Songs
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
Twinkle in the distance far and near
A golden glow whispers winter's cheer
Every window dressed in radiant pride
Shining colors call my name
Each a story not the same
Chorus
Christmas lights oh they paint the night
A million stars in a city's flight
Christmas lights oh they make it right
Shining hope in the cold moonlight
Garlands draped across the silent streets
Dancing colors where the frostbite meets
In every spark I see a dream unfold
Shining colors call my name
Each a story not the same
Chorus
Christmas lights oh they paint the night
A million stars in a city's flight
Christmas lights oh they make it right
Shining hope in the cold moonlight
They hum a hymn without a sound
A melody that wraps around
A warming glow that fills the air
A promise that someone cares
Chorus
Christmas lights oh they paint the night
A million stars in a city's flight
Christmas lights oh they make it right
Shining hope in the cold moonlight
Christmas lights oh they paint the night
A million stars in a city's flight
Christmas lights oh they make it right
Shining hope in the cold moonlight
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
The air is sharp it bites my face
Footsteps vanish without a trace
A lonely calm, a cold embrace
Chorus
An evening in the snow
Where time moves soft and slow
Hearts feel lighter
Faces glow
An evening in the snow
Streetlights hum with a golden grin
Breath clouds dance like ghosts within
The night breathes soft against my skin
Each flake a secret
Each flake a song
Carried by the wind
Dancing all night long
Chorus
An evening in the snow
Where time moves soft and slow
Hearts feel lighter
Faces glow
An evening in the snow
Fingers numb but I don't care
Magic wraps the frozen air
Stars above
They burn and stare
I could stay forever there
A thousand stars begin to wake
Their shimmer paints the frozen lake
The snow falls slow the dreams to make
Each flake a secret
Each flake a song
Carried by the wind
Dancing all night long
Chorus
An evening in the snow
Where time moves soft and slow
Hearts feel lighter
Faces glow
An evening in the snow
Each flake a secret
Each flake a song
Where time moves slow
An evening in the snow
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
Sunrise creeping on the window pane
Another day another ache another strain
Got my tea earl grey and hot ready for the fight
Against the monsters that appear in fading light
Something’s lurking just beyond my sight
Twisting dancing taking hold so tight
Chorus
Fighting shadows in the early morning dew
Chasing phantoms nothing really new
Swinging wildly at the empty air
Tell me what exactly do I fight for there
Fighting shadows
I see the enemy a flicker on the wall
Building up my defenses ready for the fall
Screaming at the wind blaming every breeze
Never looking closer never putting me at ease
Something’s hiding deep inside my head
Words unuttered things I left unsaid
Chorus
Fighting shadows in the early morning dew
Chasing phantoms nothing really new
Swinging wildly at the empty air
Tell me what exactly do I fight for there
Fighting shadows
My armor cracks beneath the weight I bear
Another war with nothing really there
Chasing after shapes that twist and fade
Wondering why I fear what my own mind made
A restless feeling pulls me from within
A war I never meant for to begin
Chorus
Fighting shadows in the early morning dew
Chasing phantoms nothing really new
Swinging wildly at the empty air
Tell me what exactly do I fight for there
Fighting shadows
Fighting shadows with myself
Fighting shadows with myself
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
I used to hide the stories that I loved
Superheroes, dragons, mages
starships from above
I kept them quiet, stacked away inside
I wore the mask they wanted me to be
While something real stayed hidden deep in me
I reached for worlds beyond my own
In books and games I called my home
But something kept on knocking late at night
Pages turning, sparks of colored light
Dice rolling soft in the dark
Calling my heart
I’m a nerd, and I’m done pretending I’m not
I love heroes jumping from the panels of a comic shot
Stars that burn in stories most folks forgot
And I love glowing screens
Impossible dreams
Call it weird, but it’s all that I’ve got
I tried to chase the things they said were cool
But those roads felt narrow
boxed in by the rules
Mine kept stretching out beyond the town
Page by page, frame by frame
I was finding my ground
Every board game felt like choosing a side
Every comic hero said I didn’t need to hide
And it hit me clear as a midnight sign
I wasn’t built to fall in line
I was meant to light it up
Every time
I’m a nerd, and I’m done pretending I’m not
I love heroes jumping from the panels of a comic shot
Stars that burn in stories most folks forgot
I love glowing screens
And impossible dreams
Call it weird, but it’s all that I’ve got
I’m a nerd, and I’m done pretending I’m not
I love heroes jumping from the panels of a comic shot
Stars that burn in stories most folks forgot
I love glowing screens
And impossible dreams
Call it weird, but it’s all that I’ve got
So here’s to late nights, screen light glow
To dog-eared pages, stories I know
To gaming worlds and dice roll fate
To learning it’s never too late
All the things I tried to outrun
Are the reasons I’ve become
Who I am
I’m a nerd and I’m done pretending I’m not
I love heroes jumping from the panels of a comic shot
Stars that burn in stories most folks forgot
