This was recorded in the front room, just me and guitar, couple of years ago. Unfortunately I haven't been able to play in this style for the last 12months due to a wrist injury, hence why my recent songs have been more strummy. 

This is The Rain, cheers!


The Rain

Knockin' On Your Screen Door

Одинокое слово летит в даль.
Серое небо, серый край.
Оно, как чайка над волной.
Закончив круг один,
На перепутье мы глядим.
И все вокруг кричит постой.

И миг, как сотни лет.
Пройдет, а может нет.
Увижу ль я…

И миг, как сотни лет.
Пройдет, а может нет.
Увижу ль я…

Проходит все –
Года и ветры.
И сотни лет сменяют сотни дней.
Вступая в новый мир,
Надежд не счесть нам –
Все будет лучше, чем теперь.

И миг, как сотни лет.
Пройдет, а может нет.
Увижу ль я…

И миг, как сотни лет.
Пройдет, а может нет.
Увижу ль я…

Lonely Word

Dear friends. A nasty war is going on right now. This song is a prayer to the Warlord to stop the fight and withdraw his forces.
I do not dare to mention the name of this Warlord since he has a reputation to send out agents for murdering of inconvinient people all over the world. We have several Warlords in the world, and you must choose by Yourself.

Lyrics:

Letter to the Warlord

The row of people that are walking
away from the war - it is so fearsome

You may see small children
who are struggling along with their mothers
and some of them are wounded
Have You seen what I see Mister Warlord
and if You have You should certainly be ashamed


I saw old and disabled people
who fled across the rivers - on narrow footbridges

I was moved to tears of this sight
but they were helped by some wonderful people
and sometimes they were carried on their backs
Have You seen what I see Mister Warlord
and if You have You should certainly be ashamed


You should never shoot civilian people
which I know that You have done - and that Your soldiers

shot a whole family
they also shot down some old men and women
when they did’t recieve any food
Have You seen what I see Mister Warlord
and if You have You should certainly be ashamed

An approximate translation to Swedish

Kära vänner. Ett otäckt krig pågår just nu. Den här sången är en bön till krigsherren att stoppa kriget och dra tillbaka sina styrkor.
Jag vågar inte nämna namnet på denne krigsherre eftersom han har rykte om att skicka ut agenter för mord på obekväma människor över hela världen. Vi har flera krigsherrar i världen, och du måste välja själv.

Brev till krigsherren

Raden av människor som går
bort från kriget - det är så skrämmande

Du kanske ser små barn
som kämpar tillsammans med sina mammor
och några av dem är sårade
Har du sett vad jag ser Mister Warlord
och om du har så ska du verkligen skämmas


Jag såg gamla och funktionshindrade
som flydde över floderna - på smala gångbroar

Jag blev rörd till tårar av denna syn
men de fick hjälp av några underbara människor
och ibland bars de på ryggen
Har du sett vad jag ser Mister Warlord
och om du har så ska du verkligen skämmas


Man ska aldrig skjuta civila
vilket jag vet att Du har gjort - och att Dina soldater

sköt en hel familj
de sköt också ner några gubbar och kvinnor
när de inte fick någon mat
Har du sett vad jag ser Mister Warlord
och om du har så ska du verkligen skämmas

Letter to the Warlord

I wrote this song about how my daughter Erin introduced me to so much great music when she was growing up.  

See the video:  https://vimeo.com/134054899

Lyrics:

No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7

Keep your door open I’m liking the sound
Would you make me a cassette of what you’re spinning around?
Some kind of essence is coalescing
I’m ready for whatever this lesson will bring
She said the music is like swimming in heaven

No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7 Zero 7
No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7 Zero 7

The high from the low, the art from the pop
Cannot tell the difference because there really is not
So for a time you’re in love with them all
Gathering your power before everything falls
She said don’t worry I’ll be home by 11

No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7 Zero 7
No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7 Zero 7

I can see your transformation is here
Goodbye to the Barbies and hello to new fears
Soon you will go to make your own heaven

No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7 Zero 7
No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7 Zero 7

