A short, musical journey from the chaos of the mistakes we make in life to a chance to make things better.

The main theme is repeated--much in the same way many of us keep making the same mistakes. But at the end, the guitar soars over the theme, to show us that we have a chance to redeem ourselves.

We may still be the same basic people underneath (much like the original theme), but we can rise above that when necessary.

Copyright 2015 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Shadows of Life

Redemption

Buy now, at Bandcamp!

There are angels everywhere, if you know where to look.

Even in the snow....

Now for sale at Bandcamp, or wherever fine music is stolen.

Copyright ©℗ 2016 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Angels in the Snow

Buy on Bandcamp!

"Out of blue comes green" refers to the process of healing. The early part of the tune is rather somber, while the ending is a bit more optimistic.

This is a short, experimental piece designed to sound like it was recorded in 1982, complete with tape noise, playback speed and synth tuning problems. For this piece, I stayed with synths, drum machines and effects that would have been available in that era.

Now for sale at Bandcamp, or wherever fine music is stolen.

Copyright ©℗ 2016 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved. Cover art original painting by Vincent van Gogh (and you can't get much better than that!).

Out of Blue Comes Green

Out Of Blue Comes Green

DEMO version of "Waiting for the Rain"

I'm raiding the old cassettes and posting some stuff that may not suck as bad as I used to think it did. (My singing and playing, anyway--the playing was almost always pretty damn good.)

The sounds are a bit dated, and the quality isn't great, but considering what we had to record with at the time (early '90s), it's a wonder you can make out anything at all.

"Waiting for the Rain"

Music: Steve Henshaw
Lyrics: Steve Henshaw & Matt Brown
Guitars: Matt Brown
Additional Guitars: Steve Henshaw

So you think you have the answers
So you think you know the way
You can cure us of this cancer
You can rid us of this plague
I have heard your every reason
I have seen your point of view
But it’s not what I believe in
It is not the only truth

Well, you wave your party’s banner
Well, you wave it in my face
But I don’t see how you stand here
When you wage this dirty race
I have read the minds of millions
I have listened to them all
But I have my own opinions
And I’m waiting for the rain to fall

(Chorus)
The rain, when it falls
Wash my sins away
And the rain, when she comes to me
I dream myself awake
And I want her
And I need her
And everything she does
So I’m standing, and I’m waiting
Waiting for the rain

(Spoken)
Take it all for granted
Take it all in vain
Never feel the hunger
Never feel the pain
Never stop to notice
The shadows that you cast
Never worry about the future
Never think about the past

So you think you know the answers
So you say you’ll pave the way
Well, I have my own direction
And I’m waiting…waiting for the rain…


"Waiting for the Rain" Copyright ©℗ 1994 Steve Henshaw and Matt Brown. All rights reserved.

Waiting for the Rain

Waiting for the Rain ('94 VERY ROUGH Demo, with Lyrics)

DEMO version of "Nowhere to Go"

I'm raiding the old cassettes and posting some stuff that may not suck as bad as I used to think it did. (My singing, anyway--the playing was almost always pretty damn good.)

The sounds are a bit dated, and the quality isn't great, but considering what we had to record with at the time (early '90s), it's a wonder you can make out anything at all.

"Nowhere to Go"

Music: Steve Henshaw & Rob Elson
Lyrics: Steve Henshaw
Guitars: Rob Elson

I don’t want to run away with Nowhere to Go
Or live the rest of my life with nothing to show
I don’t want to waste my time waiting for you, no
I don’t want to run away with Nowhere to Go
Nowhere to Go

I don’t want to fill this room with pictures of you
If we’re together forever, you’re leaving too soon
I don’t want to raise this pain with thoughts and lies and reasons to cry
I don’t want to fill this room with pictures of you
Pictures of you

And I’m coming for you now
And I’ve got a long way to go
But I’ll make it up somehow
For a man with Nowhere to Go

And I’m coming for you now
And I’ve got a long way to go
But I’ll make it up somehow
For a man with Nowhere to Go

I don’t want to spend my nights in dreams of the past
Or think that two could be one, or forever could last
And I don’t want to waste my life with nothing more to show 
I don’t want to run away with Nowhere to Go
Nowhere to Go

And I’m coming for you now
And I’ve got a long way to go
But I’ll make it up somehow
For a man with Nowhere to Go


“Nowhere to Go” Copyright ©℗ 1992 by Steve Henshaw and Rob Elson. All rights reserved.

