When You're By My Side

The first thing to say today is a big thank-you to my brothers as without them I wouldn't have had guitars to write the 11 songs I've written in the past 7 weeks, as my guitars have been on a boat from London to Los Angeles. I got my younger brother (my LA brother) Luke's guitar yesterday so I got back onto some writing.

So as you know I was in Hawaii last week and while there Sam and I did a fair bit of listening to Bob Marley, as we often do. We love the Legend "best of" album as do most but also like to delve a little further back to early Wailers tracks like their 1970 release Soul Rebel, which Sam had playing in the car when she picked me up for our first date. It subsequently got a little mention in the first verse of My First Night On The Town at the 23 second mark.

So it's time for a Bob Marley & The Wailers history lesson as I need you to know what my new song might sound like if it was more than me and a guitar.

In 1971 The Wailers released this track, "Cheer Up", and it is the basis of the feel of my new song.



In 1974 on Bob Marley's first "solo" album as Bob Marley & The Wailers (the original Wailers - Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer - had decided to pursue solo projects) called "Natty Dread" he opens with this track, "Lively Up Yourself", and it's another I reference for this new song.



I want you to imagine there are backing vocals similar to those on the above tracks, such as where you see in brackets in my lyrics "But we got our love" (I know, bad English, but that's reggae) which would be sung by back-up vocalists something like the guitar line I play at that point in the song.

So I hope all that helps you hear this song as is intended, particularly considering this is another of my dodgy computer microphone recordings. If not I hope you learnt something about the legend, Bob Marley.

When You’re By My Side

Walk with me darling tonight

Walk with me darling tonight

Walk with me, talk with me, under staring sky

Coz I am always smiling when you’re by my side

Sit with me baby tonight

Eat with me baby tonight

Fish, fruit or noodles – whatever you like

Coz when you’re next to me I’m always satisfied

Ain’t got much in the bank (But we got our love)

Ain’t got no big name brands (But we got our love)

Coz there’s no big price tag that can buy this love

So drink with me darling tonight

Let’s dance coz this music’s so right

Nothing else matters, this moment is life

And life is always heaven when you’re by my side

Ain’t got much in the bank (But we got our love)

Ain’t got no big name brands (But we got our love)

Coz there’s no big price tag that can buy this love

So sleep with me lover tonight

You know I don’t want no other all my life

I know in my soul I want you as my wife

Because I want you sleeping next to me each night

Coz I am always smiling when you’re by my side

Coz when you’re next to me I’m always satisfied

And life is always heaven when you’re by my side