Music, Lyrics, Arrangements, Performances, Recordings

and Cover Art by Andrew V. Barber.

ZORCHED 2: Click on title, press play.

​Click on title for lyrics.

​Click on title for lyrics.

​Click on title for lyrics.

* Love Versus Time was recorded in 1981 on a cassette recorder.

ZORCHED 3: Click on title, press play.

​Songs: Lyrics and Music

​ABOUT THE SONGS

     The inspiration, intent and history of each song has been summarized in order of appearance from each album. As a budding musician and songwriter, I was influenced by rhythm and blues (like Elvis, Beatles, Rolling Stones), folk artists (Dylan; Peter, Paul and Mary; Simon and Garfunkel; Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young), and hard rockers (Doors, Cream, Who, Hendrix, Steppenwolf), not to mention pop and soul coming out of the 60s and early 70s. Further, my lyrics often are influenced by the Holy Bible. A blending of many genres is heard in the original music presented in this discography. Hopefully, you will find the following information useful and will be motivated to listen. Any critiques or opinions you can provide about my music and lyrics are welcome.

ZORCHED 1: At the Threshold of Time (We stand at this threshold every second of our lives.)

101-Psalm 151 ~ Written in 2004, this song of praise was inspired by the book of Psalms, of which there are 150 in the Bible; hence, the title Psalm 151. I have performed the acoustic version of this tune on several occasions during the offertory at my church.
102-Down the Road ~ This song was written around 1979, during the time I was a caseworker and counselor at the El Paso Runaway Center. It was my way of processing personal anguish experienced vicariously by the many histories I documented from the traumatized runaways. I put it all into a song about a kid whose life was one hardship after another, and his only recourse was to hit the road and start over. I often played the song for the runaways during group therapy. I used art, writing, and music as interventions to get the residents to open up and process their emotional baggage; this was long before licensure was required, much less credentials in expressive arts employed during therapy.
103-Angel Heart ~ Written in 2001, this started out as a poem that first appeared in one of my short stories (published in Anthology). I added some verses and music during the time I was dating my current (second) wife April, so I dedicated the song to her.
104-Seasons ~ Written in 1995, the only inspiration for this song was the four seasons, during which the weather and environment seem to create certain moods or feelings at different times of the year. Love lost and/or found is a topic I often write about.
105-Armor of God ~ Written in 2010, this song was inspired by Ephesians 6:10–18. The meaning of that scripture is illustrated clearly in the lyrics. The importance of each part of the armor, including the sword, is presented.
106-Another Day, Another Life ~ This folk song was written in 1991 as a tribute to my older brother Jeff, who was killed by a negligent driver that ran a stop sign as my brother rounded a corner on his motorcycle (Jeff was 42). The message is that grief over the loss of life can be overcome with hope, as we look forward to God’s gift of eternal life. My oldest brother and I performed this song at our church during a talent show in the recreation hall about 15 years ago (he played acoustic guitar; I played piano and sang vocals).
107-Dreamchaser ~ This song, composed in 1995, was inspired by oldies from my youth about that one elusive dream girl (Dream Lover by Bobby Darin, Dream Baby by Roy Orbison, All I Have to Do is Dream by the Everly Brothers). I put a harder beat and piercing guitars to bring the “dreamchaser” back to life.
108-Better Than This ~ The poem was written in 1972 while I was in the Army; it alludes to the pressure to gain rank and status, which were less important to me than simply doing what I was told to the best of my ability, while staying out of trouble in the meantime. I discovered this was the key to gaining rank, but instead of extending my active duty nine months in exchange for another stripe (E5), I opted for the early out to go to college (without help from the GI Bill I might never have gone to college). After advanced education and experience I ended up in leadership positions regardless, so I guess it was God’s plan. Anyway, I put music to the poem in the early 80’s. In 2020 I added a few lines, put a calypso beat, and revised the composition. I must say, the sentiment remains true for me to this day. Many have said they detect a Beatles influence in the beat and melody.

