One of the true-blue greatest songs of all time is Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah — the masses would agree. Like many before, I’ve always had an extreme fascination with this song and have been fine-tuning my rendition over the past year.

When I originally performed my version of Hallelujah on the Acoustic Conversations pod cast, I had just learned the song, and though it went over relatively well, I don’t believe I glorified the song and its brilliant nuances. I went through the motions but I didn’t nail it.

That said, a year later, after many performances and much practice, I re-recorded my version of Hallelujah and though it pails when compared to the great versions I’ve heard, this is my go at it.

HELLELUJAH
written by leonard cohen, performed by tyler stenson

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NOTE: In my research of this song, I read the Leonard Cohen had originally written about 80 verses to the song. With that said, I figured one more wouldn’t hurt and therefore, wrote a verse my self. It’s the last verse…

Father can you hear me now,
If you can please scream out loud
Because I need to believe I’m getting through to you.
I know it’s been the longest time,
But if you can hear me,
Show me a sign
And make these words I sing,
Sing Hallelujah.

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Wyoming – track #11 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

WYOMING

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO

LIVE PERFORMANCE

LYRICS TO “WYOMING” by TYLER STENSON

The world started to run
With the turning of the sun.
Cities rose from towns
And quiet turned to sound.
That place stayed the same;
That’s Wyoming.

So, the legends say
That explorers tried to explain-
But the beauty that they found
Was too much to write down.
So, in fiction,
They believed to be Wyoming.

Where the clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But we don’t mind,
Because all of the sweetest smells remains.

I know Adam’s never seen such a scene
(In neither Eden or his dream).
Even Eve would stop to stare
At God’s most perfect square.
That’s one thing I believe;
He made Wyoming.

Where the clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But we don’t mind,
Because all of the sweetest smells remains.

All the years hang on the wind
Above this last good plot of land.
I hear it echo in the trees.
I hear its whisper on my knees.
Even Dust can be a king
In Wyoming.

Yes, even Dust can be a King,
In Wyoming.

BUY or DOWLOAD WYOMING HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Fight til Dying Day – track #10 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

FIGHT TIL DYING DAY

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON!!

LYRICS TO “FIGHT TIL DYING DAY” by TYLER STENSON

As long as there has been a song, I’ve felt it in my bones
It was a gift from my dear mother and her father who passed on
A long line of the Music Makers and of Soldiers for the Muse.
Oh, that boy in my war fell out of tune as he fell upon a couple grenades.
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

I crossed into California with a smile upon my face
But then I soon left San Francisco with my tail between my legs.
I swear, I was good as I could be on any given time of day
Still, that boy in my war saw the beach burn and the earth quake like a grenade.
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

He’ll blow like leaves in the wind
But be proud just to know that he can be his own man-
Not that boy.

I burned a bridge in the desert and left Arizona northbound
And thought If it’s not in Salt Lake, is it Oregon to be found?
On certain nights all the notes were bright and on others they would fade
And that boy in my war called out to god: Tell Hell with all the grenades!
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

He’ll blow like leaves in the wind
But be proud just to know that he can be his own man-
Not that boy.

Now, every time I sing, it’s just my confidences wearing thin
So I have to believe this lonely road will bring ‘em back again.
I’m as good as I can be on every given time of day
Oh, that boy in my war will no doubt rise in spite of a couple grenades.
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

BUY or DOWLOAD FIGHT TIL DYING DAY HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Blush – track #9 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

BLUSH

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LYRICS TO “BLUSH” by TYLER STENSON

It’s a sign;
A sign of a temperature rise
That spreads across your face
And in an instant you know what love is like.

When the skin colors crimson and rose
And it burns your eyes
And crawls on your face
In disguise as this thing called Blush.

Underneath our clothes
We are just heart and bone-
The rest is empty space
But we can fill it,
When from the inside we grow like Butterflies

And the skin colors crimson and rose
And it burns your eyes
And crawls on your face
In disguise as this thing called Blush.

Don’t rush me now.
I could stay this way all day.

When the skin colors crimson and rose
And it burns your eyes
And crawls on your face
In disguise as this thing
That comes up rushing love to the head
And is nothing more than proof we’re alive-
We are in orbit-
And with blood-red cheeks,
I could break at the seems
And the insides of me
Could float on above everything.

BUY or DOWLOAD BLUSH HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Explode – track #8 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

EXPLODE

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LYRICS TO “EXPLODE” by TYLER STENSON

What have I been doing?
What good could come from keeping it in?
I’m terrified of losing
But fighting wars a could never win.
I watch the seasons turn it over.
I watch the reasons change over and over
To different words
But what’s between the lines don’t change.

I have seen my demons.
I have seen their faces.
I’ve seen their eyes.
They’re what I should be leaving
But in that mirror I see they’re still mine.
I watch the seasons turn it over.
I watch the reasons change over and over
To different day
But the same old suffocate.

So, I feel to lighten up my load, I should explode.

I am far from empty
Cause what you don’t let go is bound to build up
Or take you down a piece by piece-
Man, I’m in desperate need of your love.
In my bones I’m feeling older.
This war time has changed me-
I’m no doubt colder
And I will freeze here long before I burn.

So, I feel to lighten up my load, I should explode.

So, I feel to lighten up my load,
I should open up and let the insides show
And explode.

BUY or DOWLOAD EXPLODE HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Push That River – track #7 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

PUSH THAT RIVER

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON!!