Nowhere to Go

Nowhere To Go ('92 Demo, with Lyrics)

DEMO version of "Everything to Me"

I'm raiding the old cassettes and posting some stuff that may not suck as bad as I used to think it did. (As far as my singing and playing, anyway; the playing by everyone else was almost always pretty damn good.)

The sounds are a bit dated, the "piano" playing is too rigid and the quality isn't great, but considering what we had to record with at the time (early '90s), it's a wonder you can make out anything at all.

"Everything to Me"

Music & Lyrics: Steve Henshaw
Guitars: Walt Cunningham & Rob Elson
Special thanks to Kim Reuger for the Yamaha synth and her helpful opinions!

Dark clouds on the horizon
But blue skies are all I see 
She give new life when I feel I die soon
She give new life to me

Street lights no longer shining
But darkness it don’t touch me
She light my way like a full moon rising
She light the way for me 

Stand in a world full of sorrow
The pain I do not feel
She take yesterday and she bring me tomorrow
She bring new hope to me

Sins of the old world they calling
But the angel she walk with me
She reach out her hand and she keep me from falling
She reach out her hand to me

She’s the music and motion and rhythm and rhyme
She’s the world turning ‘round at my feet
She’s the dream that I live and the song in my mind
She’s Everything to Me

One kiss and I live forever
A smile to set me free
One heart beating together
One love is all we need

She’s the music and motion and rhythm and rhyme
She’s the world turning ‘round at my feet
She’s the dream that I live and the song in my mind
She’s Everything to Me

And I would give her the sun and the moon in the sky
I would give her the world at my feet
And I would give her it all-and I would give her my life
She’s Everything to Me


"Everything to Me" Copyright ©℗ 1992 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Everything to Me

Everything to Me ('93 Demo, with Lyrics)

DEMO version of "Things We Said Today"

Walt and I wrote and recorded this in 4 hours in 1989 (and yes, in some places, it sounds like it). It's pretty much all one take.

This was recorded onto a 4-track cassette recorder, and mixed to another cassette deck. That's why you'll hear some dropouts in the track.

This is the first track where I started to "sing". You can actually hear me find my "voice" and style (such as they are) half-way through the song.

"Things We Said Today"

Music & Lyrics: Walt Cunningham & Steve Henshaw
Guitar: Walt Cunningham

How can you tell the ocean’s blue
From standing on the shore?
Scattered bits of seashell dreams
From a million years before

How can you say your love won’t die
When you started near the end?
I’ve seen you dance on broken hearts
And call yourself a “friend”

Love won’t walk away
From the things we said today

How can you tell the ocean’s deep
From standing on the shore?
Scattered bits of seashell dreams
From a million miles or more

Love don’t walk away
From the things we said today

You said you’d share your life with me
We wrote it in the sand
And now we walk this empty beach
Two strangers holding hands

Love don’t walk away
From the things we said today

Don’t throw it all away
The things we said today


"Things We Said Today" Copyright ©℗ 1989 Steve Henshaw, Walter Cunningham. All rights reserved.

Things We Said Today

Things We Said Today ('89 Demo, with Lyrics)

DEMO version of "Younger One"

I don't know what I was thinking with the effects on my voice, but I was still not happy with my voice, so that's probably as good of an excuse I'll ever have.

This was meant to be a "Miami Vice"-style tune. Just all attitude, basically. It doesn't really make much sense, but it's fun to sing. (Try it, I bet you'll agree!)

"Younger One"

Music & Lyrics: Steve Henshaw

I stand before you in the Age of Reason
Blue skies fall from high above
I see before me
The face of Treason
Blue skies fall from high above

I stand in line and wait for The Promise
Road to your door is littered with souls
No time to dream
The morning’s upon us
Light from your eyes casts shadows below
Oh, below….

I hear you breathing
And I know you’re out there
I saw your face just a moment ago
Another meeting—life in the cross-hairs
So many alleys, but nowhere to go

And I’m calling out
For the Younger One
The Younger One
And I’m holding out
For The Younger One
The Younger One

I stand in line
I wait for the next one
Try not to cry as I open the door
Put my hands to my head as I answer your questions
Cover my eyes as I fall to the floor

I hear you breathing
And I know you’re out there
(I stand before you in the Age of Reason)
I saw your face just a moment ago
(Blue skies fall from high above)
Another meeting—life in the cross-hairs
(I see before me the face of Treason)
So many alleys, but nowhere to go
(Blue skies fall from high above)

And I’m holding out
For the Younger One
The Younger One
And I’m calling out
For The Younger One
The Younger One

I stand in line
I wait for the next one
Try not to cry as I open the door
Put my hands to my head as I answer your questions
Try not to die
As I fall to the floor....