109-Crown of Life ~ This song was written and copyrighted in 2001, inspired by my trust in God’s Word and His promise of a Crown of Life given to all who believe in the Word made flesh who is Christ the Lord. I performed this song in my church using an electric guitar (the way it sounds on the CD but without drums and bass).
110-Lady of the Shadows ~ Written in 2008, the surrealism in this song was inspired by those frequent occasions when I would awake from a dream that I wish could have continued, at least to find out how it ends. Have you ever dreamt that you were starting a relationship with that special someone and then woke up? Even though I have a special person in my life (since 2009) I still have those dreams on rare occasions. Like Dreamchaser, the song reflects an elusive dream lover that you will never get to make it with.

111-Memorial Day ~ Clearly, this song was inspired by the masses who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. It was written on Memorial Day, 2018. The lyrics cover the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Vietnam War, and wars in the Middle East. A parallel is proposed to the giving of one’s life for others, and Christ who gave His life for all (John 15:13).
112-Love Versus Time ~ Written in 1979, this song is one that I dreamt in entirety. I saw myself performing the song on stage; when I woke up, I wrote down the lyrics and chords. The song declares that love outlasts time, whereas time eventually runs out while love does not. I recorded it back then on cassette with a patch that made the keyboard sound like a Hammond organ. Since I was unable to recreate this sound in Garageband, and had since forgotten the lead guitar part, I remastered the original recording, which is why it sounds a bit rough.

ZORCHED 2: Journey Through Geekland (The world is full of weirdos including you and me.)

201-For God So Loved the World ~ Obviously, this song was inspired by John 3:16. Written in 2004, it tells the Gospel story, as well as introducing the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (three verses and three persons). I have performed the acoustic version of this song at my church.
202-Freestyle Boogie ~ The song was written during 1974-1975 when I played drums in local rock bands (Nemesis and Shelter). In the tradition of long-version songs, we had one such song in our repertory with solos by each musician, inspired by Refried Boogie from Canned Heat. My song has a similar beat and progression, but is otherwise original and predates La Grange by Z Z Top which has the same cadence with different chord progression. So “don’t forget to boogie” (concluding words on Canned Heat’s double album, Living the Blues).
203-Second Coming ~ Composed in 1979, the lyrics to this song come straight from Jesus’s Olivet Discourse (recorded by Gospel writers Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Originally played as a heavy metal tune with lots of distortion (fuzz and wah wah), the song still has a heavy feel and is as hard hitting as any rock song I have written. It was designed to hammer home the messages that tribulations are coming, and that everyone should prepare for Christ’s return. St. John quoted Christ in the final passages of Revelation, “Behold, I come quickly,” and John’s reply, “Amen, come Lord Jesus.”
204-Bad Girl ~ Written in 1990, this song also was inspired by my employment at the runaway center in the late 70’s. It’s about a young man in love with a runaway girl who is misunderstood by everybody else. She is so tormented by her past that she takes her own life. It is a rebuke against a society or government that neglects troubled and abused youth, and fails to hold certain parents and other adults accountable. I thank God for the runaway center where we were able to find proper homes in their state of residence for many of these wayward and maltreated children.
205-Black Beauty ~ Written in 1981, this ballad tells the story of an unlikely encounter between a laid-back white rocker and a sophisticated black aristocrat. Despite their many differences, they are able to connect and fill a void if only temporarily, with an experience neither of them would ever forget. The song was inspired by the memory of a happenstance bond that I established with a local woman of color when I was in the Army (1971-1972). It was a relationship that was unsustainable given my job, not to mention the issues this nation faced at the time concerning bigotry, discrimination, and a hapless attempt at desegregation. For years I would wonder what became of this young lady, known to me only by her first name. So, I wrote a song that illustrated this brief love affair and dedicated it to her.
206-Never the Same ~ Written in 1991, this song is about the rollercoaster which is life itself, with twists and turns, highs and lows. It’s mostly about making the right choices in life and considering the respective consequences before taking action, to include a spiritual component that forms the basis of good decisions.

