Original Works

Congratulations to Naomi Davis and Michael Eugene Blackwell, Sr. who co-created “Mercy Sown, Mercy Reaped” in 2023:

This recording includes choir members: Zachary Brecht, Nathan Brown, Katelyn Peterson, Laura Kuper, and Madeline Yankell. Recording engineer was Peter Nothnagle. This song will be played during the credits of Dan Kolen’s documentary “The Inside Singers.”

In summer 2023, we built upon the previous summer’s songwriting partnerships to create the Inside Outside Songwriting Collaboration Project. See PAST IMAJIN CARING COMMUNITIES information on home page of this website for zoom recordings of these songs.

In summer 2022, we had several songwriting partnerships between incarcerated and non-incarcerated songwriters. Through these partnerships we created three original songs shared below.

“Let’s Show the Way”

“This Train Just Keeps on Rollin”

“Dear Future Me”

 


We had the honor to collaborate with musicians from Songs in the Key of Free where we recorded background tracks to the chorus of Moose’s original song “Rise.”

Songs in the Key of Free is a nonprofit that collaborates with incarcerated musicians to create albums and podcasts.


“May My Tears Water a Sapling” (performed at Anne Frank Sapling planting ceremony, April 29, 2022 on the University of Iowa Pentacrest)


IowaNow article on ceremony | Video of full event (YouTube) | Event page


“The Light That Shines Within” by Paul Soderdahl
© 2017 Paul Soderdahl, licensed under Creative CommonsAttribution-ShareAlike 4.0

Musical Compositions Co-written with Oakdale Prison Community Choir Members:

These works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License

  1. “In My Mother’s Eyes” Summer 2009
  2. “Crossroads” Summer 2009
  3. “Left Behind” Summer 2009
  4. “No Days Like the Holidays” Fall 2009
  5. “May the Stars Remember Your Name” Spring 2010
    • This composition was also performed by Riccardo Muti, Artistic Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Illinois Youth Center-Warrenville on Monday, September 27, 2010 and by internationally acclaimed cellist, Yo-Yo Ma along with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Monday, October 4, 2010, also at IYC-Warrenville. These performances were the result of collaborations among Storycatchers Theatre’s Fabulous Female program, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Youth Center-Warrenville, the Oakdale Community Choir, me, and the Iowa Medical and Classification Center.
  6. “Inside a Mother’s Heart” Summer 2010
    1. Inside a Mother’s Heart Score
    2. “Inside a Mother’s Heart” Summer 2010
  7. “My Love Always” Summer 2010 & Fall 2010
  8. “Nothing” Summer 2010
  9. “The Man I Am” Summer 2010
  10. “Release the Darkness” Summer 2010 & Fall 2010
  11. “I Am a Person Who” Summer 2010
  12. “Whispers from the Dawn” Fall 2010
  13. “Sent to Germany” Spring 2011
  14. “Inside the Fences” Spring 2011
  15. “Tapestry” Spring 2011
    1. Tapestry Flute Part
    2. Tapestry Score
    3. Introduction to “Tapestry” Spring 2011
    4. “Tapestry” Spring 2011 Oakdale Community Choir
  16. “Missing for So Long” Summer 2011 & Fall 2011
    1. Missing for So Long Score
    2. Introduction to “Missing for So Long” Summer 2011 & Fall 2011
    3. “Missing for So Long” Summer 2011 & Fall 2011
  17. “Sing a Song” Summer 2011 & Fall 2011
    1. Sing a Song Score
    2. Introduction to “Sing a Song” Summer 2011 & Fall 2011
    3. “Sing a Song” Summer 2011 & Fall 2011
  18. “Grain of Sand” Fall 2011
    1. Grain of Sand Score
    2. Introduction to “Grain of Sand” Fall 2011
    3. “Grain of Sand” Fall 2011
  19. “To My Daughter: Amelia Renae” Spring 2012
  20. “One More Look” Spring 2012
  21. “Thank You So Much” Summer 2012
  22. “We Come to Sing” Fall 2012
    1. We Come To Sing Score
    2. Introduction to “We Come to Sing” Fall 2012
    3. “We Come to Sing” Fall 2012
  23. “Find the Joy” (solely written by Mary L. Cohen) Spring 2013
    1. Find The Joy Score
    2. Find the Joy SATB – Full Score
    3. Find the Joy Flute Part
    4. Introduction to “Find the Joy” Spring 2013
    5. “Find the Joy” Spring 2013
  24. “The Change”
    1. The Change Score
    2. Introduction to “The Change” Fall 2014
    3. “The Change” Fall 2014 (solely written by Mary L. Cohen)
    4. “The Change” Fall 2016 (By Mary Cohen & Dave Camlin)
  25. “Things Are Gonna Change” Spring 2015
    1. Things Are Gonna Change Score
    2. Introduction to “Things Are Gonna Change” Spring 2015
    3. “Things Are Gonna Change” Spring 2015
  26. “Light: Lux del Cielo” Summer & Fall 2015
  27. “Trapped in Time” Summer 2015
  28. “Love Came Down at Christmas Time” Summer & Fall 2015
  29. “I’ll Meet You at the Portals” Fall 2015
  30. “That Childhood of Ours” Fall 2015
  31. “Hearts Are Kissing” Summer 2016
  32. “The Person I See” Summer 2016 & Fall 2016
  33. “My Little Bro” Summer 2016
  34. “The Change” (Version 2) Fall 2016
  35. “I Pray For You” Fall 2016
    1. Introduction to“I Pray For You” Fall 2016
    2. “I Pray For You” Fall 2016
  36. “Strange Thinking” Spring 2017
  37. “There’s Something about Our Choir” Spring 2017
    1. Introduction to “There’s Something about Our Choir” Spring 2017
    2. “There’s Something about Our Choir” Spring 2017

