If you’re reading this and you’ve ever worked with Leesa or sat in her chair, you know she will not do hair without music. Recently, we had to purchase a new MP3 player for her salon. I loaded it with some songs I had on hand, MP3s of favorites we’d purchased over the past few years. Along with those, I dumped whole jump drive of my songs on the new player, which she seems very happy about.

You know if you’ve seen me since – I don’t know – 2012, I have very little in the way of hair left on my head, and we’ve even begun buzzing that down to the scalp, just short of shaving it. Anyway, maintaining this requires that I sit down in her styling chair every 10-14 days. The last time I was there, a song came on that I had more or less forgotten. It’s called “Angel.”

I wrote the song in 1987 with Mark Chesshir, one of the lead guitarists in the band we typically called The Cody Band. Many of the songs recorded at Mark’s home studio over the years, especially those songs that don’t appear on either Cody Retrospective or Homecoming, Mark and I performed ourselves, playing all the parts or bringing in musical friends when needed or desired. I think “The Light in Your Eyes” and “I Must Have Dreamed” are good examples of this practice.

“Angel” includes the full band, I think. Mark Chesshir and Gene Ford on guitars, either Danny O’Lannerghty or Mark Burchfield on bass (can’t remember which), and Steve Grossman on drums. My guess is that Mark also played keys. I’m not sure why the song doesn’t appear on either of the albums mentioned above. If I’m remembering right, it was a powerful piece when we played it live.

I hope you enjoy it!

Angel

I would feel the way I feel tonight
forever if I could.
My eyes are clear, my heart is strong,
and love feels like it should.
Still, the dawn cannot be held back,
and this night will have an end.
But as long as you stay, I know
I’ll feel this way again.

O Angel,
I know the sound of your wings.
O Angel,
I’m always listening
for that whisper in the night.

When you hear me say, “I love you,”
don’t feel trapped and run away.
Sometimes when I look at you,
I can find nothing else to say.
I remember the nights that I have spent
chasing ghosts and dreams.
But you’re real to the touch,
You don’t know how much that means.

O Angel,
I know the sound of your wings.
O Angel,
I’m always listening
for that whisper in the night.

I’ve seen so many broken hearts
getting washed away at night.
Come and carry me
above that tide.

O Angel,
I know the sound of your wings.
O Angel,
I’m always listening
for that whisper in the night.