207-1001 ~ The lyrics were written while I was in the Army (1972), and reflected my desire for love and intimacy, and my inability to find and keep it. I was a young military man who was never in one place long enough to sustain a love connection with anybody. The girls I dated while on leave could not commit, understandably so; then again, neither could I. At the time I was only a beginner playing guitar; the composition evolved for five years before coming together in its current form.
208-Christ the King ~ Written in 1992, this is another grinding rock song of praise. It seems I sometimes feel the need to scream the message, as if crying out to God to be merciful to me a poor sinful being.
209-Ballad of a Rambler ~ Here is another song which I dreamt in entirety; like Love Versus Time, I saw myself performing it live. The year was 1968; my family was visiting my grandparents in my hometown of Jacksonville, FL. Upon awakening, I wrote down the lyrics; but I hadn’t started playing guitar yet and would end up forgetting the melody. One day (1996), I was fooling around with chord progressions and played what I thought to be a new tune; I didn’t realize it at first but the lyrics fit the tune. So that is how the song advanced. Like my time in the Army, my experiences with girlfriends in school was sporadic and short-lived, so I guess this longing sometimes came through in my dreams.
210-Beyond Compare ~ Here is another poem written during my stead in the Army (1972). I often used poetry to distract myself from the loneliness I felt being far from home, though I had some great comrades who I fondly remember; they always had my back. I composed the piano part about five years ago, and added a few lines to it as I was putting the composition together last year (2020). I played around with different combinations using a synthesizer to create sound effects. Again, the song exemplifies true love, not only with one’s soul mate but also with the Lord.

ZORCHED 3: The Beginning of the End (This illustrates entropy in spacetime, matter, energy.)

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301-Jewel ~ Written in 2004, I wrote this song as a wordplay on the theme of a lady who is as precious as gemstones and gold. I was dating my current wife at the time, and she loved the song so much she encouraged me to submit it to American Idol during a contest. Needless to say, I didn’t win; since the song that won sucked, I didn’t take it very hard. As with many of my love songs it is about a man seeking the right mate, which I would soon discover I already had.
302-Easter’s Song ~ Written in 1980 on Easter Sunday, the song illustrates the journey through life in search of God and His love. Once encountered, we become reminded of the punishment that God’s Son endured for us, being beaten black, blue, and bloody red, for “with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). I also have rocked my church with this number.
303-Rise and Fall of Rock and Roll ~ I wrote this song in 1981 as a tribute to my roots and interest in music, particularly from the 60s and 70s. The song describes the progression of rock from pop, folk, and soul, into acid, metal, and funk. At the time, Disco music had flooded the radio and rock had splintered off into different directions. Thus, the song provides heavy guitar and bass licks, psychedelic lead solos, pounding drum beats and crashing cymbals, and a “sha, la, la” ending which was common during that era.
304-Together Till the End ~ This song of love lost and found is somewhat of a biography of my younger days. Written in 1979, I had gone through breakups, lies, and lack of commitment, for which I was equally guilty I must say. Though I didn’t reconnect with a former love interest as the song suggests, I would eventually find true love, but it would take a couple more decades of growth and introspection. I think growing up in the 60s indoctrinated many of us with the free love garbage; although that message was on the right track, the kind of love being exhibited was not really a spiritual one but physical. The song recognizes having to outgrow this mindset; sometimes, it takes years to unlearn such things.
305-Genesis ~ Written in 1993, the song began as a musical score, with lyrics added two years later. I experimented with different melodies, until I arrived at the idea of narrating the lyrics rather than singing them. The guitar and piano parts were composed separately at different times, but they both melded quite well as the arrangement came together in its final version (2021). Genesis represents earth’s beginning; the next song represents earth’s ending.
306-Apocalypse ~ Written in 1992, this is basically the climax of Genesis, which is why they appear in the album back-to-back. The lyrics were inspired by the book of Revelation, as well as other end-times scriptures. You will find many themes come straight from God’s Word, and represent a warning. In fact, the entire book of Revelation is meant to be a warning that Christ is returning and you’d better be ready, because “the Son of Man will come when you least expect Him” (Luke 12:40).
307-City Blues ~ Written in 1973 and largely inspired by the works of Bob Dylan, this is a protest song reflective of the era. I was fresh out of the Army and very cognizant of the misdirected policies of our nation as well as some errant ideologies of our generation. I fiddled with the guitar, until I came up with a preliminary tune in 1976. I had never played or sang the song until 2021 during which I made some minor revisions. And, in the tradition of protest songs of the past, I incorporated raspy vocals as a tribute to Dylan.
308-Tough Love ~ Written and arranged in 1999, here is yet another example of a pounding rock song of praise, with many concepts coming from the Holy Bible. The meaning is that it is difficult to take God’s path, to love Him above all others and to love others as ourselves. On the one hand we must take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24–25); on the other hand, He will lighten the load by bearing it for us, having already paid the price of our redemption (Matthew 11:28–30). It’s a narrow path but we have the Holy Spirit to guide us through the obstacles (Matthew 7:13–14).
309-Giving It All ~ This folk song from 1992 means exactly what it says. Christ gave Himself for us so we are obliged to give ourselves to Him. Our lives should be a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). Everything we are and everything we have we owe to Him (2 Corinthians 3:5–6). I have sung this song in church; it is very suitable for worship and for youth gatherings.
310-Winning ~ I came up with the original tune after I bought my first electric guitar (I was about 24). I put words to the tune three years ago (2018). The meaning is that it takes desire, faith, and effort to succeed; even more so if one expects to win the human race and receive a Crown of Life (1 Corinthians 9:24–27; James 1:2; Revelation 2:16).
311-Ballad of Sycamore Smith ~ The original poem was written in 1970 when I was a senior in high school. I put together the chords at the end of that decade but I never actually sung the song until 2021 when I added a few lines and the lead guitar. I believe this song was influenced by western movies that I enjoyed as a youngster and still do, although seldom does a great western emerge anymore that I would consider a classic. Typically, westerns of old had a wise and philosophical character, often an old-timer with a lot of trail dust on him. I began to write stories as early as the fourth grade, and this persona was one that often surfaced. The chord progressions, guitar solos, and philosophical message in this song make it one of my personal favorites.

