Songs about living (and dying), about how to live a better life in a world in distress, about how to rely less on physical trappings. 

Inspirational Songs Playlist

A lost love and a man wandering through an old mansion with metaphoric dust and ashes of his relationship. A sad but beautiful song with a great video on YouTube

Dust & Ashes

Aging musician has had enough of being on the road, so heads home for his love. Upbeat pop country tune.

Back In Baby's Arms

Back in Baby's Arms

Man believes love lasts, finds out not so much...wants her back.

Please Come Home

The man was a runaround until he met a girl he loved, then he settled down. A bit later he notices she's not as interested in him as she once was, so now he's downtrodden and laments his former ways...and now hers.

Wrong Wrong, So Wrong

Wrong, So Wrong

The story of lost love per the traditional of blues

Since You Were Mine

There are many ways to view dying; this song takes an unselfish perspective that some may find not only comforting but also inspirational. It's a great choice for gatherings when a loved one dies.  Following are the complete lyrics

WHEN I DIE
When I die, take me away, where people laugh & children play.
Life has flown, the body’s cold, but you can see my story’s told.

(Chorus…)

Life has choices, which to choose, hard to win, easy to lose
Enough to leave a life lived well, no heaven dreams or fears of hell.
No harm to person, beast, or earth, therein lays a person’s worth

	(Chorus…)

Love me most by lending hands, by touching hearts and taking stands
Give them what you’d give to me and know my spirit’s warm and free
Spread my ashes on meadow ground & in a place with water sounds

All life ends in shadows deep but when I die don’t cry for me … oh, no…
And when you’re down and lonely, there is no one and only
My love’s as strong as ever be, but new love is my wish for thee. 	  

Despair tears purpose from the soul, joy instead should make tears flow
Keep my memory in your heart, a warm embrace and never dark.
Our love lives on, it never dies, the spark of light that’s in your eyes
 


When I Die

Touching song about a man anticipating a night with his love

The Sound of Night

A song to play for someone you love. She, or he, will love you for it. 

Glad I Met You

Man loves woman but she is with another man who is a jerk who treats her badly. So the man who has loved her forever tries to woo her away. Nice melody hook and video on YouTube.

Right Kind of Woman, Wrong Kind of Man

Sad man tired of modern-day humdrum meets Mexican girl while on vaca, has torrid romance then has to return to his old life. Years later, he still pines for the love lost. 

Cecelia

The song is about a man proclaiming his love for his woman. Play it for your woman; she will love it, like he loves you. 

In the Still of the Night

This guitar based hard blues song details the life of a big rig driver as he's heading home to his love. As the song notes, "if you bought it, a trucker brought it, some thanks would be nice." If you know a trucker send them a link; they'll understand what this song means. 

Big Rig Blues

This song addresses social, economic, and environment injustices around the world, focusing primarily on how the ultra-rich keep taking and resenting any suggestion that they should give more. This is a social protest song written and produced in a moody blues style.

It's a Crazy World

If you're a fan of 1960s surf songs and movies, this song will bring back memories. It's Frankie and Annette material that will get your feet moving forward and your mind moving back in time...not always a bad thing. It's about a guy in love with a girl and he doesn't mind being out of his mind in his asylum for two. New surf music from the '60s now in the 21st century.

Surfin' Asylum for Two

This is a classic fantasy love story ala beauty and beast where the lion falls for the young beautiful maiden but she have to leave. Left alone, his life spirit fails so a snow white dove carries a message to the maiden relaying the power of his love. He begs her to return before he dies....a sad but beautiful song with the ending left to the listener... I wrote this song many years ago when my love left "to the east" so I sent it to tell her I wanted her to return ASAP. Spoiler: she did! I hope you enjoy it, it's borne from heartfelt real emotion. 

It's the Lion's Turn to Cry

It's the Livin' That Counts

The title and chorus say it all: "...regrets do no good if no lesson's understood..." Have a listen and send it to someone you love who may need such advice. Thanks.

Life's Regrets

Woman leaves man so he hits the dating scene with all the usual trappings. His goal is to find a new love, but he's stuck in an emotional rut and finds out that what he's really looking for is a copy of his lost love. Old story....

Runaround

Dreaming of a better world without starving children, without pointless violence and wars, without poverty, racism and hate. The list of the bad gets long very quickly. Most people are good and decent so why aren't we doing better? Hmmmm....

I Had a Dream

Man leaves woman after avowing forever love. He's a cad. She's sad. Her friends warned her. Listen to your friends. 

Full Moon Shining

Woman leaves man so he's destitute and believes she has no heart. 

Do You Have a Heart

Man loses his love and realizes too late that it was his fault. Now he's trying to win her back but she's found someone new. Touching country style ballad for romantics.

Didn't Know I'd Miss You So

Man falls for woman who turns out to be not so nice, so now he's down and playing the blues on his steel guitar. Old story....still worth listening to if you like tasty guitar licks.

Blue Steel

Woman was once lonely and adrift but has found a true love that makes her world, you guessed it: Sunny Blue. Feel good tune with retro vocal performed in a dream pop style instrumental production.

Sunny Blue

Woman regrets losing a love many years earlier; she recalls that the "love was good but we forgot to try." Sound familiar? Just a sweet old fashioned country ballad some may find pleasing. 

Down Life's Road

Man catches woman kissing another man; he's not impressed. But now he's depressed so he writes a song to tell the world. You should listen to his sad story. :) 

Blues are Made for Bad News: Blues goes dream pop

Woman discovers she has missed a lot in life by chasing a career and money. Now she's slowing down with her fire and a glass of wine. She's a smart woman.

All Those Wants That Haunted

MUSIC MADE IN CANADA: Music has been a large part of my life since my teen years when I started playing guitar. Used to play popular pop and country songs in bars, songs written by other artists but for past couple decades have focused entirely on writing and producing my own songs across a number of genres: pop, country, blues, even ambient. I believe each style can sound good and give people pleasure: that's my goal in writing. Now I produce sounds featuring both male and female vocals as the lyrics dictate; variety is the spice of...well, you know. Thanks for listening.

Steve Bareham Productions

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks