Had a few requests to upload this one.
It was my first solo recording, which was made many years ago now, so it's a bit rough around the edges!
The song is about me going to watch my beloved Liverpool as a boy with my Dad and meeting my football hero Alan Kennedy AKA Barney Rubble. True story. Hope you enjoy it!

Me And Barney Rubble

Written by my mate Kevin Jones from the Association of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Come and see the play 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists', at St Helens Central Library on the 6&7th November 2015.

BobTressell's Pen

Written by Jim Connell. Connell was inspired to write a socialist anthem after attending a lecture at a meeting of the SDF during the London Dock Strike of 1889. He set down the words while on a train journey from Charing Cross railway station to his home in Honor Oak, south London.[3] It is generally accepted that he gained inspiration as he watched the train guard raise and lower the red signal flag on the platform. It is normally sung to the tune of "Lauriger Horatius" (better known as the German-language carol "O Tannenbaum", also used for the state song of Maryland) though Connell had wanted it sung to "The White Cockade", an old Scottish Jacobite song.
This is my version of the song. I've recorded it to help promote an adaptation of the 'Ragged Trousered Philanthropists', in which I shall be appearing and performing the song!

Red Flag

This is my rendition of a great working class rebel song by Ed Pickford.

Workers Song

Beautiful song written by me old mate Darren Poyzer!

Julie Rainbow

Written for the upcoming compilation album being released to celebrate the life of Robert Tressell, author of 'the ragged trousered philanthropists'.
The song looks through the eyes of Frank Owen, a character from the book who questions why he and his fellow workmates should bow and scrape to their masters, whilst their only reward is a life of continued poverty.

I look about this town

And the way things work here really get me down.

I see the rich and greedy Grinding the working class down.

We work our fingers to the bone,

Whilst they sit on their big fat arse’s all day long,

Why should they get to reap all we have sown?

And the more I look, it seems to me,

We’ve come to be our own worst enemy.

 

I hear it every day,

There’s grown men moaning and wishing their lives away.

Can’t wait for the week to end to do it all again.

And still they do nothing,

To better themselves ain’t for the likes of them.

There are more of us; this class war’s ours to win.

And the more I look it’s plain to see

We’ve come to be our own worst enemy.

 

I look about this place

And it seems to me not too much has changed.

They still make laws to keep us in our place.

People living on streets, people living in palaces,

And we tell ourselves that’s just the way it is.

We are ‘The ragged trousered philanthropists’.

Bob Tressell was right you see,

We’ve come to be our own worst enemy.

 

In unity there’s nothing we can’t achieve,

Come stand-up now there’s strength in unity.

 

The time has come, the truth is clear; we can’t afford to be our own worst enemy.

#BobTressFest
For further details of the celebration taking place in Liverpool on 28th April follow @BobTressFest
Or like the facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/BobTressellFestival

Our own worst enemy (Bob Tressell was right)

Song written many years ago by my friend and former glasschild vocalist and band mate Catherine Cunningham.

You, Me and the revolution

Face The Music

Song I wrote about working together to try to make this world a better place to live in. When terrible, awful things happen in this world, we need each other more than ever.
So let us stop fighting and stand together against war, hatred and racism.
We need each other now!

I really want to understand,
I want for us to find some common ground,
Where together we might stand.
Together we can make a change,
But we've got to stand up,
We need to engage,
Wether we leave or we remain.

You and me are sat in the same boat,
But we are we heading for?
You and me we need each other now,
So what are we fighting for.

What does it matter left or right?
If then we lose our way caught in the fight,
And we can't see wrong from right.
While the NHS is on it's knee's
And we still have people sleeping on the streets.
But bigger bombs are what we need?

You and me can see which side we're on,
So what are we fighting for?
You and me we need each other now,
So what are we waiting for?

You, Me And The Revolution

we've all been here. you wake up after a heavy night and begin trying to recall what the hell you got up to! From the album 'next train to nowhere'.

what happened last night

Song about struggling to live with regrets.

until tomorrow

28/04/2018

More Than A Dream

going nowhere

Catchy little love song about the summer of 1984, whence we wore the 'Frankie say' t-shirts and Wacko Jacko was still black!
Listen to free on soundcloud.From the album 'next train to nowhere'.

summer of 84

Song about the disgraceful article 'The Truth', printed in a rag of a newspaper in the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy. The song is directed at Kelvin Mackenzie.
Listen to free on soundcloud.From the album 'next train to nowhere'.

liar liar

Song written about some of my closest friends who pissed off to live in France and Australia and how i miss them!

when the birds fly south

upbeat song about writing songs and some of my influences

somebody stop me

anti-war song! Listen to free on soundcloud.From the album 'next train to nowhere'.

how many reasons

The song Mr Benn takes a look at what Mr Benn was really like. I'm fairly sure he was trippin!
Listen to free on soundcloud.From the album 'next train to nowhere'.

Mr Benn

Tracks from the album 'next train to nowhere'!

can't leave it alone

on your side

from the EP 'songs only I will listen to'

a room with a view

angel

Beautiful love song Written by Pat Orchard, performed with 'glasschild'  from the EP 'songs only I will listen to'

Earthbound

When the Fire's Gone Out

Written by Stephen Smith
Performed by Stephen Smith, Katie Rhodes and John Kettle.
Produced by John Kettle and Stephen Smith.