312-Victoria ~ Also written when I was a soldier (1971), the song was inspired by girlfriends that came and went. One lady in particular was my age (around 19) and was introduced to me by a friend when I was on furlough; she became my partner for about ten days. I thought we really hit it off, and she even wrote to me a time or two after I returned to my duty station. Then came a “dear John” letter, explaining how she was moving on did not need for me to reply. I certainly was not the only guy in my unit to experience this phenomenon, but it made me angry, so I vented by writing a poem, not about her specifically, but about people in general who put themselves on a pedestal and look down on others, as if their needs are more important, or you are otherwise unworthy of them.
313-Escape ~ I wrote this one in 1983 when I was a defense analyst working on my doctorate degree. I was in the D.C. area where I traveled on a regular basis. During a break, I wrote the poem sharing it with one of the secretaries who liked it a lot and typed it out for me. I put music to it when I returned home. The song was inspired by the notion that all wisdom and knowledge come from God, so He deserved the glory and the credit for all I had achieved or would achieve in the future.
314-C’est la Vie, Baby ~ I wrote this song in 2018, a novelty song that roughly summarizes personal experiences. I believe the stages of development presented in the lyrics are representative of life in general.

315-Love of Yesterday ~ Yet another song of love lost, written in 1976 it started out with an acoustic foundation but progressed into a hard rock song. I put a lot of emotional pain into the vocals. I often have used my music to vent; it is very therapeutic (which is why I often incorporated creative arts into my therapy practice over the years). Any creative means of expression can be a positive and constructive avenue to channel emotional material, whether through writing, art, music, drama, or other art forms.
316-Jail Quail ~ Written in 1989, this is a novelty song about the temptations befalling anyone who has worked as a teacher, counselor, musician, and many other professions. Lord knows that I had to deal with flirtatious underage ladies on numerous occasions while performing these roles. This song is about the value of restraint, composure, and the submission of one’s vanity, knowing that you are the adult in the room and they are children whose emotions and hormones are going haywire. It’s a reality check that helps to keep oneself on an even keel.
317-Stoned to Death ~ This is another song influenced by Dylan (Everybody Must Get Stoned, 1966) in which this question is asked, “Why must everybody get stoned?” The guitar part began in the early 70’s. The lyrics were written in 2001 when I was reminiscing about the days of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and the destructiveness of the sex and drugs elements.
318- Siéntate ~ Written in 1979 in Spanish, it is a song about a guy who falls for a barmaid. I flirted with many a barmaid during the 70s. I also learned to speak Spanish as an undergrad, and I was dating a Mexican girl at the time, whom I met in one of my classes and eventually married.
319-New Sun ~ Written in 1984, the song was about a pending divorce from my first wife (mentioned in the previous song). After a year apart she started coming around again, and I discovered that our divorce was never finalized. So, we gave it another try, but eventually divorced anyway, and I must say it was a very painful episode in my life.
320-Inside of Me ~ This song was written and composed in 1978 to be a country western ballad about a boy who goes through setback after setback, until he finds love which changes him from the inside out. You can sense the obvious influence of Johnny Cash in the vocals.

