Life Is Like a Melody

words & music by Doug Howell (7/73)

Life is like a melody
rhythm and rhyme and harmony
sweet and simple sunshine melody
since he came into my life
bad times are gone
good times have arrived
and life with him is like a melody

it’s such a shame
the way we complicate our lives
when God meant us to lead
a simple life
it’s such a shame the way we let a dark cloud
take away our song
when we should be teaching
someone to sing along

(repeat chorus)

oh, there are times I get
so tired of singing songs
when I begin to think there’s
something wrong
but then the Lord begins to
comfort me and give me back
my smile
and I realize once more
it’s all worthwhile

(repeat chorus)

1975 Notes

The summer of ’73 I was working nights on a golf course. I would usually change sprinklers every 90 minutes or so, spending the rest of the time by myself in a small room next to the bar. I spent some of the loneliest times of my life in that room, listening to the madness next door.

Sometimes I would sneak in after closing and play the honky-tonk piano well into the wee hours. I remember many nights when Jesus comforted me with love songs until dawn. One night he gave me four songs, of which this is one (maybe I can play the other three for you sometime).

I’m not very proud of how I wasted that summer, but it has always amazed me how Jesus can change the worst summers into songs.

Psalms 40:1-3; Romans 8:28

2005 Notes

I think of all the songs on this album, there’s none that showcases my young faith and exuberance like this one. I think it has been the most requested song from this album. It’s been fun listening to it again, and remembering what a great time we had recording it in the studio with everyone singing along. I still remember that little room by the bar, too, but now the word “madness” seems a bit much. Maybe it was mostly just people having a good time. There may have been no more madness on their side of the door than there was on my side. I was a pretty up-tight kid back then, and I sure had a lot to learn. But none of that changes the fact that life is music. Was then; is now. It’s just that not every melody is necessarily as “sweet and simple” as this song might lead one to believe.

“All things work together for the good of them that love him…” I knew that was true back then, but I hadn’t yet lived through very many of those “things” Paul was talking about. Even though I thought I knew, at 21, what a slimy pit was, I didn’t.

So where does all this leave us? Let’s just say that life’s melody is a lot grander than I ever imagined it was. The rhythm is a little more polyrhythmic. And the harmony? Richer than Rachmaninov. So close to dissonance sometimes it’s excruciating. But somehow, at the end of that final movement, I believe it still resolves into peace.