A few years back Joe and some friend's
raised a fist and called to arms, 
let's see if we can lend a helping hand.
So we United far and wide and we got organised,
to defy austerity and make a stand.

Up and down the land across sea's and beyond,
words and songs of protest filled the air.
The people they came out and gave everything they could
to fight the cuts and help the neighbourhood.

And we shall overcome,
If we all come together, if we all stand as one.
We can overcome
With unity, with peace and with love.

We say no to austerity,
we are pro-community.
We are not charity, oh no.
With art, with poetry and song,
We'll keep banging on our drums,
come stand with us in solidarity.

And we shall overcome,
If we all come together, if we all stand as one.
We can overcome
With unity, with peace and with love.

WHAT IS WE SHALL OVERCOME?
We Shall Overcome is a movement of musicians, artists and community organisers who are angry about the human costs of austerity policies but who want to do something practical to help those affected. Focused around a weekend in October we’re encouraging people to organise gigs and events that will –

1. Get direct help to those in our local communities who have been adversely affected by austerity policies.
2. Raise awareness, show solidarity or apply pressure to those who have political power

THE RAISED FIST
We Shall Overcome was launched as a reaction to the 2015 election and the prospect of another five years of austerity policies. A group of musicians decided to put together a coordinated series of events in defiance of the Tory victory, but more specifically, the ever-deepening cuts to come. We considered, and still do, Austerity to be an ideological attack on our communities and we oppose it outright.

We decided to use our events not just to protest against Austerity with words, but through our actions, to help those suffering most under it. We are NOT a charity and we are NOT apolitical. We are however non-Party Political.

We are ANTI-AUSTERITY and we are PRO-COMMUNITY. We exist to bring people together, not to tear them apart; we are a broad alliance of like-minded people looking to help, protest, unite our communities and entertain.

THE HELPING HAND
What makes WSO different is that we use our energy not only to protest Austerity, but to work at easing its burden on our communities. Each event is used to directly help the community in which it is based. We are not a central fund, so YOU (the local organiser) decide where the help you have raised goes according to need in YOUR town.

Some events ask for donations of provisions for their local food bank rather than an entrance fee, others charge a moderate fee and take cash donations in a bucket; some do both. There is no template here. To become a part of WSO all you need is the desire to see an end to Austerity, and the guts to do something about it- if you have, we’ll support you all the way.

WHO RUNS ‘WE SHALL OVERCOME’?
There is no organisation behind this. It is steered by a community of volunteers who created the idea, the logo, the website etc. But each gig and event is independently run and promoted locally. No money comes through ‘We Shall Overcome’, the causes that are supported are chosen locally by individual promoters and everything raised locally stays local.
https://weshallovercomeweekend.com

We shall overcome

Song for peace.
From the album 'You, me and the revolution'.

Only A Boy

Song about the ongoing impact of austerity that is forcing people to live on the street.
Taken from the album 'You, Me and The Revolution'.

You, Me and The Revolution

Outside(album version)

Here's a little song I wrote about the thousands and thousands of Liverpool fans who made a pilgrimage to Madrid at the end of May 2019, to be in the city where their beloved team were playing in the Champions League Final against Spurs on Saturday 1st June.
YNWA
Available on i-tunes from July 1st.

Madrid

We don’t know if we will make it back,

But we’re going all the same.

We know that we must make it there,

It’s our destiny.

 

We came by plane, by boat,

By bus, by train, by car, by van.

We came from everywhere

To make it here.

And now we’re singing in the sunshine

In this lovely square,

With Jamie, Ben and John,

Thanks to the guys from Boss.

Allez, hey.

We don’t know if we will make it back,

But we’re going all the same.

We know that we have to be here,

It’s our destiny.

 

Turning the town red with

Boggy and the boys,

All of our banners unfurled,

There’s pyro everywhere.

While Virgil Van Dyke’s name is ringing through the air,

Oh what a sight this is,

Madrid is red.

Hey

We don’t know if we will make it back,

But we’re going all the same.

We know that we have to be here,

It’s our destiny.

 

Mo gets us off the mark,

The boys are on the way.

Allez Allez

Allez Allez.

We’re just minutes from time

When Divock seals our fate.

We’re gonna take it home,

You’ll never walk alone,

You’ll never walk alone,

Oh no.

 

My boy and I

Are singing in a sea of red.

All of our dreams come true

Here in Madrid.

Jurgen and the boys

Are making history.

Let’s talk about 6 baby.

Allez, Allez

Allez, Allez.

 

We don’t know if we will make it back,

But we made it here today.

We know that we have to be here,

It’s our destiny.

Madrid  (Featuring The Wayward Choir)

Stephen Smith is an eclectic singer/songwriter from Merseyside.
His debut album ‘next train to nowhere’ contains 12 very interesting tales about love, hate, hope, freedom, addiction and peace.
 The album was released on the Purpular Records label in March 2011.

"This is no cookie cutter album. It ebbs and flows with love, heartbreak, and loss, and at the best moments the listener grasps Smith’s unyielding emotion". 
Annie Reuter - rollingstone.com 

"The man who writes the songs and rights the wrongs"  Pat Orchard

"No clichés, just heartfelt emotion… super stuff!"  Great Red North

“Amazing, great voice and great work!”  Red and white Kop

Stephen-Smith

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