Exercise 77 written by Graeme Miles

Over the years I have been fortunate in many ways, one of these was to have tapes sent to me by Graeme Miles of songs that he had written over the years. It was a great joy, and still is, to listen to these. I was engrossed in one of these tapes when one particular song caught my ear. I phoned Graeme to ask if I could sing this one, which I always did whenever I would learn one of his songs. He asked me which one it was and I explained to him the one. His reply was ‘No’ as he had written it purely as an exercise and did not want it to be “sung out”. I respected his wishes but learned it just to sing to myself. I became frustrated that I could not “sing it out “ so I devised a plan. In the    early 1900’s a Spanish composer Tarrega, wrote the most beautiful peice of music for the classical guitar called Memories of the Alhambra, Recurdos del Alhambra, and he wrote this as an exercise, a difficult piece to play as it is a tremolo on the inside string. This beautiful piece has been incorporated in many a classical guitarists repertoire and has been performed all over the word. I phoned Graeme and told him this and I am happy to say that he relented and gave me permission to “sing it out” but I must always introduce it as Exercise 77, and I along with many others thank Graeme for letting us “sing it out”. Martyn                                 

Exercise 77  written by Graeme Miles

You are the light, the silver light of dawn

You are the song, the song the linnet sings

You are the sun, the sun that makes me warm

You are my morning, you are my morning

You are my morning, oh yes you are

You are my morning, oh yes you are

                          …….

You are the dove, the dove that brings the peace

You are the breeze, the breeze that soothes my brow

You are the rain, the rain that cools my cheek

You are my comfort, you are my comfort

You are my comfort, oh yes you are

You are my comfort, oh yes you are

                         …….

You are the air, in every breath I breathe

You are the thought that never leaves my mind

You are the pulse that makes my heart to beat

You are my life, you are my life

You are my life, oh yes you are

And you’re my morning and you’re my comfort

And you’re my life, oh yes you are