Jimi Yamagishi: tunes/lyrix

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO WAYNE
J. Yamagishi ©2k



He lived up in the mountains, couldn’t always get to church
But he knew what he believed & read his Bible every day
Some said he was crazy, thought he was possessed
But I know he was a man of God & he walked in righteousness

(cho)
For when he spoke, of his Lord Jesus
It was always like he spoke to him today
& he shared about salvation, simple pure & plain
The Gospel according to Wayne

Thous & thines & flowery words he didn’t understand
Were not about the love of God & so he threw them all away
Had veggies in his garden, & shared them with the poor
His actions spoke the Gospel like they’d never heard before

(cho)

He never had a pulpit, never had too many books
But his words were very clear
because he spoke right from the heart
And I know his life has touched me, in a special way
Every time I share the Gospel simple pure & plain

BORN TO SERVE YOU
J. Yamagishi ©1997

I was born to serve You
To be Your hand of grace
To bring Your love to my backyard
And to the Furthest place
For I vowed to be there for You
You Promised in return
To lead me through & keep me strong
I need not be concerned

Jesus You have saved me
From all that I’ve done wrong
Take me down a brand new road
And given me a song
And You are always by my side
To catch me, should I fall
And even if I walk away
You’ll be there if I call

(repeat first verse)

Count your Blessings
©JY 2k+1



Looking back to see the road I’ve traveled
Took some detours just to come this far
Sometimes took the way that looked so easy
Always wound up being just as hard

Sometimes watched with envy
As my friends found great success
Always get reminded
That it don’t mean happiness

Count your blessings, you will find
Count your blessings , and in time
Count your blessings you will see
You are right where you should be


Can’t sleep cuz I’m thinking ‘bout the future
Things that I can see but still can’t hold
Dreams I’ve locked away until tomorrow
Lost their sparkle sometime long ago

Then I hear a voice
Saying dreams are never lost
Sometimes they become a gift
For blessing someone else

God’ll be around
JY© 1999

What I have seen, what I have known
When things are lookin' good it doesn't show
But it's still there, tryin't get in
That ugly lil' thing that we call sin
So you better pray, even though its a bright & sunny day
Thank the Lord that life is good, you don't have t' knock on wood, 'cuz He's not just for when you're down
God'll be around

Well the sign sez stop, but you just roll thru
'Cuz you don't think nobody's watchin' you
Or you park your car, handicapped zone
Hey, no one's ever gonna know (yeah right)
But if the boys in blue, don't help you change your attitude
You better look both ways
'Cuz come the judgement day,
You're gonna get shut down
God'll be around

And those lil' lies, you might have told,
Will catch right up to you before you know
And if your walk, Don't match your talk
You might not hear when Jesus comes & knocks
Start every day, livin' like that bible says
'Cuz if you just take a look, Livin' by the book
Puts your life on solid ground God'll be around
Thank the Lord that life is good, you don't have to knock on wood
'Cuz He's not just for when you're down
God'll be around

The sweet voice, of acoustic guitar, brought me back in time
To a place that only lives in the back of my mind
Hard to reach and harder to find
Where a young boy runs through the sprinklers in the hot summer sun
Slurps a cold shaved ice, when the day is done
Skateboards & bikes piled up on the lawn, and we were the best of friends

But that was too many days ago, and before we get much older
Before all of the dreams we had have come to pass
One way or another
Come sit my friend talkstory, me and you

Connected by a common six-string dream, we went into the world
Finding things were not the way, we thought they would be
Too much to look at, but little to see
And the touch of a beautiful girl could take your breath away
And if you came back, there was nothing too say
The music could mend a broken heart, and we were the best of friends

But that was too many days ago, and before we get much older
Before all of the dreams we had have come to pass
One way or another
Come sit my friend talkstory, me and you

We set out on separate roads to find a purpose in life
God kept hiss promises, I’m okay, looks like you’re doing fine

But that was too many days ago, and before we get much older
Before all of the dreams we had have come to pass
One way or another
Come sit my friend talkstory, me and you

Well I could tell somethin’ was different for the Sunday mornin’ service what the preacher man was gonna say
He had a Guild guitar leather strap & wearin’ glasses comin’ up from the south side way
All the folks in the church was wonderin’ what was gonna happen when he stood up & asked us to pray
And I swear I never heard such fire in The Gospel when the preacher man started to play
(like this)

