Well, I find myself in reverie
About what we might have had and what might have been
We had something going once that was such a long, long time ago
It was way back in ’76 our friendship formed of pure innocence
We first met on Mathew Street and we heard something that would set us free
A sign stands over a door, it says “Four lads who shook the world”
In the depths of those heady nights,we would dream of those bright lights
Oh my friend, Oh my friend, Oh my friend
My friend John, he went away, he made some mistakes spent time in Walton jail
Now when I see him we still talk but there’s no light shining in his eyes
Susie, she was 17 and more beauty in this world I swear you’ll never see
I was gonna be king, she was gonna be queen, now all she does is hide behind her tears
If there was more sense in this world and work wasn’t so hard to find
You would not be going your way, I would not be going mine
Oh my friend, Oh my friend, Oh my friend
Somewhere tonight out on the street, somewhere beneath this city’s heat
In the eyes of strangers who pass me by, life is cruel and so unkind
Oh, Oh, The SPIRIT OF 76
And now me, I’ve seen his dreams come true
But that don’t make me no hero, I’m just one of the lucky few
If a man can’t change the world these days
I still believe a man can change his own destiny
But the price is high and it’s got to be paid
For everyone who survives there are many who fail
I’ve seen my friends caught out in the crossfire
All their dreams and hopes smashed on the funeral pyre
I will never give in until the day that I die
I’ll get myself some independence, carve out a future with my two bare hands
Oh my friend, Oh my friend, Oh my friend
Somewhere tonight out on the street, Somewhere beneath this city’s heat
In the eyes of strangers who pass me by, Life is cruel and so unkind
Oh, Oh, The SPIRIT OF 76
Mersey lights shine in the distance, same as they did for us then
Mersey lights shine bright in the distance, Where are you now my friend?
You see, some nights when I can’t sleep, I still think of you
Of all the promises, all the dreams we shared
I know those lights still call to you, I can hear them now…
Somewhere tonight out on the street, Somewhere beneath this city’s heat
In the eyes of strangers who pass me by, Life is cruel and so unkind
Oh, Oh, The SPIRIT OF 76