Your Name – New Song

Wanted to write a simple song for the people to sing at church for a long time. I have some like Mover of Mountains and I Need You Lord, but I usually end up with way too many words and harmonies for the “common folk.” ;). This one turned out well I think! Let me know if you agree…

Download MP3 Here.

Your Name – Ben Ward

When I hear your name
I know everything’s going to be alright
When I hear your name
I know I’ll make it out alive
When I hear your name
Whispered, shouted, crying full of pain
When I hear your name
Everything’s changed

When I say your name
I feel my heavy heart get light
When I say your name
I see wrongs made right
When I say your name
If I whisper, If I shout it, If I sing it it’s the same
When I say your name
Everything’s changed

If all is right
Or much at stake
All I need to hear is your name
All I need to say is your name
Jesus

If all is right
Or much at stake
All I need to hear is your name
All I need to say is your name
Jesus

When I say your name
I see wrongs made right
When I hear your name
I know everything’s going to be alright
When I say your name
If I whisper, If I shout it, If I sing it it’s the same
When I hear your name – Jesus
When I say your name – Jesus
Everything’s changed

Original Song Mashup with Coldplay Yellow

I so love Coldplay…so I weaved in a little “Yellow” with a song I wrote with Stephanie White, “More.” The parts I used actually worked well, I think. How about you?

(I recorded this a couple of weeks ago. Hence, the Christmas Tree:)

More with Yellow
Written by Ben Ward, Stephanie White, and Coldplay

Look at the stars
See how they shine for you
And all the things you do

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And everything you do

More than enough for me
More than my eyes could see
More than my everything
Overflow, so much more
Here in my brokeness
Fill up my emptiness
Be more than my heart could hold
Overflow, so much more
More than enough for me

Your skin, oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn in to something beautiful
Do you know, you know I love you so
You know I love you so

Come Home for Christmas

Download MP3.

Ho, Ho, Ho!!! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I rerecorded a Christmas Song I wrote a few Christmases back called “Come Home.” I had the first line “For a Few Moments at a Time…” for several years. I actually worked on that song during my lunch breaks at this day job I had in Cambridge, MA (iXL if you wondered). Olivia and I had moved up to Boston to go to grad school in 1999 and needed to make some $$$ in the meantime. I really didn’t know how to write songs yet (My first Berklee songwriting course was a few months away) but I was determined. So I’d bring my guitar to the office and go down by the Charles River and write. The song never went very far, but when I was looking to write a tune for a Christmas Production in 2007 that line’s lyric and melody seemed to fit.

Christmas is about home. It’s about family, friends, reflecting, and all that stuff. But it’s also about how our Father sent His Son to rescue us. That’s the ultimate family restoration. For a few moments at a time, come home.

On a fun side note another version of this song with Olivia and me singing it at church is  my most popular video on YouTube. When O was on the show that was the one that pulled up when people searched for her. I’ve included it below…we are MUCH bigger…ha.

Come Home – Written by Ben Ward

For a few moments at a time
I see so clearly
For a few moments at a time
All the world is right
Christmas trees and Angels
Bows and ribbons tangled
For a few moments I’ve come home tonight

For a few moments at a time
No one is angry
For a few moments at a time
No one says goodbye
All my friends and family
Gathered round the fire
For a few moments I’ve come home tonight

I’ve come home
I belong
Sing those old familiar songs
About peace on earth
And Jesus’ birth
And healing all the hurts

In this moment here tonight
I stand forgiven
In this moment here tonight
Love has brought me light
I’m so tired, I’m not running
I’ve found rest on Christmas Day
In this moment I’ve come home to stay
In this moment I’ve come home on Christmas Day

Overjoyed About this New Song

Fun to stretch a bit on this tune…I need a little combo! Freedom…joy…overjoyed :).

Overjoyed

Overwhelmed and overtaken
Overruled not shaken
Feel that change running through my veins
I’m not afraid
I’m not ashamed

CHORUS
Overjoyed
In this hour, strongest tower
Fear devoured, so much power
Releasing me free
My prison destroyed
Overjoyed

Fill me up until I overflow
Pouring out on everyone I know
Empty spaces don’t stay that way
Not for long
So I’ll sing this song

CHORUS

Everything We’ll Ever Need

So one night I got into this rabbit hole on YouTube (don’t you love them??) watching old James Taylor shows. I SO wanted to write some great songs like that (and still do!). So I just started…I was also in that crazy sleepy place where you’re a little freer and I just let the song become what it wanted. I really like how it turned out. Don’t know if it’s JT quality, but I keep working!

So excited to have Stephanie White and Jessica Logan singing harmonies. We’ve got a cool cover coming up you won’t want to miss!

Download the MP3 hereListen here.

I’ve spent most of my life running from this place
I’ve spent most of my time trying to put on a happy face
I can’t ever figure out just where to begin
When I finally do I don’t know where to end
That’s when you walk in
Pretty as can be
Make me stop my doubting
Convince me to believe (that)

CHORUS
The sky won’t fall if it’s a little gray
And we won’t lose it all if we’re a little late
And everybody’s known to get the blues
But I got you and you got me
And that’s everything we’ll ever need

Guy on the TV screen’s got the latest thing
What he’s selling me’s not what I need
I don’t live my life on bread alone
‘Cause in the blink of an eye it’s almost gone
That’s when you walk in
Pretty as can be
Make me stop daydreaming
And see what’s right in front of me

CHORUS

We think we’ve have to have so much
But I could live for years on your sweet love
It’s always enough

CHORUS