Here is a very rough-and-ready version of a song I have just written for Sean. You can hear it if you click on the title.
I’ve been thinking about you
Since you first went away
Imagining that you
Might come back for a day
Would you come back and see me
And show me your smile?
We’ll play by the rules and
You’ll stay for a while
There’s no need for talking
If there’s nothing to say
We won’t have tomorrow
We just have today
We’ll both pretend that
You’re still alive
We’ll get in the car and
We’ll go for a drive
So put on some music
You can choose
I don’t care what it is, we
Have nothing to lose
Put on Nirvana
And we’ll listen to Kurt
Or Amy Winehouse
Or Johnny Cash singing ‘Hurt’
We can listen to Hendrix
If you put his CD on
The Dubliners
Or the Kings of Leon
Or Leonard Cohen
It’s still your choice
You like his songs
But you don’t like his voice
Put on some of those old songs
That you loved so well
Like Bob Dylan singing
‘Blind Willie McTell’
Or your hero, Bob Marley
Singing ‘Dread, Natty Dread’
Elliott Smith, David Gray
Or Radiohead
Or maybe The Beatles
Would do for a start
Or ‘Cecelia
You’re breaking my heart’
Put on Led Zeppelin
Jimmy Cliff or Oasis
As we drive past all the old
Familiar places
Where we fished by the bridge
And we played our football
And then we’ll remember
The thrill of it all
And we’ll speak to each other
Without saying a word
And like Lynyrd Skynyrd
We’ll be free as a bird
And we’ll sing to the music
Without missing a beat
And I know you’ll be happy
In the passenger seat
And when it’s all over
We can shake hands and part
We’ll be glad that we listened
To the songs of your heart
I’ve been thinking about you
Since you first went away
Imagining that you
Might come back for a day
The road to God knows where ... Brendan O'Brien 
That’s a very beautiful song Brendan! Beautiful and evocative. I don’t think it sounds rough and ready and it certainly brought a tear to my eye. The harmony is very nice too, is that Pauline or Martina maybe? Maybe song-writing is your true path?
All being well we’ll see you tomorrow evening.
Take care.
Hi Dave … thanks very much; I’m glad you like it. I’ve actually just uploaded a slightly different version as I changed some of the words.
Pauline helped me out with it – and she doesn’t usually sing, as you know. She’ll be flattered that you mentioned Martina!
When we first tried to record it I mentioned Sean’s name in it, but we both just burst into tears at that point and had to stop!
Looking forward to seeing you and the gang tomorrow.
As my pal in Arkansas would say “That sure is a lonesome song”.
Yep-a-doodle, as your pal in Arkansas would also say (or maybe not).
I missed the version with Pauline singing on it but I think this one is really lovely Bob. Heartbreaking. But lovely.
Thanks very much AP. Pauline and I listened to it earlier and just about managed not to cry till the end … then the floodgates opened. Missing Sean is a constant ache. We love him.
We might have another go with her singing.
I have tried to listen to all of your songs but until now it crashes my computer every time.
Must be some southern hemisphere oscillation thingo.
I guess I have to wait for the CD. 🙂
Hi Rainer. Sorry about that.
I’d like to record this song properly with some musicians I know, and put it on YouTube with a slideshow of pictures of Sean, and scrolling lyrics.
In the meantime I’ll add the lyrics to the post.
Longing, and being content with just one more day. Simple and yet so complex. It is a heart-rending song, Brendano, and beautiful too.
The photo shows father and son in Spain, I think. Your son looks as though he is on the move, can’t stay in front of the camera for long.
Thanks very much, Cymbeline. Spain or Portugal, I’m not sure which. Yes, Sean in a hurry, going out on his own to meet, or make, new friends … something that was second nature to him; he did it all his life.
Beautiful, wistful and captures the deep reality of life and death.
Hello Shermeen … again, thank you very much. The song certainly means a lot to me, and sharing it does too.
Brendan i have just listened to your song and thought it was beautiful. I am now sitting in tears and thinking about the number of times i have thought that if only Patrick would come back for a day! How i would love that and to see his smile again.
Hi Deirdre … thanks very much; it’s lovely to see you here. Yes, you understand this feeling – this sense of loss – very well.
A lot of people seem to like the song. I’m planning to record it properly with some musicians, probably at Easter … will let you know when I do.