Bowl Of Cherries  

There’s A Light  

I met a man in a book
Oo His eyes had the look
Of unimaginable peace
A love that couldn’t cease
He said that I was a lie
He said I would die
I said show me the way
And this is all he would say
Admit defeat
Start to seek
Do not retreat 
From my table
Point your feet 
Off the street
And take a seat
At this table
My eyes were opened 
So I could see
There’s only one place
I could be
Off the street
In my seat
With my feet
Under his table
There was nothing I could say
So I fell on my knees and prayed
Point my feet 
Off the street
And gimme my seat
At your table
Keep me off the street
And in my seat
With my feet 
Under your table
So the truth was revealed
I could not be healed
Then the man in the book
With his one last look
Said I had to die
Just like he had to die
Now my feet 
Are off the street
In my seat 
At his table
Off the street
In my seat
With my feet
Under his table
I don’t know what 
tomorrow will bring
But I can tell you 
one blessed thing
I keep my feet
Off the street
And in my seat
Under his table
Off the street
With my feet
In my seat
Under his table
I walk my feet
Off the street
With the seat
On his table
If you’re black white blue or brown
This is the only place in town
Take your feet
Off the street
And get a seat
At this table
‘Cause my feet
Are off the street
Under my seat 
At this table

They say life’s a bowl of cherries
Just watch out for the pits
They say go out there 
and get ‘em boy
Just don’t take your wits
Eat drink and be merry
For you will never die
Find a girl who loves you 
And you’ll never ever cry
Well I heard the words 
and lived the lines
And I can tell you Mam
It’s a load a crap
at least from where I stand
So I got my bowl of cherries
I just couldn’t stand the pits
I got the house the toys 
the pretty wife
But I ended up with fits
I drank to become merry 
to live with all the lies
My life was full of nothing 
I felt that I should die
I lost it all with alcohol 
my mind had left its home
And when I hit the bottom 
I was all alone
God grant me serenity 
To accept what I can’t change
And give me the courage 
To change what I can
But most of all show where I can’t sit on the fence
And grant me the wisdom 
To know the difference
When I close my eyes 
and said the words
I changed that very hour
I said it from my heart
To my Higher Power
So now I stand in front of you
My eyes so clear and blue
Because I can see so clearly now
What was always true
I had tried to run my life 
my cherries were my own
Today I see He does for me
What I could not do alone
I’ve given up on anger and 
I threw away my fears
I’m an alcoholic
Grateful to be here
God grant me serenity
To accept what I can’t change
God give me courage
To change what I can
But most of all show where I can’t sit on the fence
And grant me the wisdom 
To know the difference
I say without guilt or shame without a sense of
pride
But with a warm humility and love I cannot hide
(Grant me grant me serenity)

There’s a light that shines
Inside your mind
Even though you don’t 
Believe it’s so
Open up yourself
And you will see
That my heart is in 
Eternity
Take me
Show me
Alle-luia 
Take the light that shines
Inside my mind
It’ll take you places
You can’t find
Look around and see
You’re always free
Cause my heart’s the one
Reality
Find me 
Guide me
Take me 
Show me
Stop me
Hone me
Forgive me
Save me
Alle-luia
There’s a light that shines
Inside my mind
Even though you don’t 
Believe it’s so
Open up your heart
And you will see
That my heart is in 
Eternity
Take me
Make me
Into the man I should be
Take me
Just don’t forsake me
Into your hands I place all that I am
Into arms I will surrender
Alle-luia  

Todd Bendler – Composer/Performer  

Bite Your Face  

I’m Feelin’ Fine  

With A Little Help From My Friends

Three Two One (Bark)
Every time I see your face 
I cannot stand the sight of it
Like a toxin in my brain 
I cannot see in spite of it
Starving for a piece of bread
I cannot take a bite of it
I cannot in spite of it
Everywhere I look I see
A mirror of myself and me
Imagination’s gone from me
I cannot see what life will be
Nothing I can do or say
Will make this nightmare go away
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
(Bark)
Every time I see your face 
I cannot stand the sight of it
Medications dull the brain
But I still see in spite of it
I cannot take a bite of it
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
(Bark)
Every time I see your face
I cannot stand the sight of it
I want to take a bite of it