"Younger One" Copyright ©℗ 1993 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Younger One

Younger One ('93 Demo, with Lyrics)

DEMO version of "Make It Last (Blue Sky Days)"

I'm raiding the old cassettes and posting some stuff that may not suck as bad as I used to think it did. (My singing and playing, anyway--the playing was almost always pretty damn good.)

The sounds are a bit dated, and the quality isn't great, but considering what we had to record with at the time (early '90s), it's a wonder you can make out anything at all.

"Make It Last (Blue Sky Days)"

Music: Steve Henshaw
Lyrics: Steve Henshaw & Jim Bird
Guitars: Rob Elson & Walt Cunningham
Background vocals: Jim Bird
Special thanks to Kim Reuger for the Yamaha synth and her helpful opinions!

So I’m holding on this moment 
Where the future is the past
And I’m shining through this feeling 
Where the world is fading fast
She is everything the answers
She is everything I ask
And I’ll find a way...
To Make It Last

Do you believe in a love
To change your life—turn it over
Where nothing’s the same, the hope or the fear
Well I found a girl
To take my mind—take it slowly
My thoughts rearrange, the world disappears
We’ll live forever blue sky days

Do you believe in a sign
A key to a heart—one and only
The feeling inside you’re never alone
Well I found a chance 
To shed my skin—shake the lonely
To take what’s been there and make it my own
And live forever blue sky days

Repeat chorus

Do you believe in a day
Of dreams fulfilled—rules are broken
The ghosts of the past are fading away
Well I found a new dawn
Where hearts are healed—eyes are opened
And all I can see are blue sky days
And all I can see are blue sky days

So I’m holding on this moment 
Where the future is the past
And I’m shining through this feeling 
Where the world is fading fast
She is everything the answers
She is everything I ask
And I’ll find a way; I’ll make my own way
And I’ll find a way...
 
Take it away....


“Make It Last (Blue Sky Days)” Copyright ©℗ 1992 by Steve Henshaw and James Bird. All rights reserved.

Make It Last (Blue Sky Days)

Make It Last (Blue Sky Days)('93 Demo, with Lyrics)

Not sure what to do with the lyrics here, but the song might be about a young woman standing in the window of her upstairs apartment while watching her lover leave her and step into the wet streets of 19th-century London.

...or something like that.

Copyright ©℗ Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

She Fades Away

Walt wrote this one on the piano (for a change), and then had to learn the guitar part for it. We recorded it on a 4-track cassette recorder in one hasty session, but we liked how parts of it came together almost accidentally.

The piano sound isn't too good, but the rest of it holds up pretty well.

Copyright 1988 Walt Cunningham. Rights reserved. Cover art copyright Lynsey Cunningham. All rights reserved.

Forgetting All the World

Forgetting All The World ― Walt Cunningham ('90 Demo)

I have no idea which "style" of music this is supposed to be (if any). But it was good enough to get interest from a record label all those years ago.

Music: Steve Henshaw
Lyrics: Steve Henshaw & Jim Bird

"Torn Again" Copyright 1987 Steve Henshaw and Jim Bird. All rights reserved.

Torn Again

Torn Again ('88 Demo)

This "orchestral" piece evokes the soft, pale colors of sunrise as they brighten and become bolder, just before the shimmering heat of the day signals the end of the morning.

Now for sale at Bandcamp, or wherever fine music is stolen.

Copyright ©℗ 2014 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

And Your Dreams Come True

Sunrise

A work-in-progress from my buddy Matt Brown.

Music lovers, please give us your thoughts on this track. If you like the tune, please let us know. And if you don't, well...please let us know why. Post your comments here, or on Facebook or Twitter. (And let's keep it clean, people--Matt's a sensitive guy!)

Copyright 2016 Matt Brown. All rights reserved.

Matt Brown

Song for Marci

Matt Brown - Song for Marci (Demo)

Julian singing "O Tannenbaum" *in the original German* (or pretty darn close, for a 4-year-old!).

O Tannenbaum

Julian's O Tannenbaum

For Bernadette.

I think she would have liked it.

For sale at Bandcamp, or wherever fine music is stolen. All sales proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

Copyright ©℗ 2017 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Goodbye, Bernadette

Sales proceeds to ACS.

NOTE: This version has the first verse restored. It had been missing in the version that was up here for a while. Mind you, this version isn't any *better*--it's just restored. I did what I could, folks. ;)

DEMO version of "Live in a Dream"

I'm raiding the old cassettes and posting some stuff that may not suck as bad as I used to think it did. (My singing and playing, anyway--the playing was almost always pretty good.)