ZORCHED 4: Forever Yours (Be dedicated to your spouse until death, and to the Lord forever.)

401-I Saw You ~ This acoustic folk song was written in 1974 and was one of the first songs I wrote with lyrics and music combined. It is based on an actual experience. I was an art student and had just left the craft store with supplies when I saw her; as soon as I got home, I wrote that song. You might hear a Beatles and Stones influence in the melody.
402-Spying Game ~ Written in 2004, this is a song about how people spy on one another because their relationship lacks mutual trust. Many people are skeptics and don’t trust anybody. I have discovered girlfriends checking up on me, and I must confess I have checked up on them when I felt something wasn’t right. Unfortunately, all too often someone is cheating which destroys the unity and trust, making it hard to trust the next one. This usually is not a problem in a Christ-centered union.
403-Street Rap ~ I composed the music in 1994 and wrote the lyrics in 2001. It is another song about the sex and drugs which were a part of life during my youth, a phase I would sooner forget but for the fact that I need to remember why I abandoned those ways.
404-Tease Queen Boogie ~ Written in 1978, it was based on recollections of high school and college, when demure ladies were not about to sleep with a guy, but all the guys were under peer pressure to attest that they had “experience”. The song related to the same dream I had playing rock and roll at my high school, after which I wrote down the lyrics to Ballad of a Rambler.
405-Yes ~ Written in 2005, the song came about as I was trying to construct a tune that was repeating in my head, once again after waking up from a dream. I often woke up with music playing in my head, some original and some not. The meaning is that we all experience breakups and even betrayal, and a common response is to dissolve the relationship posthaste. But there is redemption in believing and forgiveness, which can resolve the conflict and extinguish the resentment, and possibly salvage the relationship.
406-Lost and Sleeping ~ This was the first song I wrote with guitar accompaniment; the year was 1973. I had started college that spring having been discharged from active duty in December of 1972. I taught myself to play guitar while in the Army (I got my first classical guitar from my parents around 1971). The song is about a traveling guitarist who is struggling to make it in music, and about the women he left behind to follow his dream.
407-Take Time ~ Here is a folk song written in 1997 and influenced by the song Turn, Turn, Turn (written by Pete Seeger in the late 50s and performed by the Byrds in 1965). My song was based on the same scripture that inspired Seeger, found in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8. The message is basically to use your time wisely by giving it to others and to the Lord.
408-Ugly Girls Have Got It Made ~ Another novelty song, written in 1981 it was inspired by a song recorded by Jimmy Soul (1963): If You Want to be Happy (“Get an ugly girl to marry you”), the lyrics of which were based on an old blues classic Ugly Woman (1934).
409-Got Soul? ~ I wrote this song last year (2020), somewhat inspired by Soul Man (Sam and Dave, 1967). The meaning of soul man or soul woman is changed to refer to one who fears God and believes in the promises made through His Son Jesus Christ—those who “with patience will keep their souls” (Luke 29:18). Those rejecting His Spirit will have their “body and soul destroyed in hell” (Matthew 10:28). The question “Got Soul?” remains, and everyone who wants to spend eternity with Christ needs to know the answer.
410-We’re CIA ~ In this song, written in 1996, CIA stands for “Christians In Action”. Many are called into action (regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status), but few are chosen to serve (Matthew 22:14). Either way, faith without action is useless (James 2:14–18), so we are compelled to have an active faith by which we bear fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). The message is to be a soldier for Christ (inspired by the hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers).
