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Spotlights

by String of Hearts CIC

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1.
Brave up, brave up, brave up! Brave up! (and do your thing) Brave up! (and don’t get scared) Brave up! (lift yourself up) Brave up! (and keep the focus) A lot of people get scared of life And it bring them down, bring them down Not going to let no dark place Hold me down, hold me down I’m going to shake it off, don’t want that for myself Brave up! (and do your thing)... Free your mind from your problems And do your thing, do your thing Never get caught up with the things of the world And do your thing, do your thing I’m going to shake it off, don’t want that for myself Brave up! (and do your thing)...
2.
Two Lonely Boats Passing in the night Wondering what gives them the appetite To communicate and sing the songs That they write Another chance lost with a longing to be Forever in your company Desperate for your time For one day, if you would be mine If I could have the chance I would love you forever Immersed in your arms Caressed by your charm In a heaven all of our own And not to be two, two lonely boats anymore
3.
The last night of October just picture the scene Autumn leaves carpet the ground Witches on broomsticks with faces of green Ghosts and ghouls and vampires abound It's that scary evening we call Halloween Toffee apples so sticky and sweet The ginger parkin and pumpkin pie Then it's outdoors to play trick or treat Pumpkin lanterns will light up the night As children venture outdoors Only to find themselves screaming with fright At bloodstained sheets and beckoning doors Luminous skeletons rattle their bones As zombies will patiently wait For all the young children who wander alone Near the inviting cemetery gate Count Dracula costumes with deep crimson cloak Vampire fangs dripping with blood Demons and devils with forks made to stoke The fires of hell for the damned and the good Bamshees will be waiting and wooing good men So bewitched by their songs and the picture it paints They'll submit to their fate, any time around ten And prepare for the feast of All Saints.
4.
I miss you more and more each day I love you more than words can say Every day I paint on a smile But inside I am dying, I don't know what to do anymore I've felt like this for a while I worry about worrying and I don't know why I get frustrated I sit and cry I realise life is much too short So make the most of every thought And be happy as you've done it before I remember days when I was young Holidays in the summer sun I really wish I was young again Lots of joy and fun I wish those days were here again No worries, so much fun and games They were the best days of my life
5.
B: Luna's snoozing on the chair D: I wonder I wonder B: What goes on under D: Her newly cut head of hair B: She's obviously quite happy, that's a fact D: I'm imagining the picture from over the phone It makes me smile to see Luna on her throne B: I asked if we could make a deal Oh Luna, Luna I love you If only you could become me and I could become you D: And you loll your head In that question mark inquisitive way B: Can we change places maybe, just for the day? Now what do you say?
6.
No matter how much I try to push it To the back of my mind I can't hide the feeling inside I don't what to do with myself When I think what I could have done with my life You don't what I went through They took a lot of my liberties And I suffered, I suffered, I suffered my God I don't where my strength comes from in me I don't how to explain my feelings Let sleeping dogs lie Lord knows I tried and I tried Lord turn my mind around Give me something different to think about 'Cause I suffered, I suffered, I suffered my God I don't where my strength comes from in me
7.
"Mama", said my son, "Do you realise you’ve been in England now for 60 years?" 60 years, 60 years! A long, long story of laughter and tears. My husband made the finest shoes. He left Jamaica, feeling hopeful and bold. With a reference he tried his luck "Do you think we need more n**** here?" he was told. I am blessed, I am truly blessed Every day that I live I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning 'til I lay my head to rest I am blessed, I am blessed, truly blessed. In ‘61 I followed him and left my children in my mother’s care. Started working as a nurse, we saved the money for each child’s fare. Our rented house was on Upper Brook Road. Sometimes the landlord sent his wife to spy on us But we, full of faith went about our life We did not ask - the question "Why?". I remember getting home one day from hospital, - this sounds insane - a policeman came and said to me, "your son has just stepped off the plane". Time passed and the children grew. Sometimes I missed my homeland’s flowers. The hibiscus’, the purple tree of life, I imagine the colours for hours. I put on my hat with the pheasant’s feather. Went to church, sang where the choir sat. In all my life I trust the Lord And came to be known as the 'Woman with the hat’. Today I’m on my own, my husband has passed. He had dementia and knew me no more. My children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren bring me lunch each day and come through my door.
8.
Now for the long years when I cannot love you You are invisible across the Great Divide But there's only you to whom I can be true I yearn for the love that only you provide No longer rests your head upon my breast We said "Good-bye": so many years apart, My memory dims, your face is vague at best, Your warmth a distant song within my heart. Your voice, an echo vibrating down past years. Your smile, your prose, your frown, your kiss, The joy, the sorrow, laughter and the tears, The happiness we sought has come to this. Your resting place was strewn with flowers, My tears on hold; the bonding still is ours.
9.
I'm Jolly John I'm a mole and I live in a hole Jolly John It lightens me up It's just something that makes me laugh It lightens me up I'm Jolly John I'm a mole and I live in a hole It lightens me up Jolly John I'm a mole and I live in a hole
10.
I wake up in the morning The dawn is breaking, the sun is shining Thank you Lord for a new day, the birds are singing As long as the dark clouds stay away It's going to be a happy day The gentle breeze within the trees Hearing the buzzing of the bees For people with hearts of gold spread love and happiness Show kindness that never ends for family and friends That's what I call living That's what I call living, living, living That's what I call living, living, living I wake up in the morning That's what I call living The birds they are singing That's what I call living

about

Spotlights is an album written by local residents from Trafford and Wythenshawe in collaboration with String of Hearts.

All profits from the album go towards the running of String of Hearts so that we can reach more people in Trafford and Manchester.

If you have been inspired by this album and would like to find out more about String of Hearts, please visit our website: www.stringofhearts.co.uk

Spotlights shines a light on the creativity of our local community and celebrates their lives, stories and ideas.

The tracks tell a story of resilience through lockdown despite the challenges everyone has faced, including bereavement, health conditions, hospital visits, caring for others and more.

Each track was composed over the phone during Covid-19. The tracks were then recorded over the phone or in-person in summer 2021.

Thank you to everyone who made this album possible:
- Each String of Hearts member for their time, energy and enthusiasm
- The String of Hearts team who produced this project: Amina Hussain, Lucy Geddes, Amy Bowles, Brigitte Schwarting, Deane Smith, Clive Hunte, Dave Tollington, Geth Griffith, Simon Turner, Joe Luckin, Pete Whitfield & Matt Wilde
- Lynda Sterling, OT Creative Space, who created the album artwork
- Limelight Old Trafford, Waterside Arts Centre, The Salvation Army Sale & Broomwood Community Wellbeing Centre for the use of their spaces
- Our funders for supporting this project using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

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released November 8, 2021

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String of Hearts CIC Manchester, UK

String of Hearts connects local people through music-making in Trafford and Manchester, to reduce isolation and promote creativity in later life.

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