Uncle Herby – One of my closed friends had two daughters. I used to sing bedside songs and tell Bible stories to them. Since they had no name for me and Mr Williams was way to formal, they chose the name “Uncle Herby” which was both endearing and affectionate. I made a promise to Martina (the oldest) that I would write her a song when she graduated from high school. As the time approached, I was reminded of my promise. I was pressed with a one week deadline. I had been trying to force words into a pretty melody I had for the song that would be my treatise on womanhood….but since I don’t know anything about womanhood, the words were slow. My friend Johnny heard the melody on a Sunday night after church (6 days before the dreaded event) and set me straight. Told me to write it from my heart. By the time I had driven home, I had the words in my head. I sat down and wrote them out that night (I gave her the original). Anyway, needless to say her graduation party was packed with over 100 people and I did it live in her living room, sitting on Johnny’s rolling bed. It was one of the more memorable moments of my life. The Lord gave me such peace (I tend to be a nervous performer) and I sang it to her while she cried. I truly love the song, as it perfectly portrays my feelings. Many of the phrases are catch words that we both understood. You have to be grateful for good friends and the Lord has blessed me with some of the best. A few weeks later, I worked on this song to record, adding keyboard parts. Then gave it to Martina.
Bouncing balls and china dolls,
Banana phones to call,
Head-first rides on slip-n-slides
Your paintings on my wall,
And smiles so pure to help me see,
The way it felt to be,
Uncle Herbie.
A masterpiece of Fur Elise,
Duets of “Hearts and Soul”,
Nights prolonged with bedside songs,
And stories often told,
The gentle hugs that helped me free,
The way it felt to be,
Uncle Herbie.
Chorus:
And as you grow, I can see,
A woman’s heart bursting free,
Released into the hands of Jesus,
And as His love lights your way,
I’m so glad, that I can say,
I once used to be,
Uncle Herbie.
With childhood prose a chapter’s closed,
Though the story’s left undone,
With dreams to share and tears to bear,
The race that must be run,
And though your path may take you far,
I will always be,
Uncle Herbie
Bridge:
Through the years that stretched the tiny frame,
Interest waned in silly games,
No more time to sit and play,
As childish things were put away,
For beauty has a second part,
Jesus ruling in the heart,
The blending of the two so rare,
In the woman I saw standing there.
Herb Williams – “Uncle Herbie” – June 13, 1997