The sounds are a bit dated, and the quality isn't great, but considering what we had to record with at the time (early '90s), it's a wonder you can make out anything at all.

"Live in a Dream"

Music: Steve Henshaw
Lyrics: Steve Henshaw & Jim Bird
Guitars: Rob Elson & Walt Cunningham
Background vocals: Jim Bird
Special thanks to Kim Reuger for the Yamaha synth and her helpful opinions!

She waits at the window
Watching the world
As it passes her by
He stands at the doorway
Alone every night
Never stepping outside
She knows where to find him
Save him
Should she call him by name
He knows she’s behind him
Waiting
For a sign of his pain

I live in a dream that keeps me walking every day of my life
No rest for the weary, I make my way along the edge of a knife
My heart doesn’t seem to be beating at all, but it keeps me alive
This silent journey to save your life, but will the lonely survive

She spends all her time running away
From what she believes
He spends all his mind watching the way
The broken heart bleeds
Should she forget him
Somehow
Or just forgive
Would he regret then
Or now
Letting her slip…away

I live in a dream that keeps me walking every day of my life
No rest for the weary, I make my bed along the edge of a knife
The world doesn’t seem to be turning at all, but it keeps me alive
This silent journey to save your heart, how long can I survive

And I know you’re out there
And I know you’d be waiting, should I turn around
And you know I still care
And you know I would cry out—
But I can’t make a sound

I know you’ll remember
Someday
It wasn’t a dream
You know I remember
And some way
You’ll see what I mean

I live in a dream that keeps me walking every day of my life
No rest for the weary, I lay my head along the edge of a knife
Time doesn’t seem to be moving at all, but it keeps me alive
This Endless Journey to save your soul, will I ever survive

“Live in a Dream” ©℗ 1991 by Steve Henshaw and James Bird. All rights reserved.

Live in a Dream

Live In A Dream ('93 Demo, with Lyrics & 1st Verse Restored)

This is an updated version of "Shut Up and Drive!", using a new Hammond B-3 organ synth the developer asked me to demo. The track was mixed to showcase the sound of the B-3 organ synth.

Copyright ©℗ 2013, 2017 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Shut Up and Drive!

Shut Up And Drive! (Blue3 Version)

Comes October

This is a cover of a track by The Monkees. This was just done for fun, folks, as a birthday present for a special friend. My son, my buddy, and I knocked it together in about 4 hours just to make our friend smile, so it's a bit rough in places.

I do not own the copyright, and I don't pretend to. We are not selling this or distributing it. No need to get the lawyers involved. ;)

Written by Jeff Barry
Performed by Steve Henshaw (Vocals, keyboards, bass, drums and horns)
Walt Cunningham (Vocals and guitars)
Julian Henshaw (Vocals)

She Hangs Out (Cover)

Prayer for a Friend

Buy it or Gift it!

Prayer For A Friend

Copyright © 2019 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

This started as a piano piece for a piano instrument developer who gave me the instrument to create demos for him. Unfortunately, between his buggy software and my right arm going to hell, I wasn't able to finish it.

But thanks to the miracle of modern technology, I was able to use my OTHER arm (I *knew* I'd kept that damn thing for a reason!) to get this piece across the finish line.

The piece is still focused on the breadth and depth of sounds the piano makes, but now it doesn't just stop half-way through. (Your opinion as to whether that's good or bad may change once you hear the piece.)

These Are The Forever Days

It's a long way down
To nothing at all...

A song about addiction, “Long Way Down” builds and becomes more frantic and anxious as the addiction grows. 

Copyright ©℗ 2013 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

Long Way Down

Buy now at Bandcamp!

This is a "mash-up" of two pieces I wrote: "As I Lay Dying" and "Heart of Me", with a new piece added and an extended fade. This piece is not finished and has not been mastered.

Copyright 2013 Steve Henshaw. All rights reserved.

As I Lay Dying-The Heart of Me

Shadows of Life explores the darker sides, themes and emotions of life through instrumental music.

But just as these "darker sides of life" have many different shades of emotions (and are experienced differently by different people), Shadows of Life expresses those emotions through different styles of music...which can also be interpreted differently by different people.

Most of our music is synth-driven electronic, but you'll also hear soft pianos, riffing guitars, soaring melodies and other things not usually found in "electronic" music.

WANTED: Lyricists!

Influences: Duran Duran, a-Ha, The Cure, Depeche Mode, and of course, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson.... Honestly, I've stolen ideas from some of the best there ever was!

Popular tracks by Shadows of Life