Music, philosophy, and the breath of GOD
Just add potato salad and sweet tea and you have a picnic.
We are now at an inflection point in the music industry. Just what the advent of artificial intelligence will mean is yet to be determined, but its influence is already apparent. The cost of recording has dropped considerably with the availability of recording tools on a personal computer. Now, AI can develop the full musical arrangement for a song, and record it, with vocals, in less than 2 minutes. What that will mean to the industry at large is yet to be seen, however, one thing is clear. AI has allowed a whole chunk of the population who could never in the past have seen one of their song ideas come to life, with a full musical production treatment, to create it by describing what is wanted and clicking a virtual button.
It is hard, perhaps impossible, to justify the cost of physically recording a song, especially for amateur purposes such as ours, in light of this technology. For the time being, Ken and I have decided to embrace the technology, and use it to create and record our co-written catalog. So, the songs you will hear on this page were all painstakingly written, some over the course of many years, and then with the use of a tool called Suno AI, our lyrics have been turned into beautiful recordings, which you will hear here. All music and vocals are computer generated with the Suno AI tool. All lyrics are by Ken Harrell & Van Swofford. Ken uses a real guitar (Taylor) and a real voice (his) to develop the initial melodies to our songs. I use a real pencil to try to keep up with lyric changes as he sings. Songwriting, it’s a real thing.TM
I would like to thank Ken for his expertise, incredible patience with a raw amateur cowriter, and his years of friendship. We started writing together in 2004. Our friendship and songwriting partnership has endured twenty two years so far, and that says a lot, given the life challenges that we have both faced during that time. And if you can’t see God’s hand in our lives and each song here, then bless your heart!
On the right side of each song’s audio control panel, you will find 3 little dots, aligned vertically. Click that symbol to find a download button (free music, yay!) and a playback speed selector. Careful, go too fast and your face will melt!
It’s All About the Water
This song is the true story of our trip to Israel in 2016. The first section tells the story, and the last section is taken from Revelation 22:1. This song took almost 10 years to write. As Ken says “Write it till it’s right”.
The Mailbox
The Mailbox came about when I was driving one day in Brentwood, TN. Mary Did You Know was playing on the radio. As it came to the climactic conclusion, the words “I AM”, i passed an old rusty mailbox with its tongue hanging out. ‘Nuff said. This is another song that took lots of time, 15 years to be exact!
The Gist of the Situation
This is about all of my doctors, well, most of them. Who would have thought you could have enough doctors to write a song? Hold onto your hat, and press “Play”. It took several years to understand the structure of this song. Then one day, as if from nowhere, the words tumbled onto the page.
This I Know
Alzheimer’s and Dementia are terribly difficult to deal with, both as patient and caregiver. This I Know tells the story of a travelling evangelist who is living with Alzheimer’s. One of the first songs we wrote together, in 2005, it has stood the test of time. Ken still plays it every time he performs.
Just Like Ray
Ray Rising was a missionary for Jungle Aviation And Radio Service in 1994, working in Loma Linda Colombia. He was captured by rebel guerrillas and held for 810 days in the jungle. This is his story. I was honored to provide Ray a copy of this song recently.
Eye Ninety Five Tunnel Song
I needed a little instrumental for background in the Time Travel video. I couldn’t use a commercial song, so I made my own. Instruments are violin, tuba, drums, and whistling. My placeholder song was 59th Street Bridge Song. I-95 Tunnel Song is as opposite as I could get.
The House of Sin
One day I realized a church is not a house for righteous people to gather, but rather a house where sinners can come and lay their burdens at the feet of Jesus, and then get up and walk away, leaving their burdens behind. Thus was born The House of Sin.
Medals on the Wall
Life is hard for the wives and families of our military people who are deployed overseas. This song pays tribute to one Gold Star wife. When Erin Ashleigh first sang it at the Bluebird Cafe, she was approached by a friend in tears, because she had just been notified that her husband had been killed in Afghanistan. We never know whose life we will touch, or when.
