https://open.spotify.com/track/3dPaPD819h1OuFm9C5Goga?si=YXojaSYFSQSYE7lS3uG05A&utm_source=copy-link&nd=1
http://www.continental-collision.com
https://continentalcollision.bandcamp.com/track/the-route-to-tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMiidrWf6sM&list=OLAK5uy_mC-35nmJO3s19Cjj5Aet7UP0XGkLu3ido
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2moo0YwEYPM

Music, piano, bass, guitar solo and programming drums & synths: Rodolfo Planes (@rplanes)
Lead & backing vocals & lyrics: Mark J. Bennett
Backing vocals: Cecilia Mastropasqua: @cemastro
Rhythm guitar: Gonzalo J. Ares: @gonzalo-julian-ares

Featuring backing vocals by Cintia Galeano 

Image (view of Edinburgh from Gullane, Scotland): Courtesy of Douglas Corrance

This was my third collaborative song with Rodolfo, which we started in 2020. The original instrumental piece he gave me sounded like determined optimism and at that particular moment the pandemic made its way into anything I wrote although the beauty of the song is that anyone can bring their own interpretation to its meaning. Its original title was ‘Camino a Mañana’, that I translated as ‘The Route To Tomorrow’ - I guess I liked the alliteration - even though it was a bit of a tongue twister to sing.

I instantly loved the rhythmic punch of this track and recognised early on that it would require a punchy lyric and vocal. Initially I sung the harmony vocals that Rodolfo devised, but as we later developed into the band ‘Continental Collision’ it made sense to draw on all of the talent available in Ce and Gonza, and here introducing Cintia Galeano. Huge thanks to my wonderfully gifted collaborators, you helped make this song shine. I was stunned (as always) by Rodolfo’s attention to detail, his glorious guitar solos and particularly the drumming throughout. Although I might not add to the instrumentation personally, Rodolfo always encourages me to give him feedback. I am particularly fond of this collaboration and each time we work together I learn so much more. Hope you enjoy it too and many thanks for listening. 

Finding the way,
To get through night and day,
Is just too much.
Making your way
Once more through the fray,
Without losing touch,
Is too much,
For me, yeah.

Waiting in line, 
With no hint of a sign,
Is just too much.
Pretending I’m fine 
Knowing that you’re not mine,
It’s too, it’s just too much,
For me,
All of the time.

This is the route to tomorrow,
Beg, steal or borrow,
To getting through to the other side of all this sorrow.
This is the route to tomorrow,
That I have to follow,
To make it through to the other side of all this sorrow.

I’ll be OK, 
Whatever they say,
I can take it.
Know I can’t stay,
Gotta get me away
From here.
Before it gets too much for me, here.

I can survive,    
I might even just thrive.
If I make it.
I’m still alive,
Watch me as I arrive,
At the other side of all this pain and sorrow  

This is the route to tomorrow,
Beg, steal or borrow,
To getting through to the other side of all this sorrow.
This is the route to tomorrow,
That I have to follow,
To make it through to the other side of all this sorrow.

The Route To Tomorrow - Continental Collision (featuring Cintia Galeano)- Now on Spotify!

My latest release is called Garden: Here is a Youtube link to the song: youtu.be/xSZLcTXWsec

Garden
By David Husted

V1
Never living; feel the knock of the branch
Crack the window of a heart in despair
Happiness on deferred payment plans 
Future occurrence, might inherit

Say it's a habit just
mental acrobatics just
Flip your world around and be

Happiness just because, period
Not happiness that always needs a 

Ch
"Because of" …….
"Happiness" …….

V2
Love

Plant the garden and the weeds still come up
Life's not easy  but you've got to respond 
fill it up throw that bucket of dung
Soak the ground and hope some seeds will come up

Open up slowly
And crowd out the lowly mess of 
Thoughts in my head I conceive  

Happiness just because, period
Not happiness that always needs a 

"Because of" …….
"Happiness" …….

Bridge
There a real fine line between death and fear
What's your working definition of ….absurdity
Two steps forward and one step back
It can feel like our whole world might be under attack

What you lack, like an axe coming down
Juggernaut, endless wheel round n round
Figure out, 
Make It Stop
Loosen Up


Instrumental

Ch and Outro

"Because of" ……
"Happiness, Happiness Now
"Happiness, Happiness, Happiness Now

Garden

Happiness Headquarters

This is a song inspired by current events not about a current war but all wars ..the only way for the human race to survive is to try and live in peace and harmony and respect all living creatures..
lyrics
I dont want to live in a world like this
everyday on the outside getting hard to exist
running out of fuel ..they keep raising the prices
theres a war down in europe and i know we are in crisis
we need a solution/to put an end to all wars 
dont need these dictators or what they are fighting for
telling you and the others/how to live your lifes
all there dirty agenders on the edge of a knife

