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8Jul-07
Lay It Down

I wrote this song while thinking of many of my friends that still work at my ex company Gateway Computer. To be honest, they are struggling right now. My friends in South Dakota are frustrated for change but at the same time, it is hard to change the negative inertia. So rather than be frustrated, they should Lay It Down.

It’s been a while since I had written a full song and this one just popped out in March of this year. 

Lay it down

Intro 
A C G A

Verse
Em
I didn't ask to be in the place
Am
And nothing is the same
Em
So many people I don't like
C                    Am                     
But I got no time to complain

So much same old same old
No one's trying anything new
We're not judged on what we say
just on what we do

D
Time's run out for talking
C
This ship's got to turn around
C
It's hard when everyone's watching, 
A            C   G  A
But I got to Lay it down.


Refrain
A        C   G  A
I got to lay it down
C                A
Judgment time is near
A        C   G  A
I got to lay it down
D                E
And put aside my fears

D
I'm not going to leave this place
C
without ever making a sound
C
Now more than ever
A            C   G  A
It's time to lay it down.
18Jun-07
I Just Want To Be There

I wrote this song back in the mid 1980’s. The songs lyrics are about my grandfather, Theodore Chen, who was of failing health but he had not yet passed away. On this web site somewhere is a version of me playing the song on my guitar. Since I know my limitations, I asked a friend of mine to rearrange the song, and also give it professional production values. I think it turned out great. More to come. I am hoping that we can work together to redo all of my songs. Here’s the first one. 



D              A    E
People running all around this world
D         A      E 
Trying to make a dime
D      A           E
I just wish they'd open their eyes
D         A      E
Like I've opened mine
A                        D
Sitting here knocking on heaven's door
A                       E
Waiting for the Lord to come
A              D
I just want to be there Lord
D      A   E
To see the Son


   D           A    E
My grandfather is a great great man
         D         A      E
But he's getting a little old
D      A       E
I just need to love him more
       D   A     E
As the age takes hold

      A                  D
Cause one day soon he'll leave this world
  A                E
I pray it won't be long
A              D
I just want to be there Lord
         D    A   E
When you make him strong


D              A    E
People running all around this world
D         A      E 
Trying to make a dime
D      A           E
I just wish they'd open their eyes
D         A      E
Like I've opened mine

A                        D
Sitting here knocking on heaven's door
A                       E
Waiting for the Lord to come
A              D
I just want to be there Lord
D      A   E
To see the Son


D                A         E
Let me tell you about this boss of mine
D          A       E
Making our lives a hell
D           A    E
Sometimes I just have to laugh
   D    A  E
He does it well
    A                   D
But one day there'll be judgement day
A                       E
Looking the Lord in the face
A              D
I just want to be there Lord
        D      A   E
When he pleads his case


D              A    E
People running all around this world
D         A      E 
Trying to make a dime
D      A           E
I just wish they'd open their eyes
D         A      E
Like I've opened mine


A                        D
Sitting here knocking on heaven's door
A                       E
Waiting for the Lord to come
A              D
I just want to be there Lord
D      A   E
To see the Son

15May-02
Need To Know

Hoffman Cheng
May 2002

C                  G
Oh Lord, I need to ask you
     F                  C
Some things I'd like to know
F                   C
How do you make the leaves turn green
    Am                 G
And make the flowers grow
C                   G
How do you make the sky pour down
       F            C
those little drops of rain
    F               C
And every snowflake that you make
   Am          G
is never quite the same


       Bb      F
Well I need to know
C          G
How do you do it
       Bb      F
Well I need to know
C          G
How do you care


C                  G
Oh Lord, I need to ask you
     F            C
Some questions on my mind
F                   C
How do you make the lame to walk
     Am            G
Give vision to the blind
F                C
You've healed so many broken hearts
     Am           G
What makes you be so kind


(chorus)
       Bb      F
Well I need to know
C          G
How do you do it
       Bb      F
Well I need to know
C          G
How do you care
F           C
How is that you always have
    Am           G
the answer to my prayers


C          G 
Oh Lord, I need to ask you
         F                 C
One more thing I'd like to know
F           C
Why did you come to save us
Am            G
So many years ago
C                G
The way you were treated
    F              C
The hatred that we showed
    F                  C
The things you were to go through
      Am             G
Well, did you really know
Bb                F
Did you know that you were sent
   C                    G
to set death's captives free
Bb                F
Did you know that you would
     C               D
give your life on calvary


(chorus)


Bb
I need to know 
how could you love me
so much that you would
die for me
Or could it be
that love for me
                           C
is all I really need to know
15Apr-02
Railroad Man

Railroad Man

Hoffman Cheng
April 2002

Bm
He was only 17
G
When he got his first job
A
Riding his rail was his dream
Bm
Checking in at every stop
D
Hanging out the lights
C
Working through the night
A           G                D
He was born to be a railroad man


Bm
Rolling out at dawn
G
To the station he would go
A
That whistle was his song
Bm
Train moving slow
D
People rushing in
C
His journey soon begins
A              G             D
He was born to be a railroad man


Bridge
C
Train rocking down the tracks
D
No chance for looking back
A
Railroad has to be
G                 D
Somewhere else by three


Bm
Carolina was his home
G
Two kids and a wife
A
He didn't want to roam
Bm
But the railroad was his life
D
Nothing could compare
C
With what the steel and he shared
A              G             D
He was born to be a railroad man


Chorus
C             G
Rock yourself to sleep
D             A
Railroad man, Railroad man
C              G
Long hours you must keep
D             A
Railroad man, Railroad man
Em
Your family's fast asleep
D
Railroad man
C                D
Your train keeps rolling on


Bm
Well that final whistle blew
G
He boarded heaven's train
A
He knew that this time
Bm
He'd not come back again
D
When that train pulled out
C
He heard the angels shout
A                    G
It's time for you to rest
D
Railroad man
15Apr-02
Forever And Beyond

Hoffman Cheng
April 2002

D
To fly on the wings of eagles
A
To ride on the backs of whales
D
To reach for that highest peak
E
We've all had those dreams
G
But where in this life
D
We must find a path to
G             D
Forever and beyond

A
To walk along a mountain trail
D
To find a new star in the sky
A
Peace and understanding
G                    D
These are the things that make up
G             D
Forever and beyond

D
Forever and beyond
A
The horizon awaits
D
Forever and beyond
B
We tempt the hands of fate
G             D
Looking for a road to
G             D
Forever and beyond

A
One night I found an old well
D
Its depths seem to reach the bowels of hell
A
But up above the moon hung high
G            D
These images takes me to
G            D
Forever and beyond

D
Forever and beyond
A
The horizon awaits
D
Forever and beyond
B
We tempt the hands of fate
G             D
Looking for a road to
G             D
Forever and beyond