Call To Me
Jeremiah 33:3 says “Call to me, and I will answer you”, one of the most powerful phrases in the bible. This song expands on those words.
Assoholic
If you are a total jerk, who is prone to say and do hurtful things, then listen up! This is a song about you!
Everybody Enters Heaven Naked
This was just an experiment used to learn how the AI music creation app works. It is fun, almost random phrases, but truthful, and a jazzy Latin beat. Enjoy! And don’t judge….
High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Dramatic / musical reading of the poem known to every pilot since World War II……..
Melody and Harmony
Nature sure does like harmony, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s the way God works. Let’s explore that, in song.
The Way, the Truth, the Life
Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We explore just what that means in this song.
Wrapped Too Tight
These days, we all race around trying to do too much in too little time, with too few resources, don’t we? Sometimes, we get wrapped up so tight, we begin to squeak! Don’t let it happen to you!
When a Teardrop Falls
Another tribute to the wife left behind when our military deploys. Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
The Swanks
In the first years of my life, my Mother, a classical violinist, played in a local string quartet in Erwin, Tennessee. Since she had a new baby, it was easiest to practice at our house, which was also good from the standpoint that we had a piano. During these practices, how do you suppose they dealt with the baby? Of course, they put me in my little rocking chair and tied a rope around my waist as a seatbelt. I soon nodded off and that was that.
When Mom was in college, she played in a small string orchestra called The Swanks. I have co-opted their name for my virtual string quartet. The players are, a violin, a viola, a cello, and a piano. The violin is dominant in many, if not most, of the tunes. However, there are plenty of opportunities for the other players to shine. I am purposefully avoiding describing the backstories of these tunes. With classical-esque music, it is up to the listener to decide what the music means to them. So without further ado, I present to you The Swanks! Please sit back, and enjoy the music.
On the right side of each song’s audio control panel, you will find 3 little dots, aligned vertically. Click that symbol to find a download button (free music, yay!) and a playback speed selector. Careful, go too fast and your face will melt!
Sandy’s Song
Elaine’s Song
Erin’s Song
Sarah’s Song
Miji’s Song
Mara’s Song
Kendra’s Song
Kayla’s Song
Annabelle’s Song
Thaddeus’s Song
Shelby’s Song
Kaylee’s Song
Renee’s Song
Amy’s Song
Anna’s Song
Jessica’s Song
Mandy’s Song
Sami’s Song
For Some Very Special People
Amhrán na ngarpháistí
With guest musicians: bagpipe, flute, and piccolo.
Ken’s Song
With guest musicians: two trumpets.
And the most special of all
Sandy’s Song
Baroquen Record
If it’s Baroque, we can fix it
Characterized by ornamentation, elaborate musical style, and polyphonic texture, Baroque period music has a unique sound within the world of classical music. So unique that it deserves a place in our musical repertoire.Characterized by ornamentation, elaborate musical style, and polyphonic texture, Baroque period music has a unique sound within the world of classical music. So unique that it deserves a place in our musical repertoire.
The players in the band are 3 violins, a cello, a bass viol, and a harpsichord. Perhaps you will find a song or two where they are joined by other players, such as more violins, or flutes, for example. The possibilities are limited only by imagination. Come, travel back in time and explore the joy of Baroque music, as played by our band, Baroquen Record. Enjoy!
On the right side of each song’s audio control panel, you will find 3 little dots, aligned vertically. Click that symbol to find a download button (free music, yay!) and a playback speed selector. Careful, go too fast and your face will melt!
Billy Goat
Guernsey
Dogs on the Loose
Cats at Play
Mountain Lion
Polar Bear
Gazelle
Elk
Cheetah
Tiger
Vlado’s Song
Moonbeam McSwine
The Four Kings
Music, personality, and all that jazz
Live! At Red Rocks
Full House
Two Pair
Live! At The Ryman
