“WE WILL MEET AGAIN”
Words and Music by C.W. Brownell © 2021

If I say goodbye, do not listen
If I start to cry, look away
If I hold on too long, simply whisper this:
“We will meet again, some day”

How can one soul dwell in two bodies?
How can fate compel us apart?
How can I keep you here with me one more day
And appease my broken heart?

What a silly fool am I—
What’s with tears and feeling blue?
What good does it do to cry?
I should smile because I met you

When the curtain drops, I’ll be clapping
When the music stops, I will sing
When the laughter and cheers slowly fade away
I’ll remember ... everything

What a silly fool am I—
What’s with tears and feeling blue?
What good does it do to cry?
I should smile because I met you

If I say goodbye, do not listen
If I start to cry, look away
If I hold on too long, simply whisper this:
“We will meet again, some day”
Yes, we will meet again ... some day

We Will Meet Again (featuring Andrea Miller on vocals)

“TELL ME IT’S OVER”
Words and Music by C. W. Brownell  © 2021

When I let my hair grow long
You could not see my face
And when that little test went wrong
I had to hide in place

Tell me it’s over
I curse the day that you were crowned
Life’s growing colder
The longer you stick around

Feeding off another’s fear
Is how a tyrant’s made
Turn two weeks into a year
And throw a masquerade

Tell me it’s over
I curse the day that you were crowned
Life’s growing colder
The longer you stick around

Since the species went bipedal
Man did as he dared
Now he needs a billion needles
To stop feeling scared

Let us hope life can go on
Like we thought it could
Put away your broken crown
And this time for good

Unknown album (7/3/2021 5:02:42 PM)

Tell Me It’s Over

"I'M WITH YOU"
© 2011  C.W. Brownell

VERSE 1:
In the days of yore
A solemn meal was shared
Blood was on the door
In hope that lives be spared

VERSE 2:
Bread and wine were served
And many prayers were said
All souls were preserved
As death passed overhead

CHORUS:
The breaking of the bread, the drinking of the wine
Is more than eating food—it's touching the divine
Go and share this meal anew, and every time you do
When you say "amen" I'm with you
Amen, amen

VERSE 3:
Break with me this bread
My body it shall be
Do this with your friends
When you remember me

(CHORUS)

VERSE 4:
This wine is my blood
You must believe it's true
When you take this cup
I will be one with you

(CHORUS)

Unknown Album (4/27/2011 1:08:31 AM)

I'm With You

This song is about the three appearances the angel Gabriel made in the Gospel of Luke:  (1) to Zechariah, father of John the Baptist; (2) to the Virgin Mary; and (3) to the shepherds on the night of Christ's birth.

GABRIEL'S SONG
Words & Music by C.W. Brownell © 2021


VERSE 1:
Be not afraid, your prayer is heard
No need for any sadness
Soon will be born unto you
A son to bring you gladness
He’ll pave the way
For the one the ancients have foretold
Be not afraid, for behold

VERSE 2:
Be not afraid, for with God
You have found great favor
Soon will be born unto you
The one and only Savior
Thus will begin
The greatest story ever told
Be not afraid, for behold

CHORUS:
Glory to God in heaven above
And peace on earth to all He loves
… All He loves

VERSE 3:
Be not afraid, for behold
To you is born a Savior
Go find him how, gaze upon
Him lying in a manger
He is the Christ—
The great light shining through the cold
Be not afraid, for behold

CHORUS:
Glory to God in heaven above
And peace on earth to all He loves
… All He loves

Gabriel's Song

"THE VOW"

Words and Music by C.W. Brownell  © 2021

I know that “always”
Seems a very long, long time
Like a highway that never ends
And a watch that won’t unwind

But I vow that, somehow,
You won’t regret eternity
I owe to you everything I have
For everything you do for me

You are with me crying in the depths of my despair
And you are with me flying through the air
You are with me now, as I ponder how
To show you just how much I really care

So I'll love you always
Till the sky runs out of blue
And if you ask, do I love you still
I will always say, "I do"

You are with me crying in the depths of my despair
And you are with me flying through the air
You are with me now, as I ponder how
To show you just how much I really care

So I'll love you always
Till the sky runs out of blue
And if you ask, do I love you still
I will always say, "I do"
Ooooo …  I will always say … “I do”

The Vow

Here’s a New Year’s Eve drinking song about life, death, and the passage of time.

