His Yoke is Easy (MJ Coffeehouse)

Roxylee

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Description

I’m so happy to be here, seeing all my friends and enjoying the coffeehouse ambiance. Sometimes I write a song about my life’s journey, and this is one of them. If it touches you in any way, it was worth standing up here with my beat up Gibson, circa 1968. It was recorded in one track, all the way through with a cheap mic, so it’s rough, like it would be if I were singing on a stage. ps- the lattes are very good here, and Drak- I owe you $5.

Voices and café sounds are from various online sound effects sites, and my daughter, Amanda. Feter is the announcer. That’s Gillian Welch singing in the background. i hope you enjoy! :-)

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Lyrics

So many years, and I’m finally learning
I’ve been in the dark all my life
While searching for meaning
And struggling with sin
Never seeming to live without strife

There had to be more, than just growing older
Disappointment was my constant friend
I thought “What’s the point?”
We’re just doing time,
Being turned to dust when it all ends

Then I heard His voice calling into my darkness
Could this kind of love really be?
Someone who would know me
And cherish me deeply
Someone who’d save me from me

CHORUS: It’s not about working
to keep the commandments
In His love you will want to live right
When His Spirit is in you
You will be empowered
His yoke is easy His burden is light

I tried to please everyone,
then sought to please God
And for a time, I felt strong
But the laws they laid on me
Were too hard to keep
My victories didn’t last long

I didn’t know grace was the power I needed
To overcome all here on Earth
Too many years
Being run by emotions
My soul didn’t know it’s own worth

CHORUS:

A saved man believes and receives the gift of life
He will quickly repent and forgive,
humbly seeking God’s wisdom with all of his heart
This is the man who will live

We will fall down and fail
When we walk in our own strength
It will happen again and again
The victory eternal
Is only in Jesus
He’ll accept you, wherever you’ve been

chorus

Song Stats

Hits: 1487
Comments: 62
Fans: 30
Plays: 132
Downloads: 71
Votes: 14
Uploaded: Jun 27, 2008 - 04:16:51 PM
Last Updated: Jun 28, 2008 - 11:10:10 AM Last Played: Nov 20, 2009 - 05:59:27 AM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Keywords:

Roxylee (39), MJ Coffeehouse (1), folk (423), gospel (46), inspirational (99), acoustic (589)

Hardware:

G4
cheapo usb mic

Software:

GB4

Comments

Feter	Feter said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	His Yoke is Easy My dearest ..you are a gem in and out ..the art and music is just a sparkling light we all enjoy appreciating every bit of your smile and music here around us .what a deep and thoughtful song ...how decent so honest .thank you for all ,God Bless !! Check out my latest song called A Night With Feter feat'(Roxylee sloparts crissew johnwhitehead and Yamin AL Yamani )

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	I so appreciate your words Thank you, Mr. Announcer, aka Feter, for your appreciation ,and for announcing me to the audience so generously.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

drakonis

drakonis said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)

ROFL!
That was a hilarious intro... it was worth an extra $5 just to hear you sing... even on a cheapo mic.

BTW, was that Mark Holbrook at the door telling everyone the secret password of charging their bill to the poor guy with the dragon shirt? Sheesh! Feter, great MC introduction for Roxylee, thank you for your kind words.

Roxylee, what a wonderful folkie song, very sweetly played on your guitar, and of course, wonderfully written lyrics and heartfelt singing. Too bad the mic was a little cheap, the mix was a little boomy, or perhaps the coffeehouse was a little boomy :-) Made it a little harder to hear you, but I still enjoyed it... definitely smirking all day now!

ttfn,
Drakonis, washing dishes to pay the tab

Check out my latest song called Lullaby for the Inner Child

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Oh, yes That indeed was Mark at the door. (Thanks, Mark, that was such fun, watching them hand Drak the huge bill!) Drak, are you all done with the dishes now? Need any hand lotion for the chapped scales? hehheh Thank you very much, and I'm glad you like my coffeehouse number. Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

	said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	Fine.. It's good to hear your entry to the MJ Coffeehouse. You were so supportive to most of the people here who participated at the MJ Coffeehouse idea but we never heard from you your own entry/participation. Fine work here, nice introducing by feter and wonderful job you did by playing and singing Ms. Roxy. Thanks for sharing! Take Care - Yeman A. Al-Rawi

