The hungry years

Words by HOWARD GREENFIELD
Music by NEIL SEDAKA
From the album THE HUNGRY YEARS (1975)

I don't think anybody's enjoying the recession, but headmistress and chainrman of the Girls' Schools' Association says it may help us rediscover the value of more traditional values that sectors of society have lost sight of. Certainly this song always meant a lot to my mother, when thinking of days that were poorer in terms of money only.

Girl we made it to the top
We went so high we couldn't stop
We climbed the ladder leading us nowhere
Two of us together
building castles in the air
We spun so fast we couldn't tell
the gold ring from the carousel
How could we know the right would turnout bad
Everything we wanted,
was everything we had

I miss the Hungry Years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you,
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind,
not to see the door
closing on the World
I now hunger for
Looking through my tears,
I miss the Hungry years

We shared our day dreams one by one
Making plans was so much fun
We set our goals and reached the highest star
Things that we were after
were much better from afar
Here we stand just me and you
with everything and nothing too
It wasn't worth the price we had to pay
Honey take me home
Let's go back to yesterday

I miss the Hungry Years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you,
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind,
not to see the door,
closing on the World
I now hunger for
Looking through my tears,
I miss the Hungry years
I miss the Hungry Years
I miss the Hungry Years

Different worlds

Words and music by TONY CLARKIN
From the MAGNUM album
WINGS OF HEAVEN (1988)

When the Wings of Heaven album was released, I read an interview with the group's songwriter, Tony Clarkin. He spoke about the inspiration for this song - he was on holiday in France, sitting outside a rather posh café, and across the road prostitutes were awaiting their clientèle. I was living in Glasgow, Scotland, at the time; a city that had ostensibly went through a wonderful transformation but at dark (I knew as an addictions worker) went back to the bad old ways of cities worldwide.

On narrow streets
Old men lie
In the doorway sleeping
While working girls
Comb their hair
See the young men peeping

Different worlds
Only a walk across the street
Different worlds
You never know what you might meet

No satin sheets on your bed tonight
How you feeling
While running feet always disappear
From sirens screaming

Different worlds
Only a walk across the street
Different worlds
You never know what you might meet

Some of us take what we want
Some of us take what we need
Some of us break
Some of us bleed

Where velvet gloves and your diamond rings
Lose their meanings
For those who we love if they realy care
Keep on dreaming
Dream on

Different worlds
Only a walk across the street
Different worlds
You never know what you might meet

Some of us take what we want
Some of us take what we need
Some of us break
Some of us bleed

Bring him home

Words by ALAIN BOUBLIL
Music by CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG
From the 1980 musical LES MISERABLES

I remember hearing this at a Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance some years ago. The song is powerful in its own right, but in this setting it made the hair on the back of my neck stick up as it evoked the feelings of those who had lost their children in the name of their country. The DVD/video of the 2007 Festival of Remembrance is out now - click on the picture above for details.

God on high
Hear my prayer
In my need
You have always been there

He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
Heaven blessed.
Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.

He's like the son I might have known
If God had granted me a son.
The summers die
One by one
How soon they fly
On and on
And I am old
And will be gone.

Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy

You can take
You can give
Let him be
Let him live
If I die, let me die
Let him live
Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.

In Flanders' Field

Words by JOHN McCRAE - May 1915
Music by KARL JENKINS - 2008
Performed at the 2008
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE

This is a timely reminder of the sacrifices our forebears made for us. May we neer forget.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Here's to the heroes

Words and music by MARIO FRANGOULIS
From his 2005 album
FOLLOW YOUR HEART

I'm listening to the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on BBC Radio 2, and this song has just come on. God bless them all.

Here's to the heroes,
Those few who dare,
Heading for glory,
Living a prayer.

Here's to the heroes
Who change our lives.
Thanks to the heroes,
Freedom survives.

Here's to the heroes
Who never rest.
They are the chosen,
We are the blessed.

Here's to the heroes
Who aim so high.
Here's to the heroes
Who do or die.

Here's to the heroes
Who aim so high.
Here's to the heroes
Who do or die.
Here's to the heroes
Who do or die.

Wasted years

Words and music by ADRIAN SMITH
From the IRON MAIDEN album
SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1986)
and also released as a single.

I first began listening to Iron Maiden while studying at an ecclesiastical college. Many of their songs hit the nail on the head so squarely that it hurts. This one reminds me of a time I was working on buses converted to hospital wards wheeling through Europe, and wondering what I'd really like to do with my life.

From the coast of gold, across the seven seas,
I'm travelling on, far and wide,
But now it seems, I'm just a stranger to myself,
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but someone else.

I close my eyes, and think of home,
Another city goes by, in the night,
Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it til it's gone away,
And my heart is lying there and will be til my dying day.

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years,
Face up...make your stand,
And realise you're living in the golden years.

Too much time on my hands, I got you on my mind,
Can't ease this pain, so easily,
When you can't find the words to say, it's hard to make it through another day,
And it makes me wanna cry, and throw my hands up to the sky.

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years,
Face up...make your stand,
And realise you're living in the golden years.