Yeah he spoke of temptation of Jesus and the devil & the way that we were livin’ in sin
How there ain’t no way out of goin’ down under unless we had the power within
And he sang of salvation & the way to get to heaven & how Jesus Christ could be your friend
“Just let Him take over by the power of The Spirit, it’s just like being born again”

Then he grabbed his guitar & started pickin’ like a chicken all the people started clappin’ their hands
Praisin’ The Lord lift their voices up t’ heaven until we reach the promised land
(like this)

Yeah we raised the roof ‘cuz you know he spoke the truth about Jesus in your life each day
And I’ll always remember that guitar pickin’ preacher every time I hear a guitar play
& I’ve started t’ feel like pickin’ some steel since I gave my life to Jesus that day
Ya know someday on the road I’m gonna meet up with that preacher & we can praise the Lord & play
(like this)

Guess it really doesn’t matter
I’m a sucker to trust
I’ll help someone up the ladder
N’ get left in the dust
Seems I’m always the side dish
Not the main entrée
But if that’s the way God planned it,
Well then that’s okay

Cuz I, have a reason to be
It takes a lotta dirt, to support a tree
And the truth, we all know
If you dig really deep you’ll find a heart of gold

Yeah I’ll get a little greasy
Tryin’ t’ fix your car
I know it won’t be easy
But it ain’t too hard
And if you pass me on the highway
I will understand
‘Cuz I’m just another footnote
Not part of your plan

Cuz I, have a reason to be
It takes a lotta dirt, to support a tree
And the truth, we all know
If you dig really deep you’ll find a heart of gold

Well a bridge is well connected
But it watches the world go by
And everyone that crosses
Leaves a piece of themselves behind
All the grit and the dust and the blood and the rust and the hope and despair and the water and air become part of our lives and we all have a share

Cuz I, have a reason to be
It takes a lotta dirt, to support a tree
And the truth, we all know
If you dig really deep you’ll find a heart of gold

I once had a neighbor, his name was Bob or Bill
He was a redneck nazi from the North Dakota Hills
Culture & finesse, was just not part of his plan
Yeah if ignorance is bliss
He must be one happy man

Well he burned his wife’s Toyota, said he won’t drive no Jap car
Guess he didn’t realize it was made in his backyard
From Gardena, California, built by true Americans
Yeah if ignorance is bliss, he must be one happy man

I saw him with some klansmen, lookin’ for someone to beat
He wound up in the ICU when he tripped over his sheets
Being saved by Dr. Rosen, as just more than he could stand
Yeah if ignorance is bliss, he must be one happy man

Yeah I hope someday ol’ Bob or Bill will learn from his mistakes
You can’t fly up t’ heaven if you’re loaded down with hate
If he can’t find forgiveness, you can guess just where he’ll land
‘Cuz sittin’ with the devil, he won’t be a happy man
Yeah if ignorance is bliss
He is still a stupid man

Early on one morning, I went to a cathedral
Stepped inside the door and there was no one else inside
Kneeling at the altar, I bowed my head in prayer
But the silence overpowered all the things I had to share

‘Cuz a house is not a home without a family to share it
Guided by His spirit, and living in His love
His house is built on love as a solid firm foundation
Where we can all seek refuge
And shelter from the storm

Sunlight through the colors, of the pictures in the windows
Warming cold gray walls & splashing rainbows on the floor
Couldn’t break the silence, or the emptiness inside there
And as I walked away I wondered “what’s this building for?”