"TO YOU AND ME”
© 2020, 2022 Words* and Music by C.W. Brownell

VERSE 1:
As we gather to remember
All the things that came to pass
Bidding farewell to December
With a song and with a glass

Let us sing of all the goals we crossed
Let us toast to victory
Let us note how much the friends we lost
Truly meant to you and me

VERSE 2:
They say time is always flying—
Gather rosebuds while you may
For, tomorrow, will be dying
All that blooms for you today

Raise your voice and join us in the song
Raise your hand for all to see
Celebrate before the moment's gone
Raise your glass to you and me

BRIDGE:
As the moments become hours
And the hours turn to days
Right before your eyes, the years go by
And memories fade away

VERSE 3:
Years from now, when people gather
And we're gone without a trace
Here are questions that will matter
For the ones who take our place

Will they laud the gods of alcohol?
Will they sing our melody?
Will they pause to think of us … at all?
Will they drink to you and me?
Will they drink to you and me?

*The first stanza of Verse 2 is based on the first stanza of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time”, a poem by Robert Herrick (1591-1674).  Here’s to you, Robert!

Unknown album (1/30/2022 2:09:34 PM)

To You and Me

"VIRGINIA”
© 2022  Words and Music by C.W. Brownell

O Virginia, when I’m with ya
You take my breath away
I’d walk a mile to make you smile
But then there’s hell to pay

Been together—seems forever
We’ve come a long, long way
I’m addicted—I’m conflicted
And now I’ve come to say

Take these chains from me
Let’s clear the air so that I can breathe
And let me be what I will be
Set me free, Virginia!

O Virginia, what’s that in ya
That won’t leave me alone?
Your kiss tastes good, just like it should
But now your cover’s blown

You’re the master of my disaster
You made a slave of me
You’re a treasure—alive with pleasure
But now I’ve got to flee

Take these chains from me
Let’s clear the air so that I can breathe
And let me be what I will be
Set me free, Virginia!

O Virginia …
O Virginia …
O Virginia …
Set me free!

Virginia

“WHEN THE WHISKEY WEARS OFF”
Words and Music by C. W. Brownell  © 1997, 2022


I can’t hear the lies that you told
I can’t feel our love growing cold
I can’t taste defeat from this comfortable seat
Where I put all my feelings on hold

I can’t see deceit in your smile
No, I can’t smell the cheat in your style
My only defense is a set of dull senses
So, I guess I’ll be safe for a while

But when the whiskey wears off
There’re gonna be tears that run down my face
When my senses return, I’ll feel the burn
Of the truth whiskey cannot erase

I can’t see you leaving today
I can’t feel the trust you betray
‘Cause the pain cannot come while I’m still good and numb
And I’ll try hard to keep it that way

But when the whiskey wears off
There’re gonna be tears that run down my face
When my senses return, I’ll feel the burn
Of the truth whiskey cannot erase

When the pain comes again, I can count on a friend
Who is there every time
It saved my life from the start, when you first broke my heart
Whiskey rescued my mind…  Oh, my mind….

But when the whiskey wears off
There’re gonna be tears that run down my face
When my senses return, I’ll feel the burn
Of the truth whiskey cannot…
The truth whiskey cannot…
The truth whiskey cannot erase

When the Whiskey Wears Off

Instrumental version of a jazz song with the following lyrics:

S/HE DON’T KNOW ABOUT LOVE
(A song about unrequited love, cluelessness, and rationalization)
Words and Music by C. W. Brownell © 2023
>
(Female love interest version)
“SHE DON’T KNOW ABOUT LOVE”
>
She don’t know about love
And it just doesn’t matter to her
Love and passion she never thinks of
Cuz such feelings don’t ever occur
She’ll come ‘round, maybe, and be my baby
But I wouldn’t bet on any of the above
Cuz she don’t know about—
Just don’t know about love
>
She don’t answer the phone
When I call her to ask for a date
She’s always over at her best friend’s home
Where she stays so terribly late
She thinks it’s funny I call her “honey”
But she must admit when push comes to shove
That she don’t know about—
She don’t know about love
>
Why, God, oh, why did you make her?
What were you thinking of?
She has me, but she won’t let me have her
No one can have her
Cuz she doesn’t know about love
>
Her friends say that I’m wrong
As they give me a curious smile
They say together we don’t belong
But, still, I wonder once in a while
She’ll come ‘round, maybe, and be my baby
But I wouldn’t bet on any of the above
Cuz she don’t know about—
Just don’t know about love
>
*********************************************
>
(Male love interest version)
“HE DON’T KNOW ABOUT LOVE”
>
He don’t know about love
And it just doesn’t matter to him
Love and passion he never thinks of
Cuz such feelings don’t ever begin
He’ll come ‘round, maybe, and be my baby
But I wouldn’t bet on any of the above
Cuz he don’t know about—
Just don’t know about love
>
He don’t call on the phone
When I want him to ask for a date
He’s always over at his best friend’s home
Where he stays so terribly late
He thinks it’s funny I call him “honey”
But he must admit when push comes to shove
That he don’t know about—
He don’t know about love
>
Why, God, oh, why did you make him?
What were you thinking of?
He has me, but he won’t let me have him
No one can have him
Cuz he doesn’t know about love
>
His friends say that I’m wrong
As they give me a curious smile
They say together we don’t belong
But, still, I wonder once in a while
He’ll come ‘round, maybe, and be my baby
But I wouldn’t bet on any of the above
Cuz he don’t know about—
Just don’t know about love

