“Like ripples of wind on the water
Disturbing reflections of time”
from “Reflections of Time”, an unreleased song by Brian Henke (c) 1976
I just had one of those big decade turning birthdays… 70….
I would have never thought as a child or young man that I would ever not only reach this point, but that I would still be doing what I had always dreamed of…playing, writing and recording music and….making a living doing it!
I’ve often thought that if all the truest details of my life were to be written down in a book, it would be thought to be a ridiculous form of science fiction…I think I, myself might have a hard time believing it.
I have been very, very lucky. Understatement…
My hair has gone from blond to brown to blond then white… It has yet to abandon me, so it can be whatever color it wants…
I am still able to travel all over in my car and play music for people, see and share with old friends and yet get to make new friends too…
I believe that I’m writing the best songs in my life and am certain that somehow my singing voice is sounding better than it ever has.
I still have that deep longing inside me to do more, see more, feel more, love more and do it better…
Here Right Now
The song Here Right Now was recorded for my first vocal CD Sun and the Moon and the Stars and is all about what I do and how I feel about it.
I am a million miles from home
Living inside my head alone
Traveling all of space and time
Behind the wheel on the highwayCoffee inside a paper cup
I spend all day just waking up
Searching for signs along the way
Driving a dream that’s going my wayAnd I am here right now
Yeah, I am here right nowAnd the I get to play my songs
Just for a moment then it’s gone
Somewhere between the here and there
Are all the moments we can shareAnd we are here right now
Yeah, we are here right now
Yeah, we are here right nowI made some brand-new friends today
And then I had to drive away
All of the new friends and the old
All of the stories that are told
All shine the purest light of gold
Only an open heart can holdAnd we are here right now
Yeah, we are here right nowYeah, we are here right now
All of the new friends and the old
All of the stories that are told
All shine the purest light of gold
Only an open heart can hold“Here Right Now” by Brian Henke (c) 2015, from the album “Sun and the Moon and the Stars”
Am I a Sage now? Really?
What amount and quality of wisdom have I gathered, now that I have reached this milestone in my life? Can I now be considered a “sage”
That word sage being connected to me just makes me laugh. I am still the same goofy person I ever was.
Because of the years I have survived, I now have even more silly jokes to annoy my friends and family with. Am I a “sage” of silly jokes?
Has my abundance of silly stories aged like a fine…cheese?
As I have often said “I may be old in years, but I am still very immature for my age”.
I recently shared some of my favorite songs on my Facebook pages that best encapsulate my spirituality and outlook on life.
Here’s a few….
Breathing Out and In
Underneath the trees I lie
Gazing up at leaves and sky
Clouds and Moon and Stars they spin
Fireflies dancing on the windBreathing out and in
Holding stars and grains of sand
With the fingers of my hand
Every heartbeat that is mine
Floating on the winds of timeBreathing out and in
Breathing with the windStars reflected in the stream
Join the river of my dreams
To the ocean I will swim
In the water and the windBreathing out and in
Breathing with the wind“Breathing Out and In” by Brian Henke (c) 2015 from the album “Sun and the Moon and the Stars”
Captain Timewarp
This video was put together Beltana Spellsinger.
The captain in the story is…me.
On the sea Captain Timewarp
Memories, waves of time and time again
Sail on forever now
Sail onLight and sound vibrations
Dance and sing all sensations that we feel
Sail on forever now
Sail on Captain Timewarp on and onSails are full of dream wind
Sailing on seven mysteries
Sail on forever now
Sail on Captain Timewarp on and onBreathing in the lifeforce
Cosmic waves of love that we can feel
Sail on forever now
Sail on Captain Timewarp on and on
On and on and on and on and on“Captain Timewarp” by Brian Henke (c) 2020, from the album “Dance with the Fireflies”
Bees are Making Honey
Romantic love…
The dog is sleeping in the yard, cat’s in the barn
Morning birds are singing “Hallelujah” to the SunGo on sleeping Love, I’ll make the coffee
On this lazy Summer morning
Grapes on the vine, bees are making honey
Grapes on the vine, bees are making honeyLife is sweeter now that you are here with me
Lying in my arms the night before
I wonder if our love is what you’re dreamingGrapes on the vine, bees are making honey
The dog is stretching in the Sun, cat’s in the corn
Morning birds are singing “Hallelujah a new day is born”I’ll bring you coffee to you as your waking
Sunlight through the window on your sleepy smile
On this lazy Summer morning
Grapes on the vine, bees are making honey
Grapes on the vine, bees are making honey“Bees are Making Honey” by Brian Henke (c) 2020, from the album “Dance with the Fireflies”
I Will Follow the Stars
Faded sign says Jesus saves
Wild roses on your grave
I’m leaving town, I’m on my way
No reason left for me to stayI’ll be gone with the Sun
Deep into the night
I will follow the starsShadows falling from the trees
Smell of distant burning leaves
Falling Sun begins to bleed
A broken heart down on its kneesI’ll be gone with the sun
Deep into the night
I will follow the starsI will follow the stars
Deep into the night
And pray that someday they lead to you
Swirling blackness of my luck
Like truck stop coffee in my cup
I hear this lonesome highway song
On every road that I am onI’ll be gone with the sun
Deep into the night
I will follow the starsI will follow the stars
Deep into the night
And pray that someday they lead to you
I will follow the stars
Signposts of the light
And pray that someday they lead to youWild roses on your grave
I’m leaving town, I’m on my way“I Will Follow the Stars” by Brian Henke (c) 2024, from the album “There Beneath the Stars”
To the Air
We were walking, you were talking
I swear I heard every word that you said
You were leaving, I heard you were leaving
Still I could not believe it was trueAt the funeral I said my goodbyes
Still I could not believe it was youIf I could hold you again, I would hold you
I would tell you how much that I care
But instead I will say that I love you, to the airI always thought that you’d always be here
That the world could not turn without you
Moon will rise, Sun will set
Stars will shine with a light that is trueIf I could hold you again, I would hold you
I would tell you how much that I care
But instead, I will say that I love you, to the airHope the Angels love you like I love you
I hope that somehow you can hear this songChildren growing, wild wind is blowing
Through the leaves of the trees as they fall
Summer’s over and winter is coming
A soul’s harvest must come to us allIf I could hold you again, I would hold you
I would tell you how much that I care
But instead, I will say that I love you, to the airIf I could hold you again, I would hold you
I would tell you how much that I care
But instead, I will say that I love
Wherever you are
To the air“To The Air” by Brian Henke (c) 2015, from the album “Sun and the Moon and the Stars”
Seven Veils of Salome
In my life I’ve played a lot of different kinds of music, from New Age and Folk. From Blues to all kinds of Rock. Progressive Jazz to Prog Rock and all kinds of music in between.
If someone were to ask what I think the very best of my instrumental music is, I would have to say it’s the over 12 minute long, 7-part solo guitar composition describing the chakras “Seven Veils of Salome”
Dancing With the Child in You
Am I wise? Am I a wise guy? As I wrote before, considering my goofy self a sage is well…goofy…
No matter how old I manage to become in years, no matter the condition of my physical self, I very sincerely always hope to write and play music for both the child in you and… for the child in me.
From all of us here at Pagan Song, Happy Birthday Brian Henke! We look forward to many more years of music and laughter and joy along the way.
For more information about Brian Henke, including his collected articles here on Pagan Song, his bio, and links to Brian’s sites on the web, check out Brian Henke’s page on Pagan Song.
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