What if your country changed and lost its peace took center stage
and all the guns and arms were gone to love you all and sing some songs
WHAT IF ? there was no police and protests to take belief
surrender all ye fellow men lay down your arms and start again
dont let the weight of this world
rest on your fate or what you been sold

I dont want to see all this pointless suffering
dropping bombs and killing and nobodys gonna win
tell all the people its for freedom of the land
and the media machines are there to take your hands
Dont need these intruders/invasion of the skys
guns and blood and tears now /open up your eyes 
no care for environment. no fear takes the blame
all for gas and religion we dont think the same 

live together in harmony rest together in peace
respect every living creature try and find a release
lay down your arms my friend what you fighting for
theres no winners on the edge of abyss of a stupid war
written and produced by Jim Manser 2022
support AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL UK and help people who are victims of war

What if

What If ?

℗ © Copyright Ian Stokes. All Rights Reserved
Recorded and mixed using Logic. Mastered in Soundcloud
Guitar played: Taylor 714CE in standard tuning (all tuned down 3 semitones)
Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.
LYRICS:
Wake up wake up
The day is going by
The sun may not be here for too long
Wake up wake up
Pull back those blinds
Who knows what will be before the day is gone 

Sun comes up 
Sun goes down
And the years go drifting by
Sun comes up
Sun goes down
One day at a time 

Wake up wake up
A train is coming in
It won’t be long before that whistle blows
Wake up wake up
Stay or get on board
There’s only so much time 
Before it goes

Sun comes up 
Sun goes down
And the years go drifting by
Sun comes up
Sun goes down
One day at a time

Mmmm mmmm ……………….
Sun comes up … Sun goes down
Sun comes up … Sun goes down 
Mmmm mmmm ………………

One Day at a Time

One Day At A Time

℗ © Copyright Ian Stokes. All Rights Reserved
Recorded and mixed using Logic. Mastered in Soundcloud
Guitar played: Taylor 714CE tuned B F♯ B E G♯ B
Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.
LYRICS:
In the cool of the Arizona morning
There are no words to say
The sun lights up
The eastern sky
At the dawn…….
Of a brand new day

The tumbleweed is turning
Looking to put down some roots
Maybe it’s just my calling
To have dust ……
All over my boots 

I don’t see all there is to see
I don’t hear all there is to hear
There’s light and there’s shade and something in-between
And the distance …………drawing near

I’ve got dust all over my boots
I’ve got dust all over my boots
I’ve got dust all over my boots
I’ve got dust  …………. all over my boots

The slow and steady beat
Of these hooves upon the ground
Horse and rider as one
And at peace ………
With that sound

I don’t see all there is to see
I don’t hear all there is to hear
There’s light and there’s shade and something in-between
And the distance …………drawing near 

I’ve got dust all over my boots
I’ve got dust all over my boots
I’ve got dust all over my boots
I’ve got dust  …………. all over my boots

Dust All Over My Boots

life is a journey and music is my soundtrack to it ,i wrote this song traveling around south Portugal at the start of summer 2022 and at the tail end of a 2 year pandemic when travel was no longer possible or an option ..
I hope i have captured some of the energy and sights and sounds of this trip and found signs of life 
written and produced by Jim Manser 2022 
watch the music video for signs of life on
https://youtu.be/XiVUx5EZUOY

signs of life

signs of life video

Signs Of Life [watch the music video on you-tube]

℗ © Copyright Ian Stokes. All Rights Reserved
Recorded and mixed using Logic. Mastered in Soundcloud
Guitars played: Morris Nylon String in standard tuning
Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.
I thought it was time to start writing and recording some new songs, with a view to putting together a new solo album over the winter. For this song I have returned to my nylon string Morris guitar. Hope you like it!
LYRICS:
Sitting…. In my rocking chair
Rollin…….. with the beat
Pickin …..out a tune
Keeping time… tapping my feet

Maybe I’m getting old 
Maybe I’m getting slow 
Maybe things don’t seem like they used to do
Maybe, maybe not…. I don’t know 

Sitting….. in my rocking chair 
Close my eyes and see
All the places I have been
Just rollin … with the beat

Maybe I’m getting old 
Maybe I’m getting slow 
Maybe things don’t seem like they used to do
Maybe, maybe not…. I don’t know