411-Forever Yours ~ The musical score for this song was written in 1979 after my father died. I actually experienced a number of losses in a span of nine months, including also my grandfather, stepfather, and godfather (essentially all four father figures in my life expired). Somewhat traumatized but reassured that I had a Heavenly Father who loved me unconditionally, I might otherwise have gone astray. I found a poem I'd written in 1971, revised the words a little in 2021, and designated this the title track on my fourth album. Appropriately, it is about profound loss and trauma that changes someone for the rest of his or her life. The song is about a man losing his one true love, who he can never replace.
412-Woman at Seventeen ~ Written in 1980, the song was inspired by a relationship I had when I was about 21 years old and she was 17 (the legal age in Texas, by the way). It was intense but short-lived as neither one of us was mature enough to commit. But I recalled the moments we spent together and it inspired me to write this song, dedicated to her. Interestingly two years after we broke up, two dear friends of mine married at those exact ages and are still going strong today.
413-Fly Away ~ I composed the music in the year 2000 and put words to it in 2021. The message and theme of the song are self-explanatory.
414-A Lady Like Ella ~ The music was composed in early 1980. The beat reflects the fast pace of the 70s and the tumultuous events of that decade. I was working and going to college fulltime, which made life particularly hectic. The lyrics were composed in 2020 to reflect a love interest that seems out of reach because of self-perceived inferiority. But there are no “perfect tens” because that would imply one can be perfect on every dimension. Thus, the topic is addressed in a satirical fashion, which becomes evident in the conclusion.
415-As Grace Abounds Hope Arises ~ This instrumental began as a synthesizer experiment which I saved on cassette tape in the mid-1990s. During that decade I composed a finger-picking acoustic musical score which I also taped. In 2021 I married the two and added additional instrumentation (guitar, organ, drums, etc.). While listening to the melody I thought of Grace and my wife thought of Hope). The meaning can be found in the Bible, which highlights the interaction of these two spiritual treasures (read Romans 5:20–21; Romans 15:13; 2 Corinthians 9:8–12; Philippians 1:2). Thus, the song remains instrumental, but you can find lyrics embedded in the above scriptures.
416-Stacking the Miles ~ I composed the music in 1995; I wrote the poem during a road trip in 2015. As I was thinking of lyrics to put to the melody, I came across that poem which suited the music, arranging the song during the last quarter of 2021. The song is about a man on a motorcycle comparing the bumps, curves, and detours on the rough road of life to the wear and tear on both the operator and the bike. Life is an adventure as well as a journey, so “keep on trucking”. Like I used to tell my clients, “It doesn’t matter where you are because you ain’t there yet.”
417-Eternity ~ Back around 1982, I composed the piano part, and then two years later I composed the guitar part. I recently joined the two into one song and recorded it. The theme that came to mind was how our lives are in two parts, one on this earth and another in heaven (if you are a true believer). I suspect that everyone ponders this question at least once, “What will happen when I die,” and/or, “Is there life after death.” The answers to both of these questions are found in God’s Word and this song.

418-Perdition ~ The previous song is about spending eternity in heaven with the Lord of the universe. This song is about spending eternity in the other place. I composed the music in 1979 and wrote the poem in 1980. Here is another example of two separate works that came together nicely and became a song (2021). The mood of the tune is deliberately dark and dreary, while the words speak of a lonely and foreboding condition reserved for lost and condemned souls. The distortion is representative of the heavy metal influence coming out of the 60s (e.g., Hendrix).

​Click on title for lyrics.

​​​ANDREW V. BARBER, PhD   CHRISTIAN APOLOGIST, COUNSELOR, AUTHOR, PUBLISHER

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Note: Original songs recorded and mixed using Garageband were converted to MP3 format to reduce file size and enable access, resulting in slight reduction in quality.

Recommend using stereo headphones or speakers.  You can listen to song as you read lyrics.  Information about each song provided below lyrics.