What Could Have Been

It seems like only yesterday when we decided to go our separate ways

In truth, it has been years but I still think about you most days

I hear that you’re doing well in your new life you have created

Could I have given you more, that could be debated

I wonder if you think of me when you hear someone of the same name

Sometimes wish I could go back to the beginning and start this game again

Things were different way back then we were young and wanted different things

I remember one night we sat underneath the stars and I told you everything

I sill remember the drive home that wet and windy night

Your favourite song playing on the radio, the timing wasn’t quite right

I said that’s it, it’s over, as tears began to fall

You didn’t say anything but your silent reply without question said it all

You walked up to your door and didn’t look back

The once bright blue sky above had suddenly turned black

The drive home for me horrendous, the rain kept pouring down

Remembering how I made you laugh and now I have tears of a clown

Bridge

I often think what it would have been like if our paths had crossed again

Maybe the sun would have shone once more instead of this thunderous rain

Chorus

It could have been me

Making you happy all these years

It should have been me

Holding your hand through all your fears

It could have been me

Waiting for you as you walked down the aisle

It should have been me

I’ve lived with these feelings for a while

It should have been me

Moving On

I’m tired of telling people I’m happy with what I have

But one thing is missing

There is one thing I haven’t got

I know exactly what it is

But don’t know who

I only know that once

I thought it was you

But then you hurt me with your lies

You told me what I wanted to hear

You don’t talk to me for weeks

Only call when it’s something you need

I wanted more from you

I thought I’d planted the seed

You played with my mind

Making me question my heart

Keeping me awake night after night

I don’t know if you knew what you were doing

I don’t know if you cared

But the feelings you left behind

Had me running scared

Every night the darkness falls

You are the light in my head

Analysing everything you did

Analysing everything you said

I’ve tried to ignore you

I’ve tried to let go

But something keeps dragging me back towards you

A wave of emotion

A fight between my angel and devil

Every night a different winner

How can I stop this hurting

This hurting deep inside

Seeing you with other men

Makes my emotions collide

Bridge

Is it time to say goodbye

Is it time to move on?

You only realise what’s good for you when it’s finally gone

Chorus

So I’ll say my final goodbye

Wish you luck on your journey

Hoping that you’ll meet the guy

I simply couldn’t be

He’ll be your prince in shining armour

And give you the life that you see

I’m here, you’re there

Although we may not see each other as often as we’d like

Sometimes I feel you are standing there right next to me

Our unconditional love, our unconditional friendship

It would be easy to quit and go our separate ways

But this has never entered our minds

Together we have always stayed so strong

Chorus

You know I’m always there just a phone call away

Distance never in our heart

Some advice needed or just a talk to hear you voice

We always know where to start

We both have busy lives we won’t ever deny that

Times can be tough but I’ll be there

I’ll never feel alone knowing you are by my side

Showing the love we both share

There have been times I questioned my decisions in life

Not knowing which path to take to change my future

After a brief or long conversation I knew what to do

Life seems so much easier when I’ve talked things out

We seem to have a telepathic bond

Together we have always been so strong

Bridge

Good friendships last no matter the circumstances

With you around I an take all life’s chances

I never really told you but you mean the world to me

A thank you just doesn’t seem enough for what you’ve done

As I stand back and let your dreams become a reality

I can’t help but be proud to tell people we are best friends

Continue your journey whether it’s far or near

If you ever need me I’ll simply be here

What is happening?

What is happening to the world we live in?

Another shooting reportedly linked to race

It shouldn’t matter if you are black or white

Racism of any kind is a world disgrace

What is happening to the world we live in?

It seems the world leaders don’t know what is best

Mums, dads, brothers, sisters and children all dying

In war torn countries to countries of political unrest

What is happening to the world we live in?

Hatred for other races, cultures and beliefs continues to spread

Once innocent young lives now filled with evil poison

People searching for peace but crammed up with dread

What is happening to the world we live in?

No longer can you have a different view from others

Leaders becoming dictators and closing people’s minds

We should all stand in harmony as sisters and brothers

What is happening to the world we live in?

The world’s broken down; all the great leaders have gone

This is not a time to give up; solidarity is the key

We must stand together, we must stand as one

That's Entertainment Review

That’s Entertainment! (Liverpool Empire)

Friday night at the theatre is a perfect night out for me but unfortunately for so many others it’s not.  A half filled audience (and I’m being generous with that) clapped and sang along to a very good toe tapping night. 