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Thank you, Yeman And i've missed a lot of these, which I must hear soon. Thank you for listening. Your latest tune is most excellent, as always. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Char	Char said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	That was a beautiful song .. And it was sung with all the heart and soul the lyrics called for. Truly an inspirational song. I am happy I could hear it. Thank you. Your next drink is on me! Check out my latest song called Break Away (Mark Holbrook & Awigze)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Thank you, Char and I am happy that you came by, listened, and liked it. I'm looking forward to hearing your first post. Thank you for your encouraging words.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

J.A.Stewart	J.A.Stewart said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	Reminds me of... Joan Baez. That couldn't put you in a better coffeehouse light. Lovely, gentle vocals, Roxy. Well-done. ;) --- Joe Check out my latest song called A Night @ Neverland

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Heehee I used to listen to Joan Baez constantly, so no wonder I remind you of her now. She was the biggest influence on my singing. Thank you so much for your kind words, Joe.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

rabittwhole	rabittwhole said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	right then roxy... just jack in a bunny suit ... such a great performance roxy ... just beautiful Check out my latest song called London is Bitter (Part 1)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Hello!! So nice to see you, even in that bunny suit. Thank you for listening. Someday I'd like to play guitar half as good as you.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

	said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	Ah yes... GRACE! Free grace!!! The one thing we resist the most is the one thing we need the most! A beautiful testimonial in the classic 60's Joan Baez style. Nice job sis on this wonderful song. I'd write some more but I have to stand in line for another Mocha Latte! Be well my friend!

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Thank you, bro Yeh, Grace we stand in, yet we keep trying to do works. Someday it will all sink in. This was fun to do- I feel like doing more, but finding time, quiet, and decent audio is a rare combo. I'm sure you know what I mean. Thank you for coming by, and enjoy the latte.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

caroline	caroline said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	yes!!! joan baez!!! how amazing - so ... not only did i enjoy the coffee shop ambience, the lyrics, your voice, the guitar but i also had a wee trip down memory lane too - sheesh roxy - you do this lovely - thank you xoxoxo Check out my latest song called clink that link mjrf

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Aww... thank you, Caro I am glad that this brought back good memories of the folkie days. I thank you for listening to this. Your voice in APB's latest was priceless good. I'd love to meet you someday! :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Moviz	Moviz said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	The sincerity shines through in the words Roxie and you sang it beautifully with that old but well played guitar. Loved the intro and I like how Feter now has an American accent LOL, regards M Check out my latest song called Come Back Billie

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	LOL Yes, Feter did the perfect job mc-ing in this. I particularly liked his little chuckle after the guy in the audience yells out "Howdy!" I thank you, Maurice, for such a lovely comment.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

TeresaV	TeresaV said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	=) I LOVED it. Everything about it, awesome job!! I downloaded it for Cody and I, for when we need a mood lifter! .

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	:-) How cool that Cody will be able to not only recognize my face and speaking voice- he will know my singing voice as well! I'll have to write a song just for him! :-) I'm so glad you liked this. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

	said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	Moving... precious... performance of an authentic personal ballad that tells the old, old story that will be your theme in glory. Roxy, I am just thankful to be in the audience... listening, nodding, smiling... and quietly saying "Amen." Thanks, sister. Jack

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Thank you, Jack Yes, it's a theme all believers can relate to as we walk it out, slowly learning to trust. I'm finally starting to catch on and thank God for His patience! I really appreciate your listening and comments, and I'm so glad you enjoyed my contribution to the coffeehouse.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

davisamerica2	davisamerica2 said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	Glad I walked into this coffee house. What a treat! The recording itself was an authentic coffee house experience. The song, enrapturing; the singing, beautiful! Thanks Roxy. This will be replayed again and again. Terry Check out my latest song called It's Lonely Here