  38. “Left Behind” version 2 Spring 2017
    1. Introduction to “Left Behind” version 2 Spring 2017
    2. “Left Behind” version 2 Spring 2017
  39. “Inside a Mother’s Heart” version 2 Spring 2017
    1. Introduction to “Inside a Mother’s Heart” version 2 Spring 2017
    2. “Inside a Mother’s Heart” version 2 Spring 2017

Inside a mother’s heart, search deep and you will find
The treasures of tomorrow and the tears she leaves behind. (repeat)
She loves and cares so much for her sweet child
Their love grows strong and blesses all our lives.

40. “Life’s Rotation” Summer 2017

41. “A Child’s Heart” Fall 2017

42. “May I See Beauty Too” Fall 2017

43. “Heavenly Snowfall” Fall 2017 (solely written by Mary Cohen)

44.”Oh Dark and Lonely Road” Summer 2018

45. “My Family” Summer 2018 and Spring 2019

46. “Peace with My Beasts” Summer 2020

Musical Compositions Written by Oakdale Prison Community Choir Members and  IMCC Summer Songwriting Participants:. Spring and Fall songs performed by Oakdale Community Choir, Summer songs performed at an informal concert of the Summer Songwriting Workshop Participants
  1. “Perfect Peace” Spring 2009
  2. “Mary, Mary” Spring 2011
  3. “Down at the Bottom” Spring 2011
  4. “Zero Track Mind” Summer 2011
  5. “Golden Cross of Light” Summer 2011
  6. “When Two Become One” Summer 2011
  7. “The Bio Bill Blues” Summer 2011
  8. “The Fourth of July” Summer 2011
  9. “A Song” Summer 2011
  10. “Home to You” Summer 2011
  11. “Dear Younger Me” Fall 2011
    1. Dear Younger Me Score
    2. Introduction to “Dear Younger Me” Fall 2011
    3.  “Dear Younger Me” Fall 2011
  12. “Watching Over Me” Spring 2012
  13. “So Much More” Spring 2012
    1. So Much More Score (Coming Soon)
    2. Introduction to “So Much More” Spring 2012
    3. “So Much More” Spring 2012
  14. “Good-Bye Baby” Summer 2012
  15. “It’s Not Fair: Joseph’s Story” Summer 2012
  16. “The Lonely Road” Summer 2012
  17. “Western Blues” Summer 2012
  18. “Dance of Life” Fall 2012
  19. “Sing Unto the Lord” Fall 2012
  20. “Mourning Is Broken” Spring 2013
  21. “Eddie’s Tears” Spring 2013
  22. “Trouble with the Tribbles on the Treble Clef” Spring 2013
  23. “Rain” Summer 2013
  24. “Remember” Summer 2013
  25. “Together Again” Summer 2013
  26. “Blue Ribbon Steer” Summer 2013
  27. “To Go Back in Time” Summer 2013
  28. “Precious Time” Summer 2013
  29. “More Than You See” Fall 2013
  30. “That Little Crinkle” Fall 2013
  31. “Love Lives On” Fall 2013
    1. Love Lives On Score
    2. Introduction to “Love Lives On” Fall 2013
    3. “Love Lives On” Fall 2013

      In a world gone wrong, we pray that you’ll stay strong
      And when the hurt hits home,
      Just know that Love Lives On
      And so we’ll sing our song
      With hopes that seeds are sown
      Trusting in God our cornerstone
      Knowing that Love Lives On. Remember that Love Lives On,

