Dear Inspiration

You may know that I have been writing songs for over 30 years and performing at open mics and local events for more than 10.

Everyone receiving this letter has inspired some part, big or small, of one of my songs. It could be the idea of a song or something you may have said to inspire a line or a couple of words. Whichever it is I am grateful for your inspiration.

The time has come for me to fulfil my ambition to record an album of songs so that they can realise their potential and, more importantly, be enjoyed by a wider audience.

However, this is not as easy as you would think despite the mantra that you are never too old to try something new!

In the following pages you will see excerpts of my song lyrics. I have marked those which you have helped to inspire with a blue dot. If you would like to know a little more about how you have inspired me please get in touch via mail@ockabuki.com.

I am calling this project 28 Letters and it is my intention to produce an album of songs for everyone to hear. I am including all of you as I know I am going to need your help and encouragement to actually get it done. By letting you know I am asking you all to help by giving any advice or support you can so that this becomes a reality.

I have posted some demo recordings on soundcloud.com/ockabuki and I will post progress on twitter.com/ockabuki and instagram.com/ockabuki.

It would be great if you can follow my progress and share with your friends.

Many thanks

Andrew.

Ockabuki is the moniker of English singer-songwriter Andrew Lock.

AROUND JERUSALEM

“As I walk these streets that used to take me home

Around Jerusalem

Around Jerusalem

The sun beats down, and I don't feel alone

Around Jerusalem”

BE HAPPY

“What I should be doing right now is looking after myself

I'll be coming back real soon for everybody else

What I should be doing is making sure that I'm alright

Wasted too much time on troubled, sleepless nights

It's been a tough few months

My world turned upside down

Now I'm listening to you

So I can turn this all around

I'm going to be happy

Happy is what I'm going to be

I'm going to be happy

Just like you said to me

I'm going to be happy

Happy is what I'm going to be

I'm going to be happy

I'm going to be happy”

CARRY ME

“So from time to time

Will you carry me

Will you carry me

Will you just hold me

And from time to time

I will carry you

If you want me to

I will just hold you

And when it all comes down

It’s down to me and you

Just take a look around

To see what we can do

And when I feel so low

Pick me up and turn me around

Show me which way to go

I will never let you down”

DETROIT, MI

“Detroit, MI

A place I'd like to see

Detroit, MI

In the land of the brave and the free

I work real hard and do my best

One day I’ll fly out west to

Detroit , MI

A place I’d like to see”

DIAMONDS

“You know it wouldn’t matter if this ring I wear were made of steel

The diamonds in your ring, they don’t mean a thing, it's how we feel

I feel alive

Whenever you’re by my side

I feel alive

Whenever you’re by my side

By my side

By my side”

FOREVER AND A DAY

“I will be there just for you

I’ll be the only one who never let’s you down

Next to my heart

Close to my soul

We’ll never fall apart

We can only grow old

We will be strong

We will be together

Nothing can go wrong

We will last forever

Forever and a day”

GLISTEN

“Look out to sea

That’s what you said to me

It’s like freedom that view

There’s nothing stopping you

There’s nothing stopping you

It all just makes sense when I look in your eyes

The whole world stops and I listen

The words that you say make a beautiful sound

When your love shines you glisten

When your love shines you glisten”

I CAN HEAR THE STARS

“I can hear the stars shining down

Everything about tonight is clear

All the things that you said

Still ring in my ears”

LAND ON OUR FEET

“Jesse set this up

We took the early morning train

And now I guess it’s time to grow up

I know we’re both afraid

It’s the biggest world we’ve ever seen

This is how life is made

So we got ourselves a place

This might be a wonderful town

But it’s a town without a face

Will this all work out?

I’m lying here, don’t want to get up

I’m beginning to have my doubts

You begin to reassure me

That everything will turn out fine

You say you’ll always adore me

What’s yours will always be mine

Jesse gave me a job

It used to get me up too early

I guess a job is still a job

In the shadow of the BBC

Time to move away from all these photo opportunities

Living it up by the park

I found myself a new career

Making places dark

Will this all work out?