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Hi, Terry! Wow, thank you. It means a lot that you like this enough to play it over and over. Thank you for your kind, encouraging words.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

jiguma	jiguma said 515 days ago (June 27th, 2008)
	Just like the old days! When I was young (no, make that VERY young) my girlfriend at the time used to take me to a coffee shop where this would have fitted in perfectly. A true Coffee House song - lovely singing and subtle, delicate strumming. Good one Roxylee! Neil Check out my latest song called Lost In Translation (w Mike Watkins)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Thank you, Neil I guess I'm just an old folkie, because it sure felt natural to be in that coffeehouse! I must say it was fun to play and sing on one track like a real live recording, flaws and all. (especially when I can make the audience clap a lot) Thank you so much for stopping by. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)

His Joke Is easy.
The minute I heard you start to sing. That was it. This song touched me very much. I know you are a very spiritual person Roxylee.
And so genuine. I love your guitar playing too
But, its your story telling and singing that I love so much. I love your spiritual ones the best, I think now. The lyrics were awsome.
Very heartfelt and sincere as well. What I am trying to say is...........
......... I think you ae awsome. You rock!!

Peace Dee.

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Ahhhhhh...... This was so great to read, Dee; this was what I had hoped for; that it would touch hearts. I am so glad you felt the Spirit of the Lord in this. Your words encourage me to sing more praises to Him. Thank you so much for your sweet comment and for listening to my songs.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

RickW

RickW said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)

Awesome
Just like our God, this song is awesome Roxy. Your talent with lyrics has not diminished and your singing is as beautiful as ever. Very impressive is your ability to put all those pieces together (door closing, cafe sounds, Feter's intro). And to top it all off, the audience was absolutely spellbound while you were singing! WOW! You are gorgeous!

God bless & love,

Rick

Check out my latest song called Picture of Perfection (MJRF)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 515 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Wow, thank you, Rick I truly appreciate your comments. I had fun with the effects, and I am very happy that it had the coffeehouse feel and that it touched you. Yeh, Feter is a great emcee, and the valley girl and howdy guy cracked me up! The best part was seeing my great MacJammer friends in one room. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

michael2	michael2 said 514 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	very nice folk song, Joni Mitchell would be proud. Love the whole intro as well, you did a great job on this one. Really feel like I'm there. Check out my latest song called Behind Enemy Lines (w/Bud and Particle Dots)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 514 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Wow.. I consider JM to be a musical genius, so wow, thank you! Thank you for stopping by. Your latest is wonderful....:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

bud	bud said 514 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Great set up Roxy and a wonderful song from the heart. Check out my latest song called try not to think

Roxylee	Roxylee said 514 days ago (June 28th, 2008)
	Hi, Bud! I thank you for coming on over for a listen. I'm glad you liked it.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

MarkHolbrook	MarkHolbrook said 514 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	Ha ha ha... Drak got stuck with the bill again!!! Love it Roxy!!! Drak sit down!!! I can't see!!! Go pay that bill! Check out my latest song called Never Say Goodbye - Bond Challenge

MarkHolbrook

MarkHolbrook said 514 days ago (June 29th, 2008)

Oh ...
I totally forgot to add:

Your voice is beautiful and oh wow... you can sing the folkies... In some ways your voice reminds me of Joan Baez. My father was a huge fan of her so it boomed through the house often when I was little.

Great song, great voice, great all around.

I'll go help Drak with the dishes now. Poor dragon with the chapped scales... :)

Check out my latest song called Never Say Goodbye - Bond Challenge

Roxylee	Roxylee said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	Dishpan Drak He finally washed the last dish and is a free man -er, dragon, once more. I'm sure he'll make an announcement next time. Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Roxylee	Roxylee said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	Thank you, Mark I, too, used to listen to her all the time, so I was heavily influenced by her. Thank you so much for the appreciation of my folkie style singin'>:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Jarvoid	Jarvoid said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	Boy that's a posh cafe,its all fag ends ,old coffee cups and cafe racers where I come from! "You havea nice set of pipes" is I believe the expression that I am looking for.Nice song.Well done.Bravo. Jarvoid Check out my latest song called Witches in Texas-'Hallowe'en Challenge 2009'