I love glowing screens
And impossible dreams
Call it weird, but it’s all that I’ve got
I’m a nerd and I’m done pretending I’m not
I love heroes jumping from the panels of a comic shot
Stars that burn in stories most folks forgot
I love glowing screens
And impossible dreams
Call it weird, but it’s all that I’ve got
I’m a nerd and I’m done pretending I’m not
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
Vijftig jaar geleden
Moest ik eten bij de buren
Ik begreep toen nog niet goed
Waarom dat moest gebeuren
Maar toen ik 's avonds thuis kwam
En de deur weer open ging
Stond daar in de kamer
Een wieg met mijn kleine broertje erin
We groeiden op in het dorp
In een huis met rieten daken
En buiten in de kuil
Waar we tenten gingen maken
Met de kinderen uit de buurt
Tot de zon weer onderging
Dat waren onze dagen
Waar alles nog eenvoudig ging
Maar later werd het moeilijk
Onze moeder stond alleen
Ze werkte lange dagen
En wij waren veel alleen
Samen afwassen 's avonds
Dat ging niet altijd goed
Maar we deden wat we konden
Twee jongens vol met moed
Na de grote verhuizing
Naar deze stad hier in het oosten
Leek alles vol belofte
Iets om ons op te proosten
Maar de kou van december
Maakte de werkelijkheid hard
Met z'n drieën in de opvang
En een scherpe pijn in ons hart
Gelukkig kwam er een woning
Waar een nieuw begin begon
Niet alles liep er soepel
Maar we hielden samen stand
Jouw wereld draaide langzaam
Steeds meer rond muziek en band
Daar ontmoette jij de liefde
En lopen jullie nu hand in hand
De jaren gingen verder
Onze wegen soms uiteen
Maar wat er ook gebeurde
We bleven broers door alles heen
Maar er kwam opnieuw verdriet
Dat ons in de ziel zou raken
Ziekte sloop ons leven in
Om een einde aan haar strijd te maken
Ze ging veel te vroeg van ons heen
Het werd ijzig koud en leeg
Maar juist in die donkere tijd
Was er de band die ons samen reeg
Toen kwam er een groot wonder
Een nieuw licht in ons leven
Zo klein bij de geboorte
Maar heeft zoveel hoop gegeven
Niet alleen voor jullie
Maar voor ons hele gezin
Die kleine lach in donkere tijd
Was een prachtig nieuw begin
En de laatste tijd samen
Viel er zoveel te verzetten
Toen ook vader ons verliet
En wij op alles moesten letten
Het was een zware klus
Maar we stonden zij aan zij
Want wat er ook gebeurt
Jij blijft die broer van mij
En nu ben jij al vijftig
Wie had dat ooit gedacht
Mijn kleine broertje naast me
Na alles wat ons samenbracht
Hopelijk worden de jaren
Vanaf nu wat lichter en meer fijn
Zodat we samen nog heel lang
Herinneringen aan het maken zijn
Maar wat er ook nog komt
In het leven dat voor ons ligt
Voor mij zul je altijd blijven
Mijn kleine broertje
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
I worked hard towards my goal
Gave more than I was asked to give
I held my focus, held my ground
Believing that my time would come
Then the end came slowly into view
Each sacrifice made sense back then
As I saw the shape of what was built
A life I thought was taking form
Then the day arrived and my new life started
Then something shifted deep in me
A quiet fault I couldn't see
That took the ground from under me
Something in my body failed
And pulled the future from my hands
When dreams fell apart before my eyes
When every instinct said give up
I found a way to start again
To build new dreams from what was left
I reach for things I used to do
But feel my body hesitate
The skills I trained for slip away
While life keeps moving without me
My body fails me every day
And pulls me back when I try to move on
When dreams fell apart before my eyes
When every instinct said give up
I found a way to start again
To build new dreams from what was left
I stop fighting what I can't control
And let the pieces fall in place
Life is more than a single hand
I play the cards that still remain
When dreams fell apart before my eyes
When every instinct said give up
I found a way to start again
To build new dreams from what was left
When dreams fell apart before my eyes
I chose to rise instead of bend
I found my strength in what remains
And learned to live with what was left
I take today the way it is
And let tomorrow wait its turn
Music and Lyrics by Mark van Setten
You've been holding all the pieces tight
Watching chances pass you by
You've heard all the reasons they gave
Telling you the moment wasn't right
Now the scene is changing around you
Let your doubts drift away
Every step has led you here
It's your turn — the moment's here
This is your day, every step led you here
This is your time, let it silence the fear
All of the doubt finally falling away
Stand in the light — this is your day
You don't need their permission at all
You've been stronger than you knew
All the weight you bore in the past
Turned into strength you can use
Now the world is opening up to you
Let your doubts fall away
Every step has led you here
It's your turn — the moment's here
This is your day, every step led you here
This is your time, let it silence the fear
All of the doubt finally falling away
Stand in the light — this is your day
You were never standing still
Even though the road was long
Now there's nothing left to prove
You are right where you belong
This is your day, every step led you here
This is your time, let it silence the fear
All of the doubt finally falling away
Stand in the light — this is your day
This is your day, every step led you here
This is your time, you have no fear
All of the doubt has fallen away
Stand in the light — this is your day
This is your day