THEN AND NOW
(Gomes / McAndrew)

Paulo Gomes - Musical Composition, Piano, Keyboards, Guitar Power Chords, Harmony Vocals, Arrangement and Mix.
Steve McAndrew - Arrangement, Vocals, Lyrics and Guitars.
Marc Traynor - Bass Guitar
John Wooten - Drums

Verse 1
the cold grey morning greets the day
reflecting feelings inside since you went away
my world has ended, seems no sooner had begun
now no way left to say, still oh so much inside
why do i feel the need to run and hide

Verse 2
i see your smiling face, safely locked in my memory
one laugh, one touch, one word would surely ease this misery
transport me to that place where all the bad things can't get in
now no way left to say, still oh so much inside
why this burning need to run and hide

Chorus 1
lift me out of this darkness to the place i was before
take my heart in your hands and lead me through the open door
take me to some other place, that favourite distant shore
help me break the chains and see
that was then and this is now

Verse 3
i remember rowing our boat across the pond
midnight moonlit liaisons that lasted on through the dawn
days of innocence, when we thought we knew it all
with independent thoughts, no backs against the wall
full of confidence, we could not fall

Bridge 1
but that was then and now we're all aboard this speeding train
with rails that lead and follow, push and pull us there and back again
where hopes and dreams from childhood enter adulthood refrain
there's nothing can erase these memories that must remain
of what was then and this is now

Chorus 2
lift me out of this darkness to the place i was before
take my heart in your hands and lead me through that open door
take me to some other place, that favourite distant shore
help me break the chains and see
that was then and this is now

Guitar Solo

Bridge 2
but that was then and now we must prepare to take the strain
to go in search of endless sunshine, escape the hard torrential rain
lead our hopes and dreams from childhood into adulthood refrain
there's nothing can erase these memories, memories that must remain
of what was then

Chorus 3
lift me out of this darkness to the place i was before
take my heart in your hands and lead me through that open door
take me to some other place, that favourite distant shore
help me break the chains and see
that was then and this is now

Comment:- This is a wonderful ballad with an ever-soaring vocal that I really enjoyed singing. Thanks for the backdrop that inspired it Paulo
You can see the collaboration thread here , the finished song thread here.