LYRICS TO “PUSH THAT RIVER” by TYLER STENSON

If you had a heart, I might say you were the one
And it’s been worth the battle spread across the year.
Since that’s not the case, I am going over numbers
And calculating how to end The War-
I won’t try to push that river anymore.

I remember it was sunset, out by the Hidden Cover
And I could see that there was leaving in your eye.
So, when I said: When I say I love you, I mean it to the bone.
We both knew your heart was miles from that shore-
So I won’t try to push that river anymore.

I know that I could walk away,
Try to make you chase me,
Play the game of playing hard to get,
But I know just how my heart feels
So I will not lie to appease you
Your majesty, am I really such a bore?
I won’t try to push that river anymore.

You wrote: If he doesn’t come back,
He was never really yours
But now my knuckle is blood
From pounding at your door.
So, I’ll leave it at I love you
And I’ll mean it to the bone
And I’ll begin to mend
That red piece of me that was torn
And I won’t try to push that river anymore.
I won’t try to push that river anymore.

BUY or DOWLOAD PUSH THAT RIVER HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind As the Crow Flies – track #6 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

AS THE CROW FLIES

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EXPLANATION

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LYRICS TO “AS THE CROW FLIES” by TYLER STENSON

I blew all the way down to Arizona
Then, like a leaf, I settled down into Rome
And somewhere in between me and Barcelona
I heard the rush of the wind calling Home.

I could see seven miles into the distance
Before the earth began its curve out of site
And I leaned to the wind to feel a resistance;
To let me know I’m not a bird – I don’t fly.

I won’t take my time or circle ’round
Or weave my way through busy towns
Cause I could get lost if I miss a sign.
I’ll take the shortest path between you and I
And cut right through in a perfect line
And come to you as the crow flies.

From where I stand my Home is like a middle daughter;
Just a dot, on the map, in a world
And I’m reminded wheels don’t roll on water
So, tell me lies – tell me I am a bird.

I won’t take my time or circle ’round
Or weave my way through busy towns
Cause I could get lost if I miss a sign.
I’ll take the shortest path between you and I
And cut right through in a perfect line
And come to you as the crow flies.

I will come to you as the crow flies.

BUY or DOWLOAD AS THE CROW FLIES HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind I Get No Sleep – track #3 (and my personal favorite) off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

I GET NO SLEEP

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EXPLANATION

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LYRICS TO “I GET NO SLEEP” by TYLER STENSON

I get no sleep
Try as I might
I don’t see no day
But there’s sure as hell no night.

No, it’s somewhere in between
The Dawn’s haze and dream
And Nothing’s ever seem more real
Than the ceiling that I see.

I get no sleep with these trains in my head.
As far as I can see, I’ve got tracks running down both sides.
What started as a steady hum-
Became a war-time drum
And eventually north and southbound collide.
I get no sleep with these trains in my head.

Then, history repeats
And the city never sleeps
And I can hear those trains
No matter how soft they creep.

Can you hear them world?
The wolves are at my door;
I’ve got nothing to my name
And still they ask for more.

I get no sleep with these trains in my head.
As far as I can see, I’ve got tracks running down both sides.
What started as a steady hum-
Became a war-time drum
And eventually north and southbound collide.
I get no sleep with these trains in my head.

I get no sleep with these trains inside my head.

BUY or DOWLOAD I GET NO SLEEP HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind The Road – track #2 and the official “single” off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

PS. If you like this song, please vote for it to be included on the KINK.FM sampler at http://www.kink.fm/pages/130403.php

THE ROAD

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EXPLANATION

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LYRICS TO “THE ROAD” by TYLER STENSON

From where I am, I can see where I need to be;
It’s a long way down and one million miles from me.
Never once did the distance daunt a ramblin’ man
So I’ll lead with my boot heals, followed by an empty hand.

I’m not the kind of guy that believes in fate-
But I’m also not the type to deny how well you’re made.
Since I like the way you move,
I’m prepared to wait until you’re ready to go because
All I’d give, to have your hand on my way down the Road.

Alone I’m fine but with you I’ve got all I need and
You can rest your lovely eyes because you’ve found that in me.
My heart is on my sleeve and penned in that sunset-
I think it looks like you all pretty, pink and violet.

I’m not the kind of guy that believes in fate-
But I’m also not the type to deny how well you’re made.
Since I love the way you move,
I’m prepared to wait until you’re ready to go because
All I’d give, to have your hand on my way down the Road.

From where I am, I can see where I need to be
But it involves one road and I would love to have you walking with me.

I’m not the kind of guy that believes in fate-
But I’m also not the type to deny how well you’re made.
Since I’m wild about the way you move,
I’m prepared to wait until you’re ready to go because
All I’d give, to have your hand on my way down the Road.

BUY or DOWLOAD THE ROAD HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

PS. If you like this song, please vote for it to be included on the KINK.FM sampler at http://www.kink.fm/pages/130403.php

Tonight I played the “New Faces Night” at The Basement in Nashville, TN. I booked the show all the way back in October so when it finally arrived, I was excited to say the least. Barring a few technical difficulties, which are part of the game, I feel good about it.

The video below was streamed live online by UARadio.net and the folks back in Portland were able to tune in. Thanks to Julian from UARadio.net for the great service that you offer for guys like me and thanks Monique Roy for lining it all up.