The show began with a tap dancing number (a personal favourite of mine) that had energy and enthusiasm.  Three song and dances down and we were introduced the main ‘attraction’ of the night, The Overtones.  I had not heard or seen them before so I was interesting to see what they would bring to the show.  The answer – not much! Five male singers trying to be as slick and as tuneful as some previous well known male groups from that era but unfortunately fell flat.  Luckily for me, they only did three songs.

Back to what I considered the main attraction.  Eight wonderful dances weaving their way around the stage demonstrating flair, grace and energy accompanied the main quartet, a foursome of two men and two ladies.  Both the men and ladies had strong stage personas and had talent oozing out of the bodies.  My joy was soon stopped with the introduction of the Overtones again!

Now, I may be doing them an injustice and they might have had sound problems but if they were on the poster to sell tickets, I think the fact the theatre was less than half full spoke volumes.  They weren’t all bad, of course.  One or two held their own and all demonstrated great moves in between the beats of the songs. 

A return to the stage by the dancers and we were back on track.  I particularly loved the tribute to ‘Singing in the Rain’ with the fantastic dance routine to ‘Good Morning’. A wonderful rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ finished the first half and I was ready to tuck into my bag of nearly confiscated sweets.

Second half was very much the same.  Great singing and dance routines interrupted by ‘The Overtones’.  All in all a show that was very good but cold have been better if they had stayed with the original format of song and dances.  

What have we done?

Today, more than ever, I question the world we live

We’ve created an unbalanced world were people think it is wrong to give

Instead trapped in their own bubble not wanting to give aid

Are we going to stand back and let the light of the world fade?

Where did it go wrong? Are we all connected to the blame?

We are all different but people seem to continue to want us to be the same

Hatred fuelled by the media who only report what they want us to see

People who are different belittled because they don’t always agree

Another shooting and some more violence plastered across our screens

Is history just repeating itself and was this hatred passed down in our genes?

Something in this world has to change; someone has to take a stand

Just like we condemned the past, our future children won’t understand

I don’t know the answer and I’m not looking to solve it on my own

We need to change our attitude before it’s too late for the seeds to be sewn

 Accept change with open arms and embrace difference with love in your heart

If we don’t, then I’m afraid, more deaths and wars will tear this world apart

Fate

I didn’t know who I was some five years ago

My life was heading in a different direction

I was due to move away but something inside told me to stay

My life was paused in a cross-section

I didn’t know what to do, I needed to decide

I was looking for swings when all I had was a slide

But then fate took control and showed me the way

Chorus

Now that I’ve found you, I’m not letting you go

It seemed our paths crossed some years ago

We didn’t know it then but you were my soul mate

I truly believe in you, I truly believe in fate

Our paths are mapped out by some force greater than us

They connect when they’re meant to be connected

We were strangers in the past just a couple of steps behind

Two lost souls that continued to be unconnected

As the old saying goes I couldn’t see the wood for the trees

I kept searching high and low over mountains and seas

Bridge

Finding someone when it’s meant to be filled my empty heart

The timing of our crossed paths was right but it wasn’t at the very start

Chorus

Now that I’ve found you, I’m not letting you go

It seemed our paths crossed some years ago

We didn’t know it then but you are my soul mate

I truly believe in you, I truly believe in fate

Sometimes

Sometimes it’s ok to cry

Sometimes it’s ok to tell a lie

Sometime it’s ok to be hurt

Sometimes it’s ok to play in dirt

Sometimes it’s ok to be unseen

Sometimes it’s ok to be unclean

Sometimes it’s ok to be weak

Sometimes it’s ok to tweak

Sometimes it’s ok to be strong

Sometimes it’s ok to be wrong

Sometimes it’s ok to be lost

Sometimes it’s ok to count the cost

Sometimes it’s ok to ask above

Sometimes it’s ok to show love

Second Best

I put you on a pedestal when I we first met years ago

I told myself that we would be friends forever

I was the one who kept our friendship going

It was always about you, not me, never

Pre Chorus

When you called me up I was always there

When you wanted to meet I simply said “Where?”