We’re lying here, we can’t get up

We’re beginning to have our doubts”

MISS YOU

“I'll miss you when you're gone

Don’t know how I’ll carry on

I won't know what to do

In a world without you

I’m going to miss you when you’re gone

I had to write this song so I could tell you

My words will disappear

So I’m putting them in here

I’m going to miss you

I’ll miss you every day

Won’t know which notes to play

Memories we made

The boys that we raised

I’m going to miss you every day

Forever I will call to say I love you

What difference will it make?

My heart’s still going to break

I’m going to miss you

I’ll miss you when I’m gone

You have to carry on

There’s so much more for you

For all of you to do

I’m going to miss you when I’m gone

Listen to this song and I will tell you

Wherever I may be

Smile and think of me

I’m going to miss you

Wherever you may be

Smile and think of me

I’m going to miss you”

MOTHER TO BE

“Mother to be Will you still be a mother to me When I'm feeling down

When you’re not around

All of our days will turn into night-time

All of our nights will be one long day

But I don’t care

Just so long as you’re there

In my life

You’re my weakness

You’re my strength

I don’t ever want to be without you

You’re the only one that makes any sense

In my life, my life”

PIECE OF PARADISE

“I know a place

That we can all go to

A sky full of sunshine

A perfect shade of blue

Climb up on the roof

High up above the trees

Take in the view

Feel the cool Atlantic breeze

Ed and The Ezras, they entertain us

Ed and The Ezras, they serenade us

As the day turns into night

The moon and the milky way

Shine down on colina lights

Takes our breath away

Does it get any better than this?

When you don't know what day it is”

SO GOOD

“Touchdown in the USA

Feels like a holiday

Of a lifetime

In the land where dreams come true

I’m here with all of you

For a good time

We take the subway train

Carry our bags to Jamaica Plain

Freedom Trail from dusk till dawn

Learn how this place was born

Out of liberty

Cape Cod for a perfect day

Teach the world along the way

To sing in harmony

Stand with the Fenway crowd

The music plays and we sing so loud

So good, So good, So good

Broadway smiles a little girl

Standing on the top of the world

In the sunshine

Hunting bears in New York State

Staying up way too late

By the campfire

Underneath a million stars

Trying to work out what we are

To something higher

Take some time by the lake

Everything else can wait

For Ithaca

On the road away we go

Through places that we know

To Niagara

Lookout from the CN Tower

Maple leaves maple flowers

O Canada!

Even though it goes so fast

Memories like these will last

Forever

Eglinton Avenue West

To see you there well that was the best”

SOMETIMES

“The memory of your sweet perfume goes on

The warm glow from your smile still shines on

I hear your voice around me in birdsong

The memory of your sweet perfume

The memory of your sweet perfume

The memory of your sweet perfume goes on”

WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT?

“A privilege to know you

How lucky we are

Each one of you so different

Each a shining star

Will do our best to guide you

Teach you what we know

Always stand beside you

Watch you as you grow

The love you bring

It makes me sing

Changes my view on everything

The love we share

This love we share

Will always be there

What do you talk about?

I see you smiling

I watch you walking with your brothers in the sun

What do you talk about?

I hear you laughing

Don't go too fast 

You have a long long way to run

Nothing can prepare you

Even harder to describe

This overwhelming feeling

That completes us both inside

Our instinct to protect you

Take away your fears

Give you all roots and wings

To find your own frontiers”

WHAT IF IT COMES FOR ME?

“What if it comes for me

What if it comes for me

Black dog on my shoulder

I'm getting older

It's something that's troubling me”

WHEN YOU GO TO BED

“When you go to bed at night

You don't know what the next day will bring

It may be that you feel alright

You don’t know ‘cause it comes from within

When you wake and you feel uptight

You don't know how long this feeling will stay

So you live your days in fright

Not knowing if it will ever go away”

WHEN YOU SMILE

“African skies brought stormy weather

Just like always we played it down

Did we lose our faith, our hope, forever?

The silence we heard was the only sound

You took my hand, we're in this together

Just like always it's me and you

You hold me close, you make it feel better

All that I know is that I need you”

YOU

“You can make the sun shine bright

Bring out all the stars at night

You can blow the clouds away

You know just what to say

I know, you know me more than anybody else

I know, you know me better than I even know myself

Even know myself”

(C) 2019 Andrew Lock