Stone Temple Pilots Returns

There are several great bands to come out of the 90s, three of which I had a lot of exposure to. Oasis (my favorite band) is one, Pearl Jam (whom I loathe) is another. But one of the bands that deeply influenced my guitar tastes has reunited. Stone Temple Pilots has returned!

Most of you probably don’t care, and that’s just fine. Those of you who, like me, went through your teen years in the 90s ought to know these guys and the great songs they performed. The charismatic singing of troubled frontman Scott Weiland, the exquisite, creative guitar tones of the Deleo brothers, the driving drums of Eric Kretz, all combined to create an intelligent, addictive sound that I still play on a regular basis.

I have just learned that STP will be at Caesar’s Indiana on August 16. If by some providence we can save some greenage, I plan to take Tricia to her first ever rock concert as part of her birthday present. That would be too cool, to take my wife to see one of my favorite bands after pampering her all day.

I’ll leave you for the weekend with a sampling of great songs from their discography, with a link for lyrics for those of you who need them. Click on the song name for lyrics.

Plush

Vasoline

Big Bang Baby (the first STP song I ever learned)

Lady Picture Show (Not the best video, but the official video is rated PG-13 to R)

Sour Girl

Hello, It’s Late

Days of the Week

And finally, A Song For Sleeping. This isn’t a video (they don’t have one), but I sing this to baby Grace.

Have a great weekend!

More Latin Praise for Breakfast

Since you liked that so much, here’s another. It’s a very appropriate prayer for those of us who work the graveyard shift.

Pie Jesu, Pie Jesu,
Pie Jesu, Pie Jesu,
Qui tollis peccata mundi;
Dona eis requiem,
Dona eis requiem.

Angus Dei, Angus Dei,
Angus Dei, Angus Dei,
Qui tollis peccata mundi;
Dona eis requiem,
Dona eis requiem.
Sempiternam, sempiternam requiem.

Lord, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy,
You who take away the sins of the world;
Grant them rest,
Grant them rest.

Lamb of God, Lamb of God,
Lamb of God, Lamb of God,
You who take away the sins of the world;
Grant them rest,
Grant them rest.
Everlasting, everlasting rest.

Latin Praise for Breakfast

This just had to be said this morning.

Non nobis domine, non nobis,
Non nobis domine
Sed nomine, sed nomine
Tuo da gloriam.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us
Not to us, Lord our God
But to your name, but to your name
Be all the glory.

Selah.

A Brand-New Song

Sing to the Lord
A brand-new song
A prayer to our God most high
Each morning I rise
I come to you
My burdens leave me with a sigh

Sing to the Lord
A brand-new song
You start the day praisin’
You’ll never go wrong
Lift up your voice
With praise on your tongue
And sing praises to His name

I call on your name
And I give you praise
And glory, hallelujah, oh
You died on the cross
And brought me to life
My Jesus, how I love you so!

Sing to the Lord
A brand-new song
You start the day praisin’
You’ll never go wrong
Lift up your voice
With praise on your tongue
And sing praises to His name

Sing praises to His name
Sing praises to His name

© 2003 by Stephen Newell

What I’m Singing to the Baby

In the last update, I mentioned that I’ve started reading and singing to Baby Newell. Thought I’d share the song with you. With no futher ado, here is Let There Be Love by Oasis. Full lyrics follow. This video does not contain the second verse. A link follows for a video with the full lyrics performed.

Who kicked a hole in the sky so the heavens could cry over me?
Who stole the soul from the sun in a world come undone at the seams?
Let there be love
Let there be love

I hope the weather is calm as you sail down your heavenly stream
Suspended clear in the sky are the words that we see in our dreams
Let there be love, let there be love
Let there be love, let there be love

Come on, baby blue
Shake up your tired eyes, the world is waiting for you
May all your dreamin’ fill the empty sky
But if it makes you happy
Keep on clappin’
Just remember I’ll be by your side
And if you don’t let go, it’s gonna pass you by

Who kicked a hole in the sky so the heavens could cry over me?
Who stole the soul from the sun in a world come undone at the seams?
Let there be love, let there be love
Let there be love, let there be love
Let there be love, let there be love
Let there be love, let there be love
Let there be love

Video with full lyrics: Let There Be Love

The No-Name Blues

Pulled from the song archives (which date back to 1993), we at The Silent Holocron present to you the first attempt at a blues song by Stephen. It’s a story song. The setting: a resident of Jerusalem from the time of the Crucifixion onward.

I understand a man just died
What was his name, sir, do you know?
The womenfolk cryin’, the chil’un hide their eyes
What was his name, sir, do you know?

Several year later, I met a man
What was his name, sir, do you know?
He talked ’bout the man I told you ’bout before
What was his name, sir, do you know?

Now I’m ready to die, think I hear that name again
What was his name, sir, do you know?
Everything goes black, no more listenin’
What was his name, sir, do you know?

