KelSongs

Welcome to KelSongs!

Kelly Carpenter — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:23:40 +0000

Hi! And welcome to KelSongs!

This website features songs written by Kelly Carpenter and his collaborators. Kelly has been writing inspirational songs for the past twenty years–he is best known for the song “Draw Me Close”–and is now making available the songs that have been published under his own publishing company, KelSongs.

We hope you enjoy the songs on this site. And feel free to use these songs according to the terms that are prescribed for each song. We would also be delighted if you would provide comments on these songs and/or tell others about the songs that have inspired you.

And be sure to visit Kelly’s central music website: KellyCarpenterMusic.com.

Encircle Us

Kelly Carpenter — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:49:44 +0000

My friend, Scott Burnett, and I have collaborated many times over the years. This song started out with some lyric ideas he emailed me. It had a very celtic vibe to it. I got inspired and came up with some music, added a few lines here and there, and asked Scott to come up with a second verse. And there you are, enjoy!
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Merciful God, surround us
Untangle the stress, defuse the fear
Merciful God, surround us
Embrace us in your care

Encircle us with hope, each day, each night
Encircle us with light, each day, each night
Before us and behind us
To the left and right

Merciful God, redeem us
Make a new way, open a door
Merciful God, redeem us
Speak tenderly once more

Publishing: Words and Music by Kelly Carpenter and Scott Burnett.
© 2010 KelSongs / Kelly Carpenter Music (ASCAP) / Scott A. Burnett. All rights reserved.*

Recording credits: Kelly Carpenter/All instruments and vocals. Recorded May 2010 at Avondale. Unauthorized duplication of recording is prohibited.

* If you are interested in recording this song, please contact KelSongs directly to obtain a mechanical license.

Love One Another

Kelly Carpenter — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:39:27 +0000

Here is a song I recently wrote for a promotional video for an organization in Seattle called Recovery Cafe. They provide resources and services to help homeless people, a large percentage of which suffer from substance abuse and/or mental health issues. This song is a call to people to reach out to one another. In any circumstance or need we find strength in each other.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Come on, love one another
Help your sister, help your brother
It don’t matter where you’re from
Can’t you see that we’re all one

From the executive in her high rise
To the man down in the street
If you want to make a difference, now
Then move your hands and move your feet

We all can do something
To make the world a better place…

Love one another
Show somebody that you care
Love one another
Let your love shine everywhere

No one is an island
It’s not what we’re supposed to be
We’re meant to lean on each other
And live together in harmony

Come on everybody
The future is in our hands

Publishing: Words and Music by Kelly Carpenter.
© 2009 KelSongs / Kelly Carpenter Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved.*

View Song Chart

Recording credits: Carl Kelley/Vocals – Kelly Carpenter/All instruments. Recorded December 2009 at Avondale. Unauthorized duplication of recording is prohibited.

* If you are interested in recording this song, please contact KelSongs directly to obtain a mechanical license.

Your Grace Is Sufficient

Kelly Carpenter — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:12:28 +0000

This song started out a few months back with me sitting at the piano and coming up with a chord progression and melody. I was thinking ‘this is pretty simple and strong’ but I couldn’t come up with any ideas for lyrics, so I felt inspired to do a quick recording of it, singing ‘la la la’ for the melody and send it up to Andy Park to see if he could do something with it. A couple of weeks later he sent me the song which he completed with lyrics to it.

Andy recorded the song on his last album and asked me to play piano.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

With empty hands and aching heart
Lord I come to rest at Your feet
On my darkest days
In my deepest pain
I know Your grace is here for me

Though I’m weary from the journey
In surrender I find peace
Though I walk this path in weakness
Lord Your grace is sufficient for me

Take these hands take my heart
Lord I choose Your will for me
And if I share in Your suffering
Let Your power rest on me

You are all I need all I need
Lord, You’re all I need
You are all I need all I need
Lord Your love is enough for me

View Song Chart

Publishing: Words by Andy Park, Music by Kelly Carpenter
© 2008 KelSongs / Kelly Carpenter Music (ASCAP) | ION Publishing (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA) – CCLI Song No. 5254523 – All rights reserved*

Recording credits: Andy Park/Guitar and Vocals – Kelly Carpenter/Piano – Brian Thiessen/Guitars. Produced and recorded by Brian Thiessen, Surrey, BC. Unauthorized duplication of recording is prohibited.