Roxylee	Roxylee said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	Well, thank you, Jarvoid I made them wait for me to finish before having a smoke; otherwise, I'd have been coughing instead of singing. Thanks for stopping by! :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

paul f. page

paul f. page said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)

Hearing your...
...clear, sweet voice is a delight all of it's own. I am, though, in total disagreement about the quality of the recording and/or the mic: this is crystal clear and very beautiful to my ears. ... Personal messages are difficult to convey to a virtual audience, but the sincerity of your lyrics and your performance not only make this "work", but they also are most welcomed to hear because the sentiments, the thoughts, are much more universal than perhaps you even realize. Thanks for sharing this beautiful, personal song.
Peace.
Paul

Check out my latest song called Double Etude

Roxylee

Roxylee said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)

and thank you, Paul
for your much appreciated comments. I am relieved that the sound quality was pleasing to your composer's ears. Yes, this was a personal, yet universal theme; and an ongoing struggle, and the cool thing is that I feel "safe" here to let my deeper feelings out in song. MacJammers are the best, and I thank you for your kind encouragements. :-)

Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

davisamerica	davisamerica said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	lol... what the rabitt said and thanks for sticking drak with the bill .. beautiful roxy ... you wear your love like heaven Check out my latest song called No Son(egobandit band)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 513 days ago (June 29th, 2008)
	Aw, Jack... It's kind people like you that make it easy to wear our songs on our sleeves.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Bob Rodgers	Bob Rodgers said 513 days ago (June 30th, 2008)
	Loved the intro and this is a real gem! A lovely song! You have a great voice Roxy, this was so beautifully sung! Great lyrics and a really fine performance! Check out my latest song called In My Mind

Roxylee	Roxylee said 512 days ago (June 30th, 2008)
	Why, thank you, Bob so nice of you to stop by for a listen! I appreciate it. I just heard your latest and I'm going to listen to your other songs, too. Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

kassia

kassia said 511 days ago (July 1st, 2008)

His Yoke is Easy
Roxylee...how did I miss this beautiful performance? After seeing the thread that announced the closing of the coffeeshop I decided to revisit all the pieces submitted and realized I hadn't heard this! A wonderful acoustic, live recording. Your guitar is the perfect, minimal accompaniment for your smooth vocals. A very nice folky tune, and a personal, heartfelt message. Thank you for sharing this!

Check out my latest song called Deep Majesty

Roxylee	Roxylee said 511 days ago (July 2nd, 2008)
	Thank you, Shay What's so good about MacJams is the fun challenges that stretch us to try new things. (like recording a whole song in one track at one sitting, then pressing the Submit button) I'm glad this one worked. Thank you so much for coming by. Your compositions are amazing! :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Nick_Flash	Nick_Flash said 511 days ago (July 2nd, 2008)
	Wow what a great intro! Perfect. Your voice sounds excellent on this Roxy - so much passion. It sounds like a very authentic live performance, just like I was there. Great post! nick Check out my latest song called Wake Up

Roxylee	Roxylee said 509 days ago (July 4th, 2008)
	Hi, Nick Making the intro was a lot of fun. The idea of course came from Mark's song, where he was talking about my latte and how we all charged Drak for our coffees. I'm so happy i was able to contribute to this one. :-) Thank you so much for creating this idea and for leaving me a comment. I am glad you liked itthis.:-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

John Stebbe

John Stebbe said 510 days ago (July 3rd, 2008)

Voice
Roxy, your voice is right on pitch, and your delivery is earnest and heartfelt. You remind me a lot of Honeytree (you're probably too young to remember her -- she was a big Christian music artist in the 70s). Your vibrato is very pleasant. Under control, but still natural and not 'too' controlled.

Lyrics are thoughtful and well-constructed. Your thoughts are profound, and are a refreshing change from a lot of the bubbly-pop you sometimes find in Christian music today. I appreciate your emphasis on the reality of sin and the necessity of God's grace. "It's not about working to keep the commandments." Right! Reminds me of Romans 4:4-5. "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." Salvation in Jesus is a free gift, and our response of thanksgiving is to live a life that honors Him. We know we will fail at times, and we know that our efforts at living a God-honoring life are certainly not the basis on which God justifies us. Our justification is based on Christ's atonement at the cross, and certainly nothing within ourselves.

