Many of these songs, both words and music, were written for specific occasions and for friends and loved ones. Because of the specificity of the texts some of them are not ideal for general usage. All of them are for voice and piano.
You might notice that several of the songs (“Lullaby for a Little One”, “Happy Christmas Ada”, “My Christmas Dance with Ada” were written for our granddaughter, Ada Mae Asher. So, here’s Ada on Grandpa’s shoulder!
FEATURED SONG: Lullaby for a Little One (Written for Ada Mae Asher before she was born) Suitable for general use.Short gentle tune that I later arranged for SA chorus. Also, beautifully arranged and performed by my daughter Emily on her first CD “Dreams May Take You”. Click here to listen: http://emilyashersgardenparty.bandcamp.com/track/lullaby-for-a-little-one
SHEET MUSIC I’D LIKE YOU TO SHARE WITH YOU: Three years ago I wrote a song for my wife, Jocelyn, entitled A Simple Love Song, using that archaic media, pencil and music manuscript paper. I just entered it into Sibelius and, with Jocelyn’s blessing (after all, it’s her song!) I’d now like to share it with you. I will soon get someone to sing it so that I can get a good recording of it, but for now, here’s the do-it-yourself version: A Simple Love Song
Anthem to the New Year This simple melody carries the words that address the new year directly, asking what it might bring.
But I Don’t Really Love You (Written for a family member after a tough break-up) A sad lyric about breaking up with someone who loves you but you don’t feel the same way about him/her. Suitable for general use.
Christmas Eve (Written for the family, Christmas 2012) Words and music describe my fondest recollections of Christmas Eve and how they play out in Christmas with a new granddaughter. Suitable for anyone who enjoys Christmas time!
Click here to see the sheet music: Christmas Eve
Here’s a recording of super-soprano Jennifer Ceresa singing “Christmas Eve”
Happy Birthday Lead-in and Betty, Get Ready! (Both written for my mother-in-law, Betty Curry, on her 90th Birthday.) The first of these two short tunes serves as a lead-in to “Happy Birthday” for any 90-year old. The second is too Betty-specific fOR anyone but another Betty!
I’m a Big Girl Now Of course, this was written for Ada’s third birthday, July 21, 2014. You should hear her belt out the chorus by herself. It doesn’t hurt my feeling that she loves to sing this song. Take a look: I’m a Big Girl Now
I’m Just a Senior Kid at Christmas (Written just for the fun of it when it occurred to me that I am just what the title says!) Suitable for anyone to sing, so long as he or she is old enough to admit it.
Click here to see the sheet music, including the words: A Senior Kid at Christmas
Here’s my friend Atit Marmer singing it:
I’m Two(Written for Ada’s second birthday) Real simple song that a child can sing. It also includes a harmony line and a very easy piano part. Ada really chimes in on “Whoo!” when I sing it, and can fill in the last word is each phrase if I stop singing. Clearly a very precocious child…
Click here to see the sheet music: I’m Two
Isabel’s Ninetieth Birthday Song (Written for Isabel Anderson) Fun gospel feel, but the words are too specific to Isabel to find general use.
Juanita’s Walking Song (Written for Juanita Curry) Quick march tempo with words that fit only one special person!
Click here to see the sheet music: Juanita’s Walking Song
Just a Sweet Little Song (Written for the 85th birthday of my mother, Janice Monda) Suitable for general use, so long as it’s to be sung for a mother on her 85th Birthday! Set with an old style Puerto Rican rhythm.
Click here to see the sheet music: 85th Birthday Song
Just in the St. Nick of Time(Lyrics by Rick Asher) This started out as a solo song and has since been arranged for SA, SSA and SATB. Here’s the PDF of the solo version. Just in the St Nick of Time
Love Scene Beguine (ala Cole Porter) (Written for my mother, Janice Monda, on Mothers’ Day 2010) Fun experiment in writing in Cole Porter’s style for my mother who, like myself, loves his music.
Lullaby for a Little One (See listing above, a little ways below the picture)
Click here to see the sheet music of the solo version with simple piano part: Lullaby for a Little One
My Christmas Dance with Ada(Obviously another song for Ada) Since I love to sing to Ada while dancing her around the room, I wrote a bouncy, sentimental tune to accompany our dances at Christmas time, 2012. References to her name and birthday make the song not usable by anyone else!
Click here to see the sheet music: My Christmas Dance with Ada
Well, here’s grandpa himself, warbling through Ada’s 2012 Christmas song (Tony Bennett was otherwise engaged – sorry!)
My Heart’s Still There on the Yangtse (Written for Maryellen Himell ) Our friend Maryellen confessed while we were on a trip in China that she had always wanted to be a torch singer. This is my version of a torch song with quirky references to places in China. Someday I’ll revise the words for more general use.
Here’s the sheet music, including the words: My Heart’s Still There on the Yangtse
Here’s opera singer extraordinaire Jennifer Ceresa singing a torch song:
Nana’s Gonna Dance Again (Written for my sister-in-law, Kathleen Curry, prior to her hip surgery) Very fun and rhythmic cabaret song that will have wider appeal whenever I get around to revising the words for general use.
Click here to see the sheet music: Nana’s Gonn’a Dance Again!
Pull Back on the Reins While watching the movie “Crazy Heart” I began to wonder if I could write an old-style country-western song. How I wish that Eddy Arnold we’re still around to croon what I came up with! Suitable for general use. Here’s the sheet music: Pull Back on the Reins
Sharing (Written for my sister, Sue, who, unfortunately, has to share her birthday with the Big J, AKA Jesus) Suitable for anyone whose birthday is December 25.
A Simple Love Song (Written for my beloved wife, Jocelyn) Suitable for anyone who’s been married for a long time, but I’m not willing to share this one! OK – change of heart -see the message about this one at the top of this list! (Sheet music available – look just below the picture at the top of this page.)
Sunset Hues (Written for my friend, Mary Marlin, who wrote the text) Jazzy setting of a poem about longing for relaxation. Suitable for general use.
Here’s Jennifer Ceresa with “Sunset Hues”, singing beautifully, as always!
There (Written for my friend, Neil Lieurance) A tender, pensive mood pervades this tribute to my dear friend.
Click here to see the sheet music: There
There’s Just Something About a Christmas Song(Lyrics by Rick Asher) A big helping of my sentimental side comes through in this one. Here’s the sheet music: There’s Just Something About a Christmas Song
This Beautiful Wedding on San Francisco Bay (Written for the wedding of our niece Aurora Metal and Karl……) This bouncy tune could have been written in the 1940’s. The lyrics are too specific for general use.
Tribute (Written for Phil Ager on his 80th Birthday) I wrote a text that is a metaphor for Phil as a Rock and interspersed sections of the Stravinsky Piano Concerto between verses of my own music.
Click here to see the sheet music: Tribute
Two Lions (Written for Mary O’Brien and David Chalif on the occasion of their retirement from Edmonds Community College) I worked with Mary and David for decades so it was fun to write this partly serious, partly silly tribute to them.
Way Beyond Wonderful (Written for Ada Mae Asher) Holding and caring for seven-month old Ada inspired this gently swinging song because she’s Way Beyond Wonderful.
We Just Need Each Other for Christmas (solo version) Formerly titled “Christmas Questions”, this song is in a popular style and carries out the theme that is suggested by the title. It has also been arranged for choir. Suitable for general usage.
Click here to see the sheet music: We Just Need Each Other for Christmas (Solo Version)
Wedding Song (Written for the wedding of our son, Eli to Amy Marie Hamlin) The very first song I wrote with lyrics that could only belong to Eli and Amy’s wedding that took place in a big red barn!