I’m in a deep dark place, I see a man with a candle
What was his name, sir, do you know?
Oh, he starts cryin’, says how could you forget Jesus?
What was his name, sir, do you know?

These here blues, they’re here to remind you
Don’t ever forget that holy name
Well, that’s my story, I got the no-name blues
What was his name, sir, do you know?

Groundless

Lord, in one fell swoop
You took away my bragging rights
Made me give up control
In one fell swoop
You filled up my dead heart with light
Resurrect my soul

Where would I be without you?
You took my heart of stone, gave me a heart of flesh,
Where would I be without you?
O I cannot boast, I am groundless,
Where would I be without you?

In one fell swoop
You buried me, put sin to death
Plunged me into the grave
In one fell swoop
You raised me with your living breath
Powerful to save

Where would I be without you?
You took my heart of stone, gave me a heart of flesh,
Where would I be without you?
O I cannot boast, I am groundless,
Where would I be without you?

Lord, in one fell swoop
You changed my heart with Jesus’ blood
Made me want your son
In one fell swoop
He bathed me in the crimson flood
He said “It is done!”

Where would I be without you?
You took my heart of stone, gave me a heart of flesh,
Where would I be without you?
O I cannot boast, I am groundless,
Where would I be without you?

© 2007 by Stephen Newell.

Nostalgia

I got to see the Transformers movie this week. Loved every minute of it. It left me wanting more. Ever since, I’ve been in a nostalgic mood. So as I waxed nostalgic, I remembered a movie from the ’90s that I loved, Empire Records. That movie captures in a nutshell the kind of music teens from my generation were listening to. There was one song specifically that jumped out at me, and the movie video actually had a full music video of the song after the credits. I used to rent the video and replay the song over and over. I guess I need to go out and buy it.

Anyhow, since I’m in a nostalgic mood, I thought I’d share that song with you. It is “Til I Hear It From You” by Gin Blossoms.

Forgiven, Not Forsaken

Found myself singing a song I wrote two years ago on a pretty regular basis, so I decided I would repost it here. It has been a great comfort to me this week.

by Stephen Newell

I’m so high on my own life
Sinkin’ down into the mire
Clawin’ hard, swimmin’ fast
Didn’t know things were so dire
I don’t care a single whit
Who You are or why You’re here
Why should I give up my life
Just because You’ve drawn so near

All we are is a grain of sand
On a ball of dust in Wonderland
Lumps of clay You sculpt again
We’re forgiven, not forsaken

You call out to my stone heart
I don’t care to hear Your words
Deaf in ears, and deaf in heart
Look at You, You’re so absurd
But, Father, You had a plan
Picked me out as Your child
Heart of stone, now heart of flesh
Made my spirit soar so wild

All we are is a grain of sand
On a ball of dust in Wonderland
Lumps of clay You sculpt again
We’re forgiven, not forsaken

Father, You, You had a plan
Picked me out for Your Son
Gave me faith to believe
Victory, my life You won
You are all that I am
Gave me reason to exist
I love You for what You’ve done
Take me home into the mist

All we are is a grain of sand
On a ball of dust in Wonderland
Lumps of clay You sculpt again
We’re forgiven, not forsaken

What If I Stumble?

I opened my cd album when I got home from work and pulled a random cd into the comp. The first song to come up was DC Talk’s What If I Stumble. Such a haunting song. I’ll share the lyrics with you today. I’ll be praying on this tonight.

What If I Stumble?

Is this one for the people?
Is this one for the Lord?
Or do I simply serenade
For things I must afford?
You can jumble them together,
My conflict still remains,
Holiness is calling
In the midst of courting fame

Do I see the trust in their eyes,
Though the sky is falling?
They need Your love in their lives,
Compromise is calling

What if I stumble? What if I fall?
What if I lose my step,
And I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue,
When my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all.
What if I stumble, what if I fall?

Father, please forgive me,
For I cannot compose
The fear that lives within me,
Or the rate at which it grows.
If struggle has a purpose
On the narrow road You’ve carved,
Why do I fear my trespasses
Will leave a deadly scar?

Do they see the fear in my eyes?
Are they so revealing?
This time I cannot disguise
All the doubt I’m feeling

What if I stumble? What if I fall?
What if I lose my step,
And I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue,
When my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

Everyone’s got to crawl when you know that
You’re up against the wall, it’s about to fall
Everyone’s got to crawl when you know that…
Everyone’s got to crawl when you know that
You’re up against the wall, it’s about to fall
Everyone’s got to crawl when you know that…

I hear you whispering my name, you say
“My love for you will never change, never change!”

What if I stumble? What if I fall?
What if I lose my step,
And I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue,
When my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble? What if I fall?
What if I lose my step,
And I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue,
When my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all.
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You are my Comfort, and my God.