Enough preaching from me! I really enjoyed this track, Roxylee. An edifying way to start my day.

Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

Roxylee

Roxylee said 509 days ago (July 4th, 2008)

Wow, John, thank you!
What a thoughtful, gracious comment, from a composer that amazes me. I am happy that this was pleasing to your ears. I sure do remember Nancy Honeytree, and I see she just put out a new CD with P{hil Keaggy on guitar. Ahhh... the late 70;s and early 80's, before the influx of the counterfeit came flooding into the church. I remember it well. It's so easy to slip back into a performance mentality, thinking I have to somehow earn my salvation, and then it hits me how dangerous that thinking is- it's like saying what God already did isn't good enough. Whoa... I rejoice when I realize "it is finished" and all I need to do is accept that and rest in His love. Ahh.. the perfect simplicity of the gospel..I could go on and on... Thank you for stopping by,bro. I need to play catch up and go hear your latest composition, which I already know i will love. :-)

Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

dirigent	dirigent said 506 days ago (July 7th, 2008)
	His Yoke is easy When I read this title, I supposed first that it's also from Haendel's Messiah. ;-) Instead of that I found a great acoustic song with wonderful lyrics, empathetically delivered. Amazing singing and playing in a very cool ambiente. Brava! Check out my latest song called Autumn

Roxylee	Roxylee said 505 days ago (July 8th, 2008)
	Wow, Andreas... Coming from you, a composer and singer par excellence, I'm honored. Thank you. Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

dajama	dajama said 501 days ago (July 11th, 2008)
	Beautiful song, and very nicely performed. Your voice sounds great on this, filled with feeling. An honest, open song that shares a lot about you. Thank you for sharing this with us. Beautiful. Nicely done. Peace. Check out my latest song called Across the Wire (MJRF)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 500 days ago (July 12th, 2008)
	Thank you, David Thank you for stopping by, and I'm glad you liked this. It's so good to find a safe place to express myself, and MacJams has been wonderful to me. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

thetiler	thetiler said 501 days ago (July 11th, 2008)
	Enjoyed Like the guitar too! This one of your best I think! Lots of meaty lyrics! Beautiful singing! Check out my latest song called The Bluebird Cafe (with two other guest)

Roxylee	Roxylee said 500 days ago (July 12th, 2008)
	Wow thetiler liked my guitar playing?? I should frame that statement. Thank you, Bill. I feel like a finger painter next to a Picasso, but thanks. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

rsorensen	rsorensen said 490 days ago (July 23rd, 2008)
	great finally catching up with all the coffeehouse stuff. this is a gooder! reminds me of Joni Mitchell. You have a real gift. Great job. Check out my latest song called Keep Your Chin Up

Roxylee	Roxylee said 456 days ago (August 25th, 2008)
	Wow, thank you! Being in the same sentence as Joni Genius is a real honor. I guess all those hours of playing her albums paid off! Thank you for coming by; I really appreciate your input. Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

	said 457 days ago (August 24th, 2008)
	Very nice. Song I liked it very much. Thank you.

Roxylee	Roxylee said 450 days ago (September 1st, 2008)
	Why, thank you! I appreciate your stopping by. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

diamondvalley	diamondvalley said 331 days ago (December 28th, 2008)
	I'm late discovering this... but if your still checking comments, this is a gem. Love the intro and Baez folk style with lyrics steeped in truth and sung with a passion from a life truly lived. Thank you. Check out my latest song called Schon Rosmarin

Roxylee	Roxylee said 323 days ago (January 6th, 2009)
	Comments like this make me want to write more of this style song. It's not easy for me to lay my heart on the line, and the encouragements here help a lot for me to be brave. Thank you. :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

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Artist Info

Name: Roxanne Smith

I was born in 1953 in Peekskill, NY and have lived in the Hudson River Valley all my life. Music has always been a top priority to me, and until I got GarageBand, I'd never written any. This is fun! Jesus saved my soul at age 26. Everything in my ... [see more]

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