In My Life

I was listening to Johnny Cash's version of The Beatles classic "In My Life" and I was struck by the lyrics that I guess I only really listened to closely for the first time. They run like this:

In My Life
The Beatles

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone, and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead, and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
In my life I love you more

It's a perfect devotional song to sing for Meher Baba or Muhammed, Jesus Christ, Siddharta Gautama or any other transcendent being that has graced our planet and who has inspired that degree of love in us. In the official lyrics, the words are "In my life, I'll love you more" but I prefer Johnny Cash's "In my life, I love you more" because it centres the feeling in the present rather than the future.

Of course I'll be singing to Baba. The lyrics are befitting for a 70 year old such as myself to sing because by then one may have realised that love for a divine being trumps love for mere mortals:

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new

This is just one of several songs that a suitable for devotional purposes. A long time favourite of mine has been "How Can I Tell You" by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam). In that song, once the words "honey" and "girl" have been taken out, it is entirely suitable. I also alter the phrase "I need to know you, Need to feel my arms around you, Feel my arms around you" to "I need to know you, Need to feel your arms around me, Feel your arms around me" which seems more appropriate. It should be up to the master to initiate the embrace.

How Can I Tell You
Cat Stevens

How can I tell you
That I love you
I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you
That I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you
But my words just blow away
Just blow away
It always ends up to one thing
And I can't think of right words to say

Wherever I am
I'm always walking with you
I'm always walking with you
But I look and you're not there
Whoever I'm with
I'm always, always talking to you
I'm always talking to you
And I'm sad that you can't hear
Sad that you can't hear
It always ends up to one thing
When I look and you're not there

I need to know you
Need to feel your arms around me
Feel your arms around me
Like a sea around a shore
Each night and day I pray
In hope that I might find you
In hope that I might find you
Because hearts can do no more
Can do no more
It always ends up to one thing
Still I kneel upon the floor

How can I tell you
That I love you
I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you
That I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you
It always ends up to one thing
And I can't think of right words to say

Van Morrison's "Hymns to the Silence" is also very devotional, as are many of his songs:

Here are the lyrics:

Hymns to the Silence
Van Morrison 

 

Oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love
Oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love
When I'm away from you, when I'm away from you
Well I feel, yeah, well I feel so sad and blue
Well I feel, well I feel so sad and blue
Oh my dear, oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love
When I'm away from you, I just have to sing, my hymns
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence 

Oh my dear, oh my dear sweet love it's a long, long journey
Long, long journey, journey back home
Back home to you, feel you by my side
Long journey, journey, journey
Yeah in the midnight, in the midnight, I burn the candle
Burn the candle at both ends, burn the candle at both ends
Burn the candle at both ends, burn the candle at both ends
And I keep on, 'cause I can't sleep at night
Until the daylight comes through
And I just, and I just, have to sing
Sing my hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
My hymns to the silence 

I want to go out in the countryside
Oh sit by the clear, cool, crystal water
Get my spirit, way back to the feeling
Deep in my soul, I want to feel
Oh so close to the One, close to the One
Close to the One, close to the One
And that's why, I keep on singing
My hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence 

Oh my hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Oh hymns to the silence, oh hymns to the silence
Oh hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Oh my dear, my dear sweet love 

Can you feel the silence? can you feel the silence?
Can you feel the silence? can you feel the silence? 

Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence
Hymns to the silence, hymns to the silence.