* If you are interested in recording this song, please contact KelSongs directly to obtain a mechanical license.

Bring Me Home

Kelly Carpenter — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:14:55 +0000

I have a tendency to write songs with a prodigal, “down and out” theme. I was driving to work one morning and this song popped into my head. So I had to pull over and jot it down since driving and journaling don’t mix.

This song has been well received at Recovery Cafe. I think anyone can relate, regardless of their circumstances, that there are times to hit the “reset” button and come back home.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

I’ve been out there trying to go it alone
Working hard just to make it all on my own
But now I’m missing this love I have known
So Father God, won’t you bring me home

Bring me home, won’t you bring me home
I hear you calling me to come back home
I’ve had enough of being scared and alone
So Father God, won’t you bring me home

Just tryin’ to fill that hole in my soul
Thinking things will be better when I’m in control
Can’t find any peace no matter where I roam
I think it’s time for me to come back home

Only you can make sense of this life
Only you can bring peace into my strife
Only you can make a diamond out of stone
I’ll remember who I am when I get home

View Song Chart

Publishing: Words and Music by Kelly Carpenter
© 2006 KelSongs / Kelly Carpenter Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved*
CCLI# 525430

Recording Credits: Scott A. Burnett/Stratocaster – Kelly Carpenter/Vocal, keys and programming. Recorded in 2007 at Avondale. Unauthorized duplication of recording is prohibited.

* If you are interested in recording this song, please contact KelSongs directly to obtain a mechanical license.

I Humbly Bow

Kelly Carpenter — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:37:11 +0000

One of a handful of songs where I just walk up to the piano and the initial ideas start to flow. There is always plenty of polishing involved and although I started writing this in 1997, it was not finished until two years later.

This song has been very effective in worship with a strong theme of adoration. Congregations pick up on the easy melody very quickly.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

I humbly bow before the King of kings
In reverance and awe, I worship at your feet
For you alone are worthy of all that I could give
And I delight in you
Yes, I delight in you

I fall before Jesus, my Lord
Just to have you near is my greatest reward
The most precious of all treasures
I hold you in my heart
And I delight in you
Yes, I delight in you

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
I delight in you

You’re the God of all creation
Yet you live here in my heart
And I delight in you
Yes, I delight in you

View Song Chart

Recording credits: Scott A. Burnett/Guitars – Merrilyn Carpenter/Main harmony and background “choir” vocals – Wes Allio/Background “choir” vocals - Kelly Carpenter/Vocals, keyboards, bass and programming. Recorded 2005 and 2006 at Beaver Lake and Avondale. Unauthorized reproduction of this recording is prohibited.

* If you are interested in recording this song, please contact KelSongs directly to obtain a mechanical license. Performance of this song in church settings is according to terms of CCLI agreement.

You’re The One

Kelly Carpenter — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:30:06 +0000

This song was written during an unusually dry time in my songwriting. My wife Merrilyn and I had made a major geographical move and instead of our new location inspiring a lot of new material, it seemed like the well was dry for the first year. Nonetheless, this was one of those songs where I sat down at the piano and it just poured out of my heart.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

You’re the One that I love
And I will praise You
You’re the Love of my life
And I will worship You

And I love You Jesus, my Lord
And I love You, Jesus
You are my Joy
You are my Life
You are the One

View song chart

Unauthorized duplication of this recording is prohibited.

* If you are interested in recording this song for sale, please click on the Contact link about to request a mechanical license.