Everybody’s in a space
Everybodies’ got some place
Every one of us is here
How and why just aint clear
Everybody’s got a nose
Everybody’s got a nice face
Every one of us a rose
Doesn’t matter what which race
I’m feelin’ fine
One day at a time
Everybody’s got ears
Everybody had teeth
Not everybody can hear
Not everybody can speak
Everybody’s got a Mom
Everybody’s got a Dad
Some are good and some are bad
But all of us been had
Everybody has fear
Not everybody sheds tears though
Everyone should let it go
Everyone should let it go
I’m feelin’ fine
One day at a time
Everybody’s got a truth
Everyone of us’ll die for some truth
Every day I see it so
Everywhere I’ve been I see it so
Every time I reason why
Everything falls apart yea
Everyone begins to cry
‘Cause everybody’s got a heart yea 
I’m feelin’ fine
One day at a time
I walk the line
One day at a time
Everybody’s in a space
Everybodies’ got some place
Every one of us is here
Every now and then my dear
Everybody’s got a nose
Everybody’s got a nice face
Every one is like a rose
Everybody’s got some race
Everybody’s got a Mom
Everybody’s got a Dad
 

What would you do 
if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up 
and walk out on me
Lend me your ears 
and I’ll sing you a song
And I’ll try not to sing out of key
Mmmm I get by with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
Don’t get high with a little help from my friends
What do I do when 
my love is away
Does it worry me to be alone
How do I feel 
by the end of the day
Am I sad because I’m on my own
No I get by with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
Don’t get high with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody
I just want someone to love
Mmmm I get by with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
Don’t get high with a little help from my friends
Would you believe in a 
love at first sight
Yes I’m certain that it happens all the time
What do I see when I turn off the light
I can’t tell you but I know 
He’s mine
Ummm I get by with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
I Don’t get high with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody
Got somebody to love
Ummm I get by with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
I Don’t get high with a little help from my friends
 

I was trying to hear what my conceptual mind was picturing about creation – the way the universe is created. According to scientists (physicists) there is no “reality out there”, that what we call material objects are illusions we create with our minds. Where I and this piece are coming from is that God creates (maybe is) the energy required for anything (including me) to exist.  He is doing this right now this very moment your are reading this (as opposed to billions of years ago). We perceive that energy and form the universe we experience out of it. The 16^th notes represent the energy – vibrating with life and God’s love.  The slower parts are my ideas – the forms I apply to the energy supplied by God.

That would be something
It really would be something
That would be something
To reach in the fallin’ rain Mama
Reach in the fallin’ rain
To reach in the fallin’ rain Mama
To reach in the fallin’ rain
Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo
Reach in the fallin’ rain Mama
To reach in the fallin’ rain
Reach in the fallin rain Mama
Reach in the fallin rain
(All this over again with exuberance)

Fight For Your Freedom  

Songs We Were Singing  

Where did it start 
and when will it end
Who can you tell 
which way to defend
Nowhere to hide 
and nothing to do
Who can you trust 
to be there with you
I will fight for your freedom
I will fight for your freedom
I will be the only one
you can run to
With your fear 
and your fantasy
I will fight for your freedom 
For all eternity
Terrible truth and holy lies
Some wont be safe 
‘til somebody dies
Here is the time 
and this is the place
No way back 
to yesterday’s grace
I will fight for your freedom
Stand up in the face 
of your enemies
I will fight for your freedom
Sacrifice myself 
to make you free
I will be the only one 
you can run to
With your fear and your fantasies
I will fight for your freedom 
For all eternity
Where did it start 
and when will it end
Who can you tell 
which way to defend
Nowhere to hide 
and nothing to do
Who can you trust 
to be there with you
(Repeat et nausium)

For a while we could sit
Smoke and drink and discuss
The vast intricacies of life
We could jaw through the night
Talk about a range of subjects anything you like
Oh yea
But we always get back 
to the song we were singing
At any particular time
We always get back 
to the song we were singing
At any particular time
Eternal life second wife traffic lights
Another stumble and the current situation
Take a look see the mirror 
day and night
Can’t avoid your own reflection
But we always come back 
to the songs we were singing
At any particular time
We always come back 
to the song we were singing
At any particular time
She’s been around he’s a clown
But we listen with abject fascination
It’s as if what we say
Influences the course or our own destination
Yes we always come back 
to the song we were singing
At any particular time 
We always come back 
to the song we were singing
At any particular time
Used to sip see the world through the glass
And speculate about the cosmic solution
Now I sit at the table eyes wide
Caught up in a philosophical discussion
Oh Yea
Yes we always come back 
to the songs we were singing
At any particular time
Yes we always come back 
to the songs we were singing
At any particular time
Well we always come back 
We always come back
We always come back 
We always come back
We always come back 
to the song
We always come back 
to the song