Your Teacher Mr. Magnusen is Still ALIVE!

I was recently contacted by an old student of mine, she thought I had died. For any of my students trying to find me? I am still alive and would love to hear from you. You can contact me through this site, I'll get back to you.

~ Mr. Magnusen

New Song, "Shallow Grave"

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New Song:
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"Shallow Grave"

1. Bury my rifle
in a shallow grave
covered with dust in a hideaway
up in the hills it was paradise
down below tears fill my eyes

2. Bodies lined up
on a chopper pad
flown in by birds of prey
forty years doesn't change a thing
I wish I could just walk away

3. I cover my songs
in layers of blood
it's just too hard to see
memories that fade return in the night
they won't let go of me.

4. Don't need your words
of sympathy
it doesn't work that way
you can't understand what you've never seen
if you've never been blown away.

Break:

Changes, changes
I've never needed you more
the view from the top
isn't quite the same
when you're soaked in blood on the floor
you can't stand up
you just can't open the door
no way to find that door.

5. Crossing the night
my chariots on fire
to the depths of Mauna Kea
into the sea this ball of flame
like the path of Kilauea.

6. Wrapped in a shroud
of my babies dreams
covered with snow and ice
boots marching through the night
while up in the hills it's still paradise.

7. Two hundred and twenty volts
running through my veins
I'm pinned against the wall
take me now to the dead of night
let mercy break my fall.

Dennis G Magnusen
23 August 2008
copyright 2008

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"Mag's Blues"

a song:

I feel the pressures on my mind
Like society it tears me down
To never cease but build with time
'Til I feel I belong no more

Within myself I step aside
Turn around and close the door
For inside here I can hope
And not be hurt by you out there

The door is locked the key is lost
Within the passage ways of my mind
The light once on is now turned off
Never more to return to me

I have not completely disappeared
I have this window pane to view
The outside world but not to hear
It's endless lies I once held as truth

April 1986
West Covina

"Free At Last"

Farewell Mrs. King
Free at last, free at last.
Thank you.

"Day By Day"

a song:

Day by day nothing better, nothing better to do
Just cutting time, just trying to get through
and if it weren't for you I'd merely be moving along
If it weren't for you I'd be gone

Every dream needs a dreamer to see it through
Every hope needs a wish to make it true
and if it weren't for you I's merely be moving along
If it weren't for you I'd be gone

chorus:
Some speak with a flame
They only burn themselves
Some still look for blame
They only fool themselves

Day by Day nothing better, nothing better to do
Sitting back doing my songs for you
For if it weren't for you I'd merely be moving along
If it weren't for you I'd be gone

1979 Fountain Valley

Phd. Martin

I wrote this song in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King

song:
1)
Phd. Martin I write you this song
I see some things I think you'd say going wrong
The sun is out, the sky is blue
But there's some things we've got to change to make it through.

2)
The people, they still gather 'round for a fight
They don't care whose blood, they don't care whose right.
They just want to see the young boy die.
They don't care the reason, they never ask why.

Chorus:
Where's that dream you had?
Everyone was talking 'bout.
Where's that dream you had,
it sounded just like mine.

3)
Phd. Martin my heart goes out to you.
There's so much we've got left to do.
The world ain't right and it's hard to see.
Phd. Martin light a torch for me.

"Don't Say Nothing"

a song:

chorus:
Don't say nothing about the blues to me
I don't know just where I belong
Don't say nothing about the blues
Just let me sing my song

1)
But my head hurts so bad sometimes
I nearly fall to the floor
And I wake up at night sometimes
Crying for more, there's got to be more

Chrous

2)
But I'd like to talk to the man
Who says there's always a way
'Cause I wake up sometimes
Feeling this is the day, this is the day

Chorus

3)
'Cause the stars at night sometimes
They whisper my name
And I know the time is near
For the big change, it's got to change

Chorus

24 November 1978
Fountain Valley

"Once In Jail"

a song:

1)
Once in jail had no bail
Had to eat what they served in a pail
I had walls all around me just to keep me down
Now I'm a free walker, walking right on out of this town.

2)
Once I was tied to a stake
Left for dead purely by mistake
I ran into the mountains just to clear my mind
Now I'm a free walker, walking right on down the line.

Chorus:
Free walk, walk along
Walk along sing any old song
I'm a free walker, free walker today
There ain't nobody going to change my free walking today

3)
Once I was blinded by the rain
Couldn't see thru all the pain
Now I'm a free walker, free walker today
Let the sun come and shine all over my special day

Chorus

4 November 1978
Fountain Valley

"Birds That Sing"

a song:

Birds that sing sound pretty damn good
When you're locked in a hole underground
and when the wind blows the dust from my cell
I feel good like a cat with his bell
I feel good 'cause it's no worse than hell

Chorus:
Oh, look around you and see
all those people who try to be free
They're just a wastin' away
just a slaving and wastin' away

Birds that sing sound pretty damn good
When you're locked in a hole underground
and when teh wind blows the dust from my cell
I feel good like a cat with his bell
I feel good 'cause it's no worse than hell
I feel good 'cause it's no worse than hell

June 1978
Fountain Valley

"My Love For You Is True"

a song:

1)
Well you know my love, my love for you is true.
It's so damn good nothing else will do.
When you ride my train you always get us thru.
Well my whiskey don't go far, but my love for you
is true.

