By Bernie Bell

At the moment, the way the world is, we need things to lift our spirits – even if those things, are the simple things  – appreciating what we have got, instead of dwelling on what we haven’t.

Some years ago, I was despairing of the state of what might be referred to as ‘popular’ music. Popular music, had become so dreary – endless hip-hop ( sounding much the same as it had done for decades), and wailing women, who can’t hold a note without going up and down, and up and down…ad nauseam.

Then – Paolo Nutini appeared  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Nutini – a lad from Paisley.  He writes clever, funny, warm, deep, touching, disturbing words, then puts them to solid, takes-you-with-it sounds.  I saw a saviour for today’s music!

I’ve been listening to him a lot recently, as a balance to a drift towards ‘down’ thoughts, and one song I’ve listened to over and over, is ‘Pencil Full Of Lead’.  It reminds me to remind myself of what I’ve got in my life, not what I’ve lost – and to try to ‘keep my sunny side up’ –

But – Paolo appears to have disappeared. He hasn’t released anything new for years.  Where are you, Paolo?  We need you – and the lead in your pencil!

Pencil Full of Lead

Paolo Nutini

Oh, one, one, two, three, four

Oh, I’ve got a sheet for my bed and a pillow for my head
I’ve got a pencil full of lead and some water for my throat
I’ve got buttons for my coat and sails on my boat
So much more than I needed before

I got money in the meter and a two bar heater

Oh, now it’s getting hotter, oh, it’s only getting sweeter
I got legs on my chairs and a head full of hair
Pot and a pan and some shoes on my feet

I got a shelf full of books and most of my teeth
A few pairs of socks and a door with a lock
I got food in my belly and a license for my telly
And nothing’s gonna bring me down

Oh, no, oh
Oh nothin’, oh nothin’, nothin’s gonna bring me down

I got a nice guitar and tires on my car
I got most of the means and scripts for the scenes
I’m out and about so I’m in with a shout
I got a fair bit of chat but better than that

Food in my belly and a license for my telly
And nothing’s going to bring me down (how ’bout a brew and that hug, man?)

Nothin’, oh, nothin’
Nothing’s going to bring me down, oh

But best of all (best of all) I’ve got my baby
Oh, best of all (best of all) I’ve got my baby
She’s mighty fine and says she’s all mine
And nothing’s going to bring me down, oh, no

Oh, best of all (best of all) I’ve got my baby
Oh, best of all (best of all) I’ve got my baby
She’s mighty fine and says she’s all mine
And nothing’s going to bring me down, oh

She’s mighty fine and says she’s all mine
And nothing’s going to bring me down
She’s mighty fine and says she’s all mine
And nothing’s going to bring me down, not today, no, no

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Paolo Giovanni Nutini

Sexism be blowed, he’s easy on the eye, too.