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Hero's of My Career John Spencer
John Spencer and John Phipps turned up at the youth club, one Sunday night, John tells me now that it was in 1971 but I do not remember exactly, so that would be when I was about 15 years old. They came with guitars John Phipps carried his like a riffle on a soldiers shoulder. I was in awe I liked the kind of music they played. Paul Simon, Country Joe and the Fish, Gordon Lightfoot and Tom Paxton. The Tom Paxton Songs really took my fancy and I wanted to learn the Guitar so I could play them too. John Spencer helped me he showed me the chords and how to pick the guitar and before long I had learned 'I Give You the Morning' by Tom, the first song I could actually 'kind of' play. John and John were living in some rooms belonging to Mrs B, opposite the Odean Cinema, the were training to be doctors. We became close friends and many Saturday afternoons we would spend playing songs. John had written some songs of his own and it wasn't long before I followed suit. There were parties and outings and visits to his parents house. One evening John Phipps was driving me and our girl friends to a party another car hit us hard, it was a nasty accident, later I discovered I had a cut in my leg, John Spencer took me to the hospital to have it sewn up. One day he excitedly showed me some pictures of a Greek Girl and told me that that was the girl he was going to marry and, indeed, he is still married to her. At one time she worked for my parents and John did too, during his summer holidays. During this time I watched, amazed as he painted the face onto a small plastic figure which was less that 2 cm. tall. I have never seen anyone with such a steady hand. Sometime around 1985 we lost touch and twenty years expired before we met again.
I Hope the Years and You Have Been Good Together
A B7 E I hope the years and you have been good together A B7 E Time is such an amazing thing A B7 E One day it’s just a moment since I last saw you A B7 E the next your lost in an ancient dream
Dº A Bm7 A Sometimes I remember yesterday like tomorrow E Bm7 A Sometimes yesterday is as vivid as today Dº A Bm7 A but no matter how many years pass between us E D A there is a place in my life where you stay
There are people you live with but never get to know Others who share their whole life with you in an hour You know a handshake that says the owner feels good inside And the ramblings of the phantasiser
I have got so much to say thank you for Your singing and playing got me to start I made up some songs and travelled around the world with you singing in my heart
All these years you’ve been making people well I travelled the world with some songs to sell Times were bad and times were good as well Some people were nice and some were hell
So all these years have come and gone took my hair and made you grey Though time is nibbling at our bodies The friendship has remained
I think of you every time I play my guitar I remember your steady hand and the things you taught me You’re intelligent and kind, the kind of person to trust With the most secret, secret in the universe (Song for John Spencer 8 August 2005) © 2005 |
