The Early Years

1. THE EARLY YEARS It was Nineteen fifty seven, that’s the year that I was born It was in a northern town of England, one early January morn I thought I’d be an only child, with no-one else but me I have two sisters and a brother, they are my siblings three Our parents, they were working class, and the life was somewhat hard We all lived in terraced housing, with no gardens, just a yard My mom, she was a housewife, she looked after all us kids My father worked repairing cars, to help keep us off the skids Our neighbourhood was close knit, a place where people cared for everyone They’d watch the kids out playing, whilst you got your housework done And if trouble rose its ugly head, between you and someone other The neighbours would come storming out, and take you home to mother I remember well the neighbour’s dog; they said his name was Snuggles I’d climb over the backyard wall, to give him loads of cuddles I loved that old grey sheepdog, he was furry, big and gentle Each time I climbed that backyard wall, it drove my mother mental I remember when they told me that poor Snuggles had passed away He went and crossed the rainbow bridge, that last and final day I asked, could I go and see him, because I didn’t understand That all earth’s creatures go with god, to his own celestial land.