S/he Don’t Know About Love

Here's a jazz song about being outlandishly greedy (for love).

WOULD YOU?
© 2023  Words and Music by C.W. Brownell

If I wanted to catch midnight…
Would you lasso me the moon?
If I wanted to own summer…
Would you buy me half of June?
When you get done delivering,
Here's one more thing to do—
If I wanted some affection…
Would you spare a kiss ... or two?

If I wanted cacciatore…
Would you fly me off to Rome?
If I wanted to feel lucky…
Would you fetch the Blarney Stone?
But I'd forget those little things,
If one big thing came true—
If I wanted you to love me…
Would you?

I might ask too much—
As such, I stand accused
But you can't call it greed
If all I need is all of you

If I wanted to be famous…
Would you put me on the dime?
If I wanted to start over…
Would you take me back in time?
But I could do without the rest,
If this request went through—
If I wanted you to love me…
Would you?

Would You?

TRY ME ON FOR SIZE
© 2023  Words and Music by C.W. Brownell


VERSE 1:  (The Need)
When flurries fly
You better buy a sweater
In sunny weather
You should wear a hat to shade your eyes
But when you're lonely
I've only one reply—
Come try me on for size

VERSE 2:  (The Product)
Slip on these arms
They're tailor-made to hold you
Let them enfold you
Kiss these lips and feel the merchandise
Don't have to buy me
Just try me on for size

BRIDGE:  (The Price)
When shopping for a honey
Don't be dropping so much money
Don't look no more—just look for me
I'm free—I'll be your desire
The proper attire
For any scene

VERSE3: (The Sale)
Let's get you dressed
You'll be impressed, I promise
This deal is honest
Everything is just as advertised
You can't deny me
[Come/Just] try me on for size

OUTRO:
And you’ll realize….
You can’t deny me
Come try me on for size

Try Me on for Size

EXCUSE ME
© 2023 Words and Music by C.W. Brownell


Excuse me, I’d like back my heart
You know, that plaything you just broke apart?
I’d like the pieces before it ceases to be kind
I think you still have time

Excuse me for failing your test
I’m truly sorry that I’m not the best
What was I thinking?  What was I drinking?
Excuse me

When you put my love on a shelf
I knew just what to do
I’d have to go excuse myself
There’s no excusing you

Excuse me for crowding your space
You don’t need someone with tears down his face
No sense in grieving—I'll just be leaving
Excuse me

When you put my love on a shelf
I knew just what to do
I’d have to go excuse myself
There’s no excusing you

So, excuse me for crowding your space
You don’t need someone with tears down his face
No sense in grieving—I'll just be leaving
Excuse me

No sense in grieving—I'll just be leaving
Excuse me

Excuse Me

Wyattville Waltz

“ONE OF US”

© 2011  Words and Music by Chris Brownell

Weep no more, O Israel
A savior comes from above
He is called “Emanuel”—
A name that means “God with us”

Shepherds heard the angels say
To look for God’s gift of love—
Found him sleeping in the hay
When God became one of us

In the beginning was the Word
And with God, he was one
Then God showed how he loved the world
Giving us his son

Humbly born by his own plan
And clothed in our flesh and blood
Sealed the brotherhood of man
When God became one of us

In the beginning was the Word
And with God, he was one
Then God showed how he loved the world
Giving us his son

Blessed was their small family
When Mary brought forth a son
Blessed was our humanity
When God became one of us
When God became one of us

One of Us

Chris Brownell is a songwriter from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.  He loves the rich chords and playful lyrics of jazz, and his songs show it.

Are you a singer?  Put your stamp on one of his songs by performing and recording it!  Just ask for the lead sheets.

Contact Chris at cwbrownell1983@outlook.com.

ReverbNation profile:  https://www.reverbnation.com/chrisbrownell

Youtube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3mgJxP_Ir0Vq5UAWi4U6zg

Chris Brownell, Songwriter

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