No Doubt Blonde Redhead Zero 7

End of Endless Love Joint collab with Nick Olman recording guitar and my vocal a few years back. 
A recent  very talented music friend of mine made an orchestration for the song OVER this track (  https://soundcloud.com/user-427228031 paint-Germain ) ...a very difficult thing to do THANK YOU Raphael :-) you made me smile! 
Raphael made ANOTHER orchestra only which I am WAITING to develop a duet version of this song. This has been a long-time dream of mine to accomplish this. I have some intuitive thoughts on the interplay (see the Till Then song I posted with a friend some years ago also) https://soundcloud.com/doug-roossien/till-then-by-doug-roosssien
It’s going to take the right person singing with me on the unfinished orchestral track …I’m releasing this orchestral and vocal creation  because I need time to think and ideas to ferment, and to communicate with potential duet partners on it.   
LYRICS BELOW ...

I loved you…you loved me …we both shared loves mystery
We lived out… our hopes and dreams…souls together…so it seemed…
Till fires burned down…and stars went out…bridges crossing… rivers drowned
Tears of happiness… dried up…we found the end… of endless love.

Is this the end of endless love…?
What were our hearts thinking of?
Cause I still love you…and if you love me too.
Stay forever…and ever

I’m looking… in your eyes for love…searching for… the passion of
A love with promise… swept away…that we could somehow… save
From these words of anger…jealous tears…bullets aimed at… hearts in fear…
Has left us standing…face to face…as tears roll down… you say…

Is this the end of endless love…?
What were our hearts thinking of?
Cause I still love you…and if you love me too.
Stay forever…and ever

Cause I love you…if you love me…if we still share love’s mystery
Can we still live our hopes and dreams…?
Souls together…endlessly
Cause fires burned down…and stars went out…bridges crossing rivers drowned
Tears of happiness dried up…we found the end…of endless love

Is this the end …is this the end…
we should be makin’ up…not breakin’ up

Cause I love you…if you love me…can we still share that mystery
Still live our hopes and dreams…Souls together…you and me

I’m looking… in your eyes for love…searching for… the passion of
A love with promise… swept away…that we could somehow… save
From these words of anger…jealous tears…bullets aimed at… hearts in fear…
Babe were standing…here today…as tears… roll down… you say

I’m looking… in your eyes for love…searching for… the passion of
A love with promise… swept away…that we could somehow… save

End of Endless Love (Vocal Doug R. /orchestration Paint-Germain / Olman)

I'm Here Alone

There I was, diligently practicing my palm muted walking basslines when The Boys dropped by.

The practice session never stood a chance.

Here's a little homage to simpler times.
____________________________________________________________________

Neeps ‘n’ Tatties

Don’t need no haute cuisine, come dinner time.
A simple guy like me got simple tastes.
Don’t need no six course menu, sommelier’s fancy wine.
I’m happy drinking beer by the case.
The honest things in life are the ones that always shine,
So get your pan a-boilin’ babe, your neeps ‘n’ tatties do me fine.

Don’t need no fashionista plastic tik tok model girl
I love my honey baby, she always aims to please
Drivin’ me half crazy as she gives a little twirl
She’s muckin’ out the hogs in her muddy dungarees
Keep yer high fallutin’ “A” list, I’ll keep that sweet gal of mine.
Get your pan a-boilin’ babe, your neeps ‘n’ tatties do me fine.

……

Billionaires of tinsel sniffing venison carpaccio
Braised black cherry duck, meets Pol Roger
Praise the Lord I’m still connected to where I wanna go
Me and my sweet baby on our way, we’re headin’ there.
In our home of rustic truth we find pure living, love divine,
So get your pan a-boilin’ babe, your neeps ‘n’ tatties do me fine.

Neeps ‘n’ Tatties

Broken Pearls

Every year I try to make a little song to commemorate remembrance day in November. The month of August is also historically significant, though.  In August 1914 the massed cartoon insanity of old-world braided huffing and puffing empires slammed into stark reality when over the course of a few days: Germany declared war on Russia, France and Belgium; Britain declared war on Germany; Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia; France and Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary; Japan declared war on Germany; and Austria-Hungary declared war on Belgium. Dear God.