  32. “We Got Each Other” Spring 2014
  33. “Hillbilly Alien” Summer 2014
  34. “First Time Fishing & Camping” Summer 2014
  35. “So Just Close Your Eyes” Summer 2014
  36. “Don’t” Summer 2014
  37. “Close My Eyes” Summer 2014
  38. “Peace Explodes” Summer 2014
  39. “Listen to Your Heart” Summer 2014
  40. “Hear My Name” Summer 2014
  41. “Drop Dead Gorgeous” Summer 2014
  42. “Fit for Funeral” Summer 2014
  43. “Music is Peace in Your Heart” Summer 2014
  44. “Falling Further” Fall 2014
    1. “Falling Further” Score
    2. Introduction to “Falling Further” Fall 2014
    3. “Falling Further” Fall 2014
  45. “Don’t Go to the Hole this Christmas” Fall 2014
  46. “A Bit Smaller” Fall 2014
  47. “Food for My Mind” Fall 2014
  48. “Treasures Hidden” Fall 2014
  49. “Choir Do Whop” Spring 2015
  50. “God Grant You” Spring 2015
  51. “Tomorrow May Never Come” Spring 2015
  52. “There’s Something about Mary” Spring 2015
  53. “Help Me” Summer 2015
  54. “The Drifter” Summer 2015
  55. “Cry Out” Summer 2015
  56. “Not the Only Lonely One” Summer 2015
  57. “Peace Is a Seed” Summer 2015
  58. “Still” Summer 2015
  59. “The Me Some People See” Summer 2015
  60. “Help Me” Summer and Fall 2015
  61. “Dawn in My Darkness” Summer 2015
  62. “From the Moment” Summer 2015
  63. “IMCC Holiday Song” Fall 2015
  64. “How Can I Keep from Trying” Spring 2016
  65. “Four Times Bonita” Spring 2016
  66. “Time” Spring 2016
  67. “The Light That Shines Within” Spring 2016
  68. “Jacob’s Song” Summer 2016
  69. “The Stranger” Summer 2016
  70. “In With My All” Summer 2016
  71. “In My Hours in Prison” Summer 2016
  72. “When I Then” Summer 2016
  73. “I Have a Problem with a Man” Summer 2016
  74. “Monkey” Summer 2016
  75. “Ode to Percy” Fall 2016
  76. “Life within These Walls” Spring 2017
  77. “Puppy Prison Blues” Summer 2017 & Fall 2017
  78. “Inexplicable” Summer 2017
  79. “Though I Haven’t” Summer 2017
  80. “I Love You, Lord” Summer 2017
  81. “Bow Wow Ruff Ruff” Summer 2017
  82. “A Song for Thomas” Fall 2017
  83. “Ella Es” Spring 2018
  84. “My Window” Spring 2018
  85. “You Can Be” by Outside Singer Ben Ross, Spring 2018
  86. “Pain Can’t Be” Spring 2018
  87. “Keep on Keepin’ On” Summer, Fall 2018, Spring 2019
  88. “When God Loves You” Summer 2018
  89. “Life’s Lessons” Summer 2018
  90. “Sin’s Death Now Liveth” Summer 2018
  91. “She Never Even Knew” Summer 2018
  92. “For a Moment” Summer 2018
  93. “A Backwoods Brotherhood” Summer 2018
  94. “Life, Love, and Light” Summer 2018
  95. “Heaven’s Cryin’ Eyes” Summer 2018
  96. “Find My Soul” Summer 2018
  97. “Celebration of Songwriting” Summer 2019
  98. “Make It Through” Summer 2019
  99. “The Corpse You Left” Summer 2019
  100. “Reach for the Sky” Summer 2019
  101. “Though I Haven’t” Summer 2019
  102. “Listen to the Choir” Summer 2019
  103. “Benzo Piano” Summer 2019
  104. “More Than a Memory” Summer 2019
  105. “Remember: Be Love” Summer 2019 and Fall 2019
    Video for Remember: Be Love, by Rebecca Swanson
  106. “Breath Under Water” Summer 2019
  107. “A Trail to Abilene” Summer 2019
  108. “According to You” Summer 2020
  109. “Covid-19” Summer 2020
  110. “Listening” Summer 2020
  111. “Say Their Names” Summer 2020
  112. “May My Tears Water a Sapling” Spring 2022 (performed at Anne Frank Sapling planting ceremony, April 29, on the University of Iowa Pentacrest)
  113. You Showed the Way, 2023