The New Jerusalem

The songs here are the first ones of mine recorded professionally by my son, Daniel, backed by my kids and friends.  I thought I would never love another album so much.  Is that wrong of me?  Well, turns out I was wrong again.  I love my new cd every bit as much as this one, but no more:)


13 You Are My True Shepherd

05 Lord We Bring Our Gifts And Treasures

I know God wove my body in my mother's womb.  God is a weaver.  God is a mother as well as a father.  We needn't be afraid of that.  There are lots of Scriptures that describe God in motherly terms.  As a child, I personally like having a Father and a Mother, even if they are both in the same Being.  Some things are deep and mysterious.

10 It Was You 1

My Teeth Are Shining 10.8

I think I wrote this to Marian, but at the time, I just wrote it.  Now that I am 72 and can look back, I am sure it is about us.

It's For You, Darlin' 2

The whole earth worships and appreciates the Creator at all times.  At Christmas time, even people join them :)

03 All The Earth

I love Christmas time.  It gives us an open window into the real world of love and joy and peace.

02 Comfort Ye My People - Lenny Smith 1

Yes, we can fix that broken relationship.  Christmas gives us a good excuse to try.

11 Oh Boy It's Christmas - Lenny Smith

Christmas is a wonderful time for lovesongs. 

02. Finally, It's Christmas Eve - Lenny Smith

Joshua's birth.  In the West, we call him "Jesus."  Conceived and developed in a woman's womb.  Wow!  Wonderful and frightening and mysterious.  Women are the greatest!  They mostly don't even know it.  Men have failed to tell them this truth.  In fact, men have often told them the big lie:  that men are the greatest!  All the front rows in heaven are filled with women.  Possibly a couple of disciples and Moses and Elijah are there too....but I doubt it :)

02 For There Is Born A Child - Lenny Smith

The Magnetism Of Your Love

We have to stop waiting for all the things we already have access to now.  It is NOT "Now and not yet."  It is "Now and Here!"  It may be we have to reach through a veil of some kind, but I say "Just reach through."

Kingdom Of God Song

I was born in 1942 in South Philly at the Naval Hospital.  My dad was a career military man in the U.S. Marine Corps.  He fought in the Pacific.  We moved from base to base most of my childhood.  I even had my own little Marine uniform, of which I was very proud.  We lived in Virginia, Barstow, California, North Carolina, Guam and South Jersey.  We finally settled in South Jersey and I spent all four years in the same high school.  In 1960, I left behind my girlfriend and went into the seminary to study for the Catholic priesthood.  I received my B.A. in Classical Philosophy and pursued my masters in English Literature at Villanova and my masters in theology at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.  I did not finish either.

I taught high school English, Latin, and Religion for the next few years, married the lovely Marian and we had our five wonderful children.  We worked, played ball, camped a lot, and did ballet and church for years.  I played guitar and sang my songs at church and at home with the family.  Marian and I both loved having the kids.  They eventually became known as the Danielson Famile.  

I did carpentry for about 30 years.  As the kids grew up they all worked with me and learned quite a bit about building.  We had so much fun working together.  Daniel started recording himself and others and eventually recorded me singing some of my songs on my album, "Deep Calls To Deep," which I love.  I now have about 180 songs.  I started writing songs in the late 60's for the folk masses we were introducing at the seminary.  I only have one hit, "Our God Reigns," but I AM not dead yet!  If I live to be 95, that will give me plenty of time for more hits.

Now that I am 70, my perspective on life has changed quite a bit.  I no longer care about being famous or extremely wealthy or successful or saving the world, although they are fine with me.  The thing I AM most happy about is that Marian and I are close and communicating well and the kids have married very well indeed.  This whole grand children thing is really quite a trip!  I think maybe happiness can happen after all, even here.

I'm not doing carpentry any more.  I've been trying to place tracks from artist friends in movies, tv, and ads and am having success.  This is fun, but not as satisfying as building things.

Since I will be around until about 2038, the plan is to release a new album about every 2-3 years.  This way, I will get most of my better songs out there.  After I die, I will probably be "discovered" and my songs will be covered and used even more than Dylan's...but we'll have to wait for all that.  Right now I have to stop and go take the trash out.  

- Lenny Smith

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