2)
Well you're far away and my heart is blue,
'cause you know nothing but your love will do.
I'd like to come right over and sleep with you,
'cause my love for you is hard and true.

chorus:
Oh I feel about as bad as a man could be.
Without ou near nothing stirs inside of me.
Oh she feeds me tea spiked with love and joy,
Oh there's nobody like her,
Oh there's nobody like her,
There's nobody like her.

21 June 1978
Fountain Valley

"William Liked Mary"

a song:

1)
William liked Mary but she wouldn't try,
wouldn't go with William to the other side of the gym,
where everyone gets real close.

2)
William wants to know a little more about life,
mainly 'bout life on the other side of the gym,
where everyone gets real close.

chorus:
You see William wants to be a man,
walk real tall, spit in a can,
make the ladies moan and groan,
get what he wants before he takes them home.

3)
William looked around and saw Peggy McGee,
Just about as loose as any woman could be,
she took William to the other side of the gym.

4)
Now William wears his pants real tight,
Pendleton shirts he stays out all night,
knows just about everything a boy ought to know.

chorus

5)
But William played his hand just a little to far,
Peggy's pushing a stroller, William sold his car,
poor William on the other side of the gym,
poor William on the other side of the gym.

June 1978
Fountain Valley

please note: I will update my blog weekly from now on instead of daily.

"Yankee Doodle"

This song has been posted before but it feels fitting to post it again on this day.


a song:

1)
Yankee Doodle take a stand.
Play your song through to the end.
Words that may be hard to hear,
Yankee Doodle boy.

2)
Miles of timber cut today.
Coal mines strip your soil away.
Scars that may not ever heal,
Yankee Doodle boy.

Chorus:
White man, black man, yellow, brown,
trying to find some common ground.
Need a place to settle down,
Yankee Doodle boy.

3)
Yankee Doodle on the run.
Too many children carry guns.
Need more time to understand,
Yankee Doodle boy.

"Lonesome River"

a song:

Chorus:
Lonesome river don't you call me
I've been there before.
Lonesome river just ignore me
standing on your shore.

1)
I've been traveling, still unraveling
trying to find out more.
I'm still a rambler, sometimes a gambler
now I'm back for more.

2)
I've been thinking about all this drinking
makes a man go blind
but in my decision, that double vision
helps me get on by.

April 1978
Fountain Valley

"You Wait Sometimes"

a song:

1)
You wait sometimes you try so hard
the nights are long and oh so dark
your man's not back once again.




Chorus:
You've waited 'til the sun, it shines
into your room it nearly blinds
the truth about your man again.

2)
Some men wander by mistake
into a life that only takes
from those so near and yet so far away.

3)
He never seemed to settle down
he nver really looked around
he just got bored and then he ran away.

30 December 1977
Fountain Valley

Award Winner

Congratulations!

Last night my wife, Kathy Ostman-Magnusen won a "Juror's Choice Award" for her 48x36 oil on canvas painting of me, titled, "Denny" at "The All Hawaii Juried Fall Exhibition 2005" presented by the East Hawaii Cultural Council in Hilo, juried by Carol Yotsuda.

"Summer Hill"

a song:

1)
Though it's raining on Summer Hill
I can't feel it and never will.
There's always the blue sky right over me
it keeps us happy, it keeps us free.

chorus:

Everybodies got a rainbow,
everybodies got a dream,
mind just happens to be right here on Summer Hill.

2)
Though the rain's been falling for three days straight,
my boots are dry and the wood burns great.
The cat on the chair seems to sleep so fine,
through the thunder an' storm we drink hot wine.

chorus

28 December 1977
Fountain Valley

"She's A Dancer"

a song:

1)
She's a dancer, loves to tap her feet upon the floor.
She love it when the people ask for more,she's not as young,
as she bows her in the light then gives them more,she's not as young,
but she always gives them more.

2)
Some are prisoners, locked into a world of social grace,
limited in waht they see within their daily space.
The only men reflecting what they see
inside a world held together by their dreams.

3)
Some are children frightened by a fear of letting go,
never realizing that their love was meant to grow,
that they have to give to ever really know,
you have to dance before you steal the show.

repeat verse #1

18 August 1977
Fountain Valley

"Don't You Run"

a song:
1)
Don't you run, don't you hide,
don't you think that you'd rather die,




don't you feel like you'd rather fly
thru the night.

2)
Don't you wish for that star
to burn bright 'cause you feel so far,
and you'd like to see who you are
in the light.

3)
make that wish on a star,
see how perfect you really are,
sending light as every star
in the night.

4)
repeat verse #1

30 March 1977
Fountain Valley

"It's Just Crazy"

a song:

1)

Doesn't matter if you're lying to me now,
you're so far into my heart.
Doesn't matter if you want to run,
well you had me from the start.
It's just a simple thing I just forgot about,
well it's just crazy.

Chorus:

You know, I never thought of love this way.
You know, I never played that part,
it was just a line I said.
I never thought of love,
that way.

2)

In the middle of the night I want to run,
but then I see you lying there,
hard to say just what I want,
but I think she's lying there,
just a breath away,a gentle touch, a moment,
well it's just crazy.

chorus

05 May 2004
Kauai

"Silver Bird"

a song:

1)
Move on Silver Bird, move on don't you cry.
The world's been filled for years it seems
of tears and questions why,
and it's always been the gentle ones
that never cease to try,
but then shed their tears of painful years
thinking they could fly.

2)
If you had to say, that's if you have to know,
just watch the rain return again
and each time letting go.
Yes, seasons come and seasons go
and man he lives and dies,
and some shed tears of painful years
thinking they could fly.

3)
repeat #1

27 January 1977
Fountain Valley