Herbert Burden was one of many young men who decided to do “the right thing” and lied about his age to enlist.  He endured 10 months of fighting, shelling and gas attacks in the front line trenches in France, lost many friends and was himself eventually hospitalised.  On discharge from hospital his battalion received orders to return to the front line.  Herbert went AWOL and was found at a neighbouring regiment where he said he had gone to comfort a friend who had lost a brother in the fighting.  

Herbert became the youngest British soldier to be executed by firing squad for desertion.  

He was seventeen years old, alone, given no defence at his trial, blindfolded, arms tied behind his back, lashed to a post and shot at dawn on 21st July 1915.

God rest his soul.

The picture is of a statue of Herbert which stands at the British National Memorial Arboretum as part of an installation to commemorate the 306 of their own soldiers executed by the British Army during WW1.

I felt this needed to be done raw in one take so please excuse the rough edges.
______________________________________________________________________

Broken Pearls

Come the night, through singing clouds
Of old men crying on war's recall,
Pastel light hits bleeding shrouds
Still defying, backs to wall.
Morphine hymns through organ pipes
Hairs on end, standard unfurled
Shell shock sins 'neath starburst lights
Set to defend their broken pearls.

His mother spoke through spilling tears
God beside, with angel choirs.
He then awoke – pain chilling sears
Deep inside his burning fires.
Camphor dreams through ether prayers
Uniformed boys mustard gas swirls
Just seventeen, mere child's nightmares.
Discarded toy, of broken pearls.

Weeping crows in ¾ time
Belie the crown, lay down to die.
Wreaths below, left countersigned
Head bowed down, blindfolded eyes.
Hot leaded hopes absolve the rich
Salvo thunder suspends our world
On posted ropes slumped heroes twitch
And rent asunder our broken pearls.

Broken Pearls

Another Firedrill in Madison.mp3

She's left him, but his nights are still filled with pleasant dreams about her.
His days aren't so pleasant.

Sweet Dreams

Dear friends, I worry more and more about the state of the earth! More and more wars flare up, the climate is worrying with natural disasters as a result! Strong malevolent rulers emerge and succeed in egging the population of the respective countries. History has shown how it goes - I think of such men as Hitler and others! The war causes huge emissions of greenhouse gases! Instead, use the soldiers to plant trees and fight the terrible forest fires!

The Baltic Sea is living dangerously
 right now! Scores of ships in deplorable condition transport oil across the sea. The risks are great for extensive oil disasters! I have made some songs for the Baltic sea just to make people understand the problems.

I have recently published some of my songs on YouTube - search for Bengt Roth.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bengt+roth
I write almost all of my songs, and I sing my songs and play the guitar and the harp - no more. My recording equipment is quite modest with a Furch guitar, Alhambra guitar, Röde microphone, Focusrite and Garageband. My studio is our guest room in our house.
I was young during the 1960s when Dylan became famous. I was a member of a folk song group during that time. I love Dylan´s music!! I was also a big fan of The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Mamas and the Papas and several more singers. I like folk music and the old protest songs. I love the music of Eva Cassidy. I was also a big fan of Björn Afzelius, and I love the music of Tom Petty. I am very inspired of the music of John Denver.
Bengt and certainly several 100 million people are intensively protesting against all evil around the world!
I love to sometimes write songs that are a bit weird and self-ironic!
You know that I am a novice in the "recording business", and sometimes I have to revise the songs.
My whole grown up life was occupied by my profession as a doctor in intensive care and anesthesiology. After that I have got the possibility to be dedicated to music. 
My songs are a matter of extreme happiness and extreme sadness. I write all the music and lyrics except "As tears go by", "House of the Rising Sun", and songs by Evert Taube.
I love to leave some message with my songs!
I have no previous experience of writing fiction. I have, however, some experience in writing non-fiction. I wrote my thesis, and some chapters in a textbook in anesthesiology. I was also member of a group who introduced an education program in pediatric cardio pulmonary resuscitation for laymen in Sweden.
I have created a repost page "Bengt Erik Roth Repost Page".

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Bengt+Roth

Letter to the Warlord

Bengt Erik Roth User 188944807