Nemo James

Brothers

Song Not Yet Released

If I had a penny, I would give it all to you
I know that it’s not much but it’s the best that I can do
You can spend it all on sweets or put it in your piggy bank
Buy yourself an empty book and work on pages blank
Maybe start a collection and watch it slowly grow
I’m sure mum will add to it with the other seeds you sow
If you have a penny, there’s so much that you can do
Then when we are both grown-ups, we can look back at the view

Shall we play out on the street or go down to the park
Mum says we can go if we get back before it’s dark
I’ll push you on the swing, just as high as you can go
If we see that bully, I will punch him on the nose
We could kick the ball around, I will go in goal
Or we could make it cricket, you bat and I will bowl
We’ll get home exhausted, have our tea, you’ll go to bed
Then I will plan tomorrow and all the days ahead

Let’s go to the pictures, you must lie about your age
Or open up your picture book and start on a new page
We could get out the Meccano Set and make a thing or two
Or maybe play monopoly, or find some things to glue
You could thrash me at Subbuteo and do your victory cheer
Toast yourself with cola and pretend that it’s beer
Now that we live far apart not seen from year to year
I think about the times we shared, and it always brings a tear

THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG

Occasionally when I am writing, something happens around me and enters the song, which makes it very special.
The first line of this song had to be, “If I had a penny, I would give it all to you.” It seemed logical to follow the implication that the penny belongs to a young boy who gives it to a young girl. I started following that path and was halfway through the song when I received a text message from my sister-in-law, giving me delivery instructions for my brother’s birthday present. As soon as I ended the call, I realised that the penny in question was given by me, to my younger brother David. From there, it was just a simple matter of adding all the heart-warming recollections of us growing up. Also true to life, is the last line of the song which brought a little tear to both of us, as he lives in South Africa and me in Croatia.