‘Cuz a house is not a home without a family to share it
Guided by His spirit, and living in His love
His house is built on love as a solid firm foundation
Where we can all seek refuge
And shelter from the storm

And in the distance, I heard singning
Rising from the bottom of the hill
Joining, in the harmony
And to this day I’m singing with them still

‘Cuz a house is not a home without a family to share it
Guided by His spirit, and living in His love
His house is built on love as a solid firm foundation
Where we can all seek refuge
And shelter from the storm

You speak to me so clearly, though I refuse to hear
Feeling like you have left me, when you’re holding me so near
Seems the roads I’ve traveled, keep leading back to You
And everytime I walk away I come back, to the truth

To Your open arms, You love me as I am
In your open arms, You’re there for me again
In Your open arms, I feel Your healing touch
In Your open arms…

There’s a light in the hallway, where it leads I do not know
So I’ll just sit in the darkness, for the fear that just might show
How can I believe in, the things I cannot see
How could I refuse to see You waiting, there for me

With Your open arms, You love me as I am
In your open arms, You’re there for me again
In Your open arms, I feel Your healing touch
In Your open arms…

Just a little more time
Sometimes I just wanna sit in the slime
Maybe it’s just my nature, when I fall into sin
It’s harder comin’ out than the way I got in

Take me through the spin cycle
Dry all my tears drain the heartache away
Take me through the spin cycle
Wash away the dark turn the night into day
Na-na-na-na-na-na-
Whoa-oh-whoa-oh
Na-na-na-na-na-na

I just do what I’m told
After a while that just gets old
That’s when I’ll cut loose & run
Come back to You every time I’m done

Take me through the spin cycle
Dry all my tears drain the heartache away
Take me through the spin cycle
Wash away the dark turn the night into day
Na-na-na-na-na-na-
Whoa -oh- whoa- oh

Someday I’ll look up to You
And realize that it’s all true
You had a much better way
If I had listened every day

Take me through the spin cycle
Dry all my tears drain the heartache away
Take me through the spin cycle
Wash away the dark turn the night into day
Na-na-na-na-na-na-
Whoa -oh- whoa- oh

Thanks for coming here tonight
Hope the music’s not too loud, the lighting is just right
As I take my place my hands upon the keys
Begin the words you waited for, the stuff you paid to see…

Would you like fries with that order, what kind of drink today
Thank you please drive forward, first window’s where you pay

Someday I’ll be famous and well known
Anyone can be a star, at least that’s what I’m told
And this is just a detour on my way to better things
Riding on this carousel, waiting for that shining ring

Would you like fries with that order, what kind of drink today
Thank you please drive forward, first window’s where you pay

Jesus said I love you as you are
You’ll always be My precious child, you’re always in My heart
Your voice is always beautiful, even when you’re not in tune
You see I love you very much, I even died for you.

Cash check or credit card, the debt has all been paid
Thanks to my Lord Jesus
My cup is full always

It’s a simple fact of life that what goes up must all come down
Watch out or it might come down on you
A careless act or circumstance could jeopardize your life
Or maybe simply change your point of view
There’s three sides to every story, yours mine and the truth
Better run for cover if you’re wrong
Lies are just like earthquakes, damage by their magnitude
You’ve got to struggle to rebuild when they’re all done

That’s why I look to You, my Savior, above
When I lift my life, You rain down Your sweet love
When I look to you, my Savior, my Lord
You rebuild my life and make it better than before

Sittin’ with the evening news, & dinner on my plate
With this week’s celebrity on trial
Murder mass destruction, tragedy and war & hate
The anchorman reports it with a smile
They never have the time to talk about the peace
Or the promise written in God’s blood
Seems there’s always time to watch the media police
But never any time for love

Tylenol & chocolate, can’t relieve the pain
‘Specially when this crazy world is two steps past insane
You have promised peace of mind in my hour of need
And bring to light the truth so I can see

That’s when I look to You, my Savior, above
When I lift my life, You rain down Your sweet love
When I look to you, my Savior, my Lord
You rebuild my life and make it better than before

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

The way you threw those curves, from your hips to your heels
Your blouse was so tight, wondered if they were real
Yeah it’s been a while, you sure have changed
Since the days when we were kids you’re not the same

You bleached your hair, down to the roots
Saw the way your lips, tried to seduce
Yeah, it’s been a while you sure have changed
Since the days when we were kids you’re not the same

You’ve grown up into someone, I’d never recognize
With your custom-turquoise, tinted contact eyes
Time has done you well, as far as I can tell
You’ve become what you were meant to be

‘Cuz though the guys, all turn their heads
I turn away & grin, instead
‘Cuz I remember when your name was Rick
& you had a Camaro with a four speed stick

*(unreleased)

• MP3 download whole song, hi-fi
• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)