in my head and had to write it down.  It was a real challenge to play it and sing it at the same time.

G                   C                                                                                                                                                                                     
When I was younger, I had a hunger, up to heaven was my goal
G             Am                                                                        
I did my best, be like the rest, so I wouldn’t end up below
G          F                                                                        
Not to hard, watch my guard, I would make it all the way
                                               Dm                     D                G                                                                        
Say my prayers, comb my hair, and go to church on Saturday

As I grew older, my to-do folder, wasn’t getting very slim
I wondered why, when I would try, I kept ending back in sin
All by myself, nobody’s help, I would make it all alright
My perfect plan, relied on man, and I always lost the fight

----CHORUS----
One step away, from the man I want to be
One step away, more of You and less of me
One step away, why’s the truth so hard to see?
That I keep on trying, when I should be dying
What I’ve needed all along was one step away
---------------------

Like the rich ruler, I was fooled in, to thinking it was me
That could change, and rearrange, like pruning some old tree
I prayed that God, would do His job, so I could conquer sin
I failed to see, that only He, could change me from within

It wasn’t me, that could be, the one to make that change
It was Him, moving in, and cutting lose my chains
My only part, on my heart, was to open up the door
To empty me, and fill with He, and to live for something more

Chorus

What’s the moral, of this story, well I’m sure you want to know
Need to look, in the good book, yes the Bible told me so
We will see, we can’t be, that perfect person in our head
Till we confide, let Him reside, and then we’ll be like Christ instead

When He stole, into our soul, and we gave Him control
That’s the plan, for sinful man, which will finally make him whole
We will see, victories, we ask for when we pray
Aren’t as tough, when you give up, and just get out of the way

Chorus x2


One Step Away - Full Song

Unlike all my other songs that were just me and my ukulele recorded on my phone, this one was recorded with nice equipment my my friend Solie Swan.  Matt helped out by adding a bass track and you'll pick up some mistakes because he had never played it before.  Amazing how quickly he picked it up!  My sister Saira Henry is a fantastic singer and sang along with me which helped hide the fact that I was singing at all.  The song was new to her too and she made very few mistakes.  We planned to record it again and add guitar and drums and clean it up more, but it's WAY better quality and much fuller with the bass and good vocals!  Maybe someday.

G                                             C
When you think you can’t make it
G                          F
Ask the Lord to take it
G                               C
No He’ll never forsake it
F                                        G
Jesus hears your every plea
G                                       C
And your mountains may crumble
G                              F
And your walk may stumble
G                                           C
You know he’ll never let you tumble
F                                     G
Jesus hears your every plea
D                                  F             C
God has the power, to take it all away

Bb                                                F       F7
When the waves of life crash over you
Bb                                                F       F7
And your lifeline seems so thin
Bb                                                F       Dm
Just remember what you need to do
Gm7                                         C
There is no power from within
Gm7                                         C   D
So keep reaching out to him                                

G                                             C
He loves you more than your mother
G                                  F
And He’s closer than a brother
G                                  C
Before Him there is no other
F                                    G
Jesus hears your every plea
G                                   C
When the world’s gone crazy
G                                F
And your path seems hazy
G                                    C
He says, “Just stop and praise me”
F                                        G
Jesus hears your every plea
F                                        G
Jesus hears your every plea
F                                        C
Jesus hears your every plea



Every Plea - Full Song

A new song I'm working on, chorus only.  

Recorded on my phone, played on my Mele Low-G ukulele.

A                  D                          G                    A
Turn to you, turn to You, in the good times or bad
A                  D                          G            A 
Turn to you, turn to You, if I’m happy or sad
A                                           D
If this world has brought me low
          G                      D                  
Or my blessings overflow
    D                     G                    A
In all things I will always turn to You

Turn to You - Chorus Only

Here's a song I've started for me to sing with my daughter Brooke.  It's only the chorus right now, but as I flesh it out I hope to write it in a way that it will be both about father/daughter and heavenly Father/His children.  How He only want's us to obey His laws because it is what's best for us, and we obey because we love Him.  

Recorded on my phone, played on my Mele Low-G ukulele.