Chorus

I was always at your beck and call

Right there when you needed me most

Your other friends would come and go

Leaving you an emotional mess

I was there to pick up the pieces

But you always treated me as second best

I wouldn’t see you while you played the field

Making new friends along the way

It hurt that you never wanted to include me

People asked why did I stay

Pre Chorus

Loyalty means nothing to you and now I’ve moved on

Like the saying ‘You never know what you’ve got till it’s gone

Chorus

I was always at your beck and call

Right there when you needed me most

Your other friends would come and go

Leaving you an emotional mess

I was there to pick up the pieces

But you always treated me as second best

Bridge

And now suddenly I’ve seen the errors of your ways

You’ll miss me when you call me on the rainy days

Chorus

I was always at your beck and call

Right there when you needed me most

Your other friends would come and go

Leaving you an emotional mess

I was there to pick up the pieces

But you always treated me as second best

Justice

I didn’t know what to do when I heard the wonderful news that day

Two years of courtroom drama to finally have their say

 Relief on their faces as they left the courtroom together hand in hand

27 years of fighting that we will never really understand

96 people remembered and 96 candles lit

Something deep inside the families told them they shouldn’t quit

There must have been times when they all felt defeated

Then they looked to the heavens above where the 96 were seated

Media, police and government tried to cover up the real truth

 I can still remember the headlines, even though I was in my youth

Still no apology from the people who committed this hideous crime

Surely it’s only a matter of days before some of them are doing time

Throughout the ordeal the message from the families has been very clear

They will continue to fight for justice even if it means shedding another tear

A day in history that will never be forgotten, an event that rewrote the law

Everyone involved in the conspiracy should, without doubt, rot to the core

And now the truth is finally known and the families have won their fight

The city came together to rejoice while the buildings shone so bright

Everyone in the city stood by the sides of the families but what else did you expect

Fighting the establishment for truth and justice, they earned the world’s respect

The Stranger

It was a normal cloudy day and I decided to go for an afternoon walk

At the end of my road a stranger looked puzzled and needed to talk

He looked stressed and told me he had unfortunately lost his car

Apparently, he had been to the hospital and thinks he walked too far

He said he’d been walking for about two hours up and down Queens Drive

Didn’t know what he was going to do but needed to rest and take five

After our brief chat I told him I would help his heartfelt plea

He said he would do the same if he was in a similar position to me

We walked slowly back towards my car, chatting along the way

He couldn’t understand why he couldn’t find his car today

We drove along the roads exchanging conversation about life

He told me he lived alone without his children or a wife

He introduced himself as Peter, 75, and gripped my outstretched hand

He only had a hospital appointment; this was not what he had planned

We exchanged our stories about life, morals and travelling abroad

Excuse me he said I’m waffling please stop me if you are getting bored

Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and all the other stars of the MGM fame

Were topics we explored and a lady but he couldn’t remember her name

We eventually found the car and his eyes lit up showing a little emotion

He thanked me profusely and apologised for causing such a commotion

So why do I tell this true story?  Definitely not to gratify me

But to share the idea that you can help someone without getting a fee

Giving Peter my time when he was lost and need it more than ever

Was a humbling experience and a memory that I’ll cherish forever

Peter Pan at St Helens Theatre Royal

People say you get what you pay for but in this instance it certainly isn’t true.  You get much more!  From start to finish the cast and crew give you a fantastic show with many highs, including Peter Pan flying!  The show begins with Charlotte Gallagher, giving a very strong vocal performance.  Throughout, Charlotte sings and dances with ease and it is easy to see why she plays such leading roles in other productions.  Ray Quinn is, of course, the modern day song and dance man and moves around the stage and in the air fluently with natural ability.  He is very comfortable on stage and it shows, great for any young performer to watch.  Laura Gregory accompanies him in a highlight of the show, flying through London heading to Neverland, a very clever piece of direction.  Her stage presence and singing match the leading man’s.  With every pantomime you need to have a double act, who can bounce off each other.  Simon Foster, the resident dame, and Liam Mellor certainly do this and I think they enjoyed coming off script many times.  It certainly added to the entertainment and made the show better.  I personally love it when things go wrong in a pantomime and in one scene nothing seemed to go right, which just made the scene funnier!  Phillip McGuinness is a truly superb ‘baddie’ and plays Captain Hook with the right level of ‘nasty’ to scare the children.  He is such a good character actor and can only see bigger things for him.  Of course, you need someone to sprinkle the ‘magic’ glitter to make everyone fly and Claire Simmo is perfect for the role.  As always, if things go wrong she is there to support her fellow cast members, usually by laughing at them!  What is great about this production, and not always evident in other productions, is that the cast seem to genuinely get along and enjoy their time on stage together.  If there is only one pantomime you want to take your children to at an excellent price, then this is the one.  Thank you for making the afternoon so enjoyable, see you all in October!