Category: Secular

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Looking for the Similar Tune for "I Saw You at the Funeral"

The tune/chords from I Saw You at the Funeral” has been haunting me, and worrying me that I might have taken some existing TV theme, so I searched on iTunes for TV Themes, and I think it is the theme from Hill Street Blues that I’m remembering. Luckily it is quite different, although has a very similar feel. So I’m going to stop worrying now.

I think I’m close to finishing the basic chords and melody, and just need to finalize the lyrics now.

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I Saw You at the Funeral

This song reminds me of Todd Rundgren. I hope I haven’t stolen any of his tunes or words.

This is another song that I woke up in the middle of the night hearing in my head. It was following a funeral that I attended. While at the funeral I ran into an old friend that I hadn’t seen for a long time. There had been rift in the church awhile back, and a bunch of dear friends left in what can only be described as a most bizarre set of circumstances. It was so good to see this friend, but it felt like the chasm was just too scary to approach. So I guess we both acted like nothing had happened.

This is a very rough, piano-only 1st take.
I Saw You at the Funeral

Copyright (c) 2008 by Ron Lisle.


 
I saw you at the  
G/C 
Funer
C 
al.
 
We smiled and  
G/A 
said 
 
hel
C/A 
lo.
 
Pretending things were  
G/F 
still the  
C/F 
same.
 
We were still  
G/C 
friends
G 
.

…

 
F 
I can  
G 
see that you were  
C/A 
hurt 
 
 
G/A 
by 
 
 
C/A 
me.
F 
That was  
G 
never my  
C/A 
intent.
F 
Maybe 
 
 
G 
some things just  
C/A 
can’t 
 
 
G/A 
be 
 
 
C/A 
fixed.
F 
I wish  
G 
when (immediately back to…) 
 
I saw you at the  
G/C 
Funer
C 
al.
 
We smiled and  
G/C 
said 
 
hel
C 
lo.
 
That things were  
G/C 
still the  
C 
same.
 
We were still  
G/C 
friends
G 
.

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Cloud of Angels

Cloud of Angels

Written by Ron Lisle
Key Gm
TimeSignature 4/4
Tempo 110

Intro

Gm C

Verse 1

 
Gm 
We had ex
F 
pected the news would be  
Eb 
good. 
 
 
F/D 
 
D/F# 
 
Gm 
And it was  
F 
clear at the start that the  
Eb 
doctor 
 
 
F/D 
thought 
 
 
D/F# 
the 
 
 
Gm 
same
 
but the  
F 
look on his face when he  
Eb 
saw it said  
F/D 
all he  
D/F# 
needed to  
Gm 
say

Intro

Gm C/G

Verse 2

 
Gm 
A flash of e
F 
motion spread through the  
Eb 
room. 
 
 
F/D 
 
D/F# 
 
Gm 
Intense 
 
con
F 
fusion, shock, disbe
Eb 
lief, 
 
 
F/D 
anger, 
 
 
D/F# 
dread, or  
Gm 
fear?
 
This was a  
F 
day that would change every
Eb 
thing.
F/D 
Starting down a  
D/F# 
long, scary  
Gm 
road.

Chorus 1

 
Gm 
I’m so sorry that you  
C/G 
had to travel down that  
Gm 
road.
 
Gm 
But I thank God that He  
C/G 
would not let you go alone.
 
Eb 
He sent so  
F/D 
many to  
D 
help 
 
a
D/F# 
long the  
Gm 
way 
 
 
Gm/F 
that 
 
it
 
Eb 
felt like we’d been  
D 
wrapped in a  
D/F# 
cloud of  
Gm 
Angels.

Intro

Gm C/G

Verse 3

 
Gm 
So many  
F 
new things to learn we would  
Eb 
never 
 
 
F/D 
ever 
 
have
D/F# 
chosen to  
Gm 
know.
 
We had to  
F 
get good at schedules and  
Eb 
things. 
 
 
F/D 
Appointments, 
 
 
D/F# 
treatments, but  
Gm 
then
 
you were a
F 
mazing, your faith was so  
Eb 
strong  it  
F/D 
help us  
D/F# 
all to hang  
Gm 
on.

Chorus 2

 
Gm 
And I’m sorry that you  
C/G 
had to travel down that  
Gm 
road.
 
Gm 
But I thank God that he  
C/G 
would not let you go alone.
 
Eb 
He sent so  
F/D 
many to  
D 
help 
 
a
D/F# 
long the  
Gm 
way
Gm/F 
that 
 
it
 
Eb 
felt like we’d been  
D 
wrapped in a  
D/F# 
cloud of  
Gm 
Angels.

Gm C/G

Verse 4

 
Gm 
They say that af
F 
ter five years that you’ve  
Eb 
made it, the
F/D 
danger 
 
 
D/F# 
is finally  
Gm 
past.
 
We’re over  
F 
half way there now and I  
Eb 
know that  
F/D 
we’re
D/F# 
going to  
Gm 
make 
 
it.
 
‘Cause the  
F 
One that sends us those  
Eb 
angels  is  
F/D 
still 
 
watching
D/F# 
over 
 
 
Gm 
you.

Repeat Chorus

Intro

Gm C/G

Performed by Ron and friends: Chrissy Cochrum vocals, Matt Welch Drums, Ron Lisle keyboards

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Tailgating SUVs

This is a fairly negative song, so I probably won’t ever do much with it. The idea came to me while driving to work, seeing some SUVs tailgating these other little cars. It occurred to me that they’d probably get really angry if some larger vehicle (like a semi-truck) tailgated them. The hypocrisy and self-centeredness bothers me.

It is a pretty standard I-IV-V song with VI minor thrown into the chorus.  

[Title]Tailgating SUVs

[Verse 1]
[C]Tailgating SUVs, [F]putting my life at [G]risk.
[C]You’re bigger so you don’t care if you [F]crash into me tsk, [G]tsk!
[Am]I’d like to see you get tail[F]gated yourself one [G]day
by a [Am]big mac truck, much bigger than you. Would [F]you think that is [G]ok?

[Verse 2]
Tailgating SUVs, now you’re making me shudder.
You’ve got a hot cup of coffee in one hand, and your cellphone in the other.
I sure hope you don’t spill that coffee in your lap.
You’ll be jumping and screaming and crash into me, and …

… something about the price of gas?

… something about the environment?