         F                      G                   C                        Am
Your daddy’s love is true, and the things I ask from you
      Dm                          G                            C        C7
Are things I know in the end, will make you happy
              F                       G                 C                 Am
And you know I love you too, so I will try to do for you
      Dm                                G                    C       
The things that come down from a fathers love


Daddy's Love - Chorus Only

God was driving this idea home to me, and I needed to put it down.  I know I can be hard to hear, so you'll want to read the words while you listen.  I also included the chords in case you wanted to try and do something with it.  If you take the time to listen to this, take the time to let those in your life know what they mean to you too.  

Recorded on my phone, played on my Mele Low-G ukulele.

D                        Am                         
Your life is made
Em7                                 D
Not by what you are paid
           Em7             C                 D
But by people, that richen, your life

D                        Am                         
When they leave
Em7               D
You will grieve
       Em7               C                D
The loss, leaves a hole, like a knife

D             Am                         Em7        D
You don’t know, what you’ve got till it’s gone
D                    Am                 Em7       D
You think you do, but you’re probably wrong
D       Am                  Em7          D
Don’t wait, till you’ve waited too long
     Em7                     C                   D
To find out what you had when it’s gone
     Em7                     C                   D
To find out what you had when it’s gone

D                        Am                         
You can’t address
Em7                                 D
Chances to express
               Em7            C                                 D
That you didn’t, didn’t take, when they were here

D                    Am                         
So listen to up
Em7                        D
Avoid, the bitter cup
                Em7                         C                             D
Pull them close, who you love most, when they’ve near

D             Am                         Em7        D
You don’t know, what you’ve got till it’s gone
D                    Am                 Em7       D
You think you do, but you’re probably wrong
D       Am                  Em7          D
Don’t wait, till you’ve waited too long
     Em7                     C                   D
To find out what you had when it’s gone
     Em7                     C                   D
To find out what you had when it’s gone

When It's Gone - Full Song

Not a very good recording, and I was going horse from singing.  It's the story of Ruth and I tried to include many details so it would really tell the story.  

Recorded on my phone, played on my Mele Low-G ukulele.

G                    D                C                      G
Bethlehem to Moab, they made their new home
D                                  C           D   G 
10 years later, and the girls are alone
G        D                          C                    G
Naomi told them both, to leave her and go
      C                        D                  G  C  G
But Ruth told her, to say it wasn’t so

-----CHORUS-----
G              D          C              G
Wherever you go, I’ll go with you
D                             C                D  G
However you lead, that’s what I’ll do
G             D              C                 G
And your God, will be my God too
D                                  C          D        G
Ruth told Naomi, and she followed through
------------------------

G       D                          C                         G
Ruth worked the fields, said she wouldn’t mind
D                                  C                D    G 
Boaz spotted her, and showed he was kind
G        D                                C            G
Naomi sent her out, it would all be all right
            C                        D                     G  C  G
So she went to him, for help late in the night

Chorus

G      D                                    C                   G
Boaz knew that Ruth, always did what was right
D                                  C             D   G 
So he went to town, to make her his wife
G              D                      C                  G
Then they married, had a son that was strong
        C                               D                      G  C  G
And Naomi cried, as she took him in her arms

Chorus

G                      D              C               G
That little baby boy, grew up to be a man
D                                             C      D       G 
And we can see today, it was all in God’s plan
G              D                   C                       G
From that blessed boy, we were saved from our fall
         C                          D                 G  C  G
From him came Jesus, savior for us all

Chorus


Ruth - Full Song

At the age of 40 I was on a job in the Philippines in the winter of 2011 and picked up a ukulele for $20.  I couldn't put it down and have been playing it ever since.  I started playing with the church band and then wrote my first song in the fall of 2012.  A second followed and many more are waiting for their chance to get out.  I do not claim to be a musician, a song writer, or even a decent singer.  This is about my love of music and writing songs for God and I only hope that you get some of the joy listening to my music as I get playing it.

So far, everything has been recorded from my phone except Every Plea which a friend helped me record and I had my sister helping on vocals.

Chuck Henry, Ukulele