My Rocking Chair

This is a story song. I called the two characters Max and Lilly for ease of reference when I was writing it. Best with headphones! 
V1- The smutty comment by Max is an old phrase some retired soldiers used to use in a depot I worked at in the late 1980’s. It made me laugh as a young man so thought I’d use it now. 
V2- my grandparents lived in a village near Stonehenge and I was also born there. Always wanted to include it in a song. 
Lilly’s dream is a recurrent day dream I used to have as a kid in the back of the car on family trips to the West Country. I always imagined the spirits of Ancient Britons watching the cars and the modern world and warning us about change…as you do!! Their world was rocked by the Roman invasion so they would know a lot about change!
V3 - I’m that age where we are losing friends and family. The hospital scene is something I’ve seen a lot of recently and so put Lilly into that setting. 
Hope you enjoy the song. 
James

Lyrics- It was like that then

Her shin had started bleeding, it wasn’t deep but really hurt
She’d tripped on his old cricket bat, his socks and dirty shirt
He was laughing from the bedclothes saying “don’t drip blood on my bed”
He was drinking in her nakedness and said ‘the hungry must be fed!’
She hopped across the bedroom, laughing as she fell
Into his arms and gently kissed him, and soon she could tell
Than another Sunday morning would be spent there in their bed
Loving without end, it was like that then

Jackdaws chatted in sunshine as they walked towards the stones
They saw some tourists in the distance, but in the field they were alone
They laid a blanket by a hedgerow, and lay there holding hands
Listening to the insects, they drank some wine and made their plans
And Air Force jets flew overhead, as she gently held him tight
And they stayed there undetected as the day turned into night
And a barn owl left its hiding place and swooped down on its prey
Loving without end, it was like that then

And she sensed the magic seep
From sarsen stones as sleep wrapped itself around her in the night
And she dreamt she saw a chariot, with warriors, swords and shields
Saying
“Live life to the full, grasp it hard, yes hold it tight
Savour and devour it, because nothing ever lasts
Don’t take things for granted, change comes hard and fast
Remember how it was, remember how it was”

She lay still in the bed, and looked out of the window,
It was too warm in the ward, she watched the falling sleet and snow
The kids had sent a card and it was on the bed beside her
She looked down at herself, at the gown, the tubes and cannula
She thought about the hard years, the arguments and debts
The everyday monotony, the things they said and should forget
And he woke up in the chair, and knew that he was losing her
Now and then, loving without end

“Don’t take things for granted, change comes hard and fast
Remember how it was, remember how it was”

(Loving) Loving without end, it was like that then
(Loving) loving without end, it was like that then
(Build a foundation), loving without end, it was like that then
(Build a foundation) loving without end, it was like that then

James Whiteman, Copyright 2021/22

It was like that then

additional cello Barbara Browning

T’AS CASSÉ TA POUPÉE ALORS    
TA POUPÉE S’EST CASSÉE

TE REVOILÀ SEUL MAÎTRE À BORD
CORPS ET CŒUR FRACASSÉS 

T’AS VOULU RECOLLER LES MOR
CEAUX ET TOUT RAPIÉCER

MAIS L’AMOUR QUAND C’EST MORT C’EST MORT
QUAND C’EST CASSÉ CASSÉ

T’AS CASSÉ TA  POUPÉE ALORS           
TA POUPÉE S’EST CASSÉE

TE REVOILÀ SEUL MERDE ALORS
MAIS QU’EST-CE QUI S’EST PASSÉ

T’AS CASSÉ TA POUPÉE ALORS
TA POUPÉE T’A CASSÉ.

POUPÉE CASSÉE (Lyrics)

It's a one shot dearly precious thing
To be alive.


So glad to be here
Whole and sound
So glad I can be
Still around

I don't need your church or creed
To get me by
I don't need no alcohol or pills
To get me high

I don't need to fight with you
I don't need a gun
I'm doing what I was born to do
I'm having fun

I'm high on life

I don't need negativity
Don't drag me down
I'm the king of my own life
Don't steal my crown

Eyes wide open,high on life
That's when I thrive
It's a one shot dearly precious thing
To be alive

So glad to be here
Whole and sound
So glad I can be
Still around

I'm high on life

High On Life

Innoncent when you dream

Welcome to 2024 and thank you for visiting my Soundcloud page. 
It's great to connect with so many talented musicians here on Soundcloud! On this page you'll find my original songs (including 4 albums) and acoustic guitar instrumentals (including 2 EP's), together with various notes about guitars played, tunings, recording etc.

I am in the process of writing my fifth album which I hope to record at some stage during the year..

Musical influences for me have been many and varied including for example Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Mark Knopfler, BB King, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Fairport Convention, Paul Simon,  JJ Cale, Eric Clapton, Colin Hay and John Mayer.

Hope you enjoy listening to my music.

Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.