I mentioned this artist and his book once before, in reply to someone a while back. Trying to find some of the lyrics to the songs that have gotten me through, I discovered that there is now a book. Hold On, The Light Will Come

I first heard of Michael McLean when I was away for the first time at college, and I had some really dark times then. The song title that is the title of this book is the last song on the album one of my roommates told me about, A New Kind of Love Song. I held on to that song for all it was worth a lot through the years.

My favorite of all the songs is If Only You Believe In Yourself. It's on both albums too, but I am disappointed that the CD that came with the book seems to have omitted my favorite verse of that song. </font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Anxiously a singer sits, waiting for a chance to sing her song,
Hoping if she hears them say, "You're not that good,"
She'll know deep down they're wrong.
One more bad audition and she's vowed she'll pack it in,
But just before she sings, she tries to hear those words again:
"If only you believe in yourself,
I know you can achieve.
If only you believe in yourself,
You won't be scared."

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Besides being a wanna-be musician myself, singing seems like a pretty good metaphore for life too. I always wished that there were someone who believed in me and encouraged me. As a child and through most of my life the message I always got was "Don't bother trying - you're not good enough." This song captures that belief needs to come from within and not be dependent on outside sources, as well as being able to keep believing in yourself even when criticized. Those concepts are so hard for someone who didn't get any encouragement to develop that kind of self-confidence as a child. Even if it needs to come from within, I think that most of us need help to develop some inner confidence, and it is so easily destroyed, especially when we are children.

I wish that I could find links to listen to the songs online somewhere, but I'm not having any luck. There are a few clips on his website, but not of the songs or albums that I know. I wish you guys could hear these songs. The book was good too. It's about where the songs came from, how they came as answers to situations in the writer's life, and also how other people have been affected. I never knew it before, but should have realized - he is one of us. Only someone who has been there can really express these feelings and needs and hopes, and know how to comfort, the way that these songs do.

Amazon also has the book, but I don't know about all the music. I just have this book, the album I got when I was in college, and one other book (with music) that I also love - The Forgotten Carols.

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