Today’s song is ‘You’ve Got a Friend’. I dedicate this song to my Facebook friend, Philip Ellis.
This song was written by Carol King in 1971. It was first recorded by King and included in her album ‘Tapestry’. Another well-known version was by James Taylor from his album ‘Mud Slide Slim and Blue Horizon’. His recording was also released in 1971 and reached Number 1 on the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ and Number 4 on the ‘UK Singles Chart’. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.
‘You've Got a Friend won ‘Grammy Awards’ both for Taylor (Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) and for Carol King (Song of the Year). Dozens of other artists have recorded the song over the years, including Dusty Springfield, Michael Jackson Anne Murray and Donny Hathaway.
Regarding her song, Carol King has stated that "the song was as close to pure inspiration as I've ever experienced. The song wrote itself. It was written by something outside myself, through me." According to Taylor, King told him that the song was a response to a line in Taylor's earlier song ‘Fire and Rain’ that said: "I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.”
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Whoever we are in this life or whatever our circumstance happens to be, our journey through life will become much easier and more bearable if we have a friend to walk alongside us, for when one has a true friend, one never needs to walk alone, worry alone or be alone, unless through choice.
I have always been blessed in my life by the presence of good friends. The greatest gift of life is friendship and the greatest insight of mankind is to recognise its very presence. You will always find at the common core of all friendship (however it appears to be packaged), ’Love’. I have received friendship in abundance at all vital stages throughout my life.
I often think that I have been blessed from my first breath of being able to have all those people in my life who I have loved the most as ‘my friend’ also. I include in this list of significant others God, my mother, siblings, lovers, wife Sheila, along with my closest work associates and neighbours. Such friends have stayed with me through thick and thin. They have always been willing to share both my pain and happiness and have never been afraid to make me face the truth (as they saw it) of any uncharitable actions I have ever engaged in or foolish ones I planned.
You know, there are thousands of good things that have been spoken about the true value of a good friend, but none hold more meaning to me than how a friend will help one reconcile oneself to their past, keep you anchored in the present and stand alongside you whenever you face an uncertain future. I will never forget my mother telling me, “Billy Forde, the best friend in the world you will ever have is yourself. Make yourself ‘your best friend’ and you will always find friendship in others easier to come by.”
Since I developed a terminal blood cancer six years ago, I have needed to readjust my lifestyle to many significant changes. The type of blood cancer I have has a reported life span of 3/4 years between diagnosis and death according to European medical statistics. Two of its prime features is that because the cancer is a terminal blood cancer, the longer the cancerous blood flows around your body, it is merely a matter of time before the person with it contracts cancer in all major body organs. Since 2012, I have had a Lymphoma, skin cancer of the nose, cancer of the forehead and precancerous warts in my bottom. This past month has witnessed me having two operations for different cancers and one operation to put back a dislocated shoulder following a bad fall.
The second feature of my blood cancer type is that I have no effective immune system with which fight off illnesses and all infections, even the common cold. Because of this absence of any effective immune system, I must regiment my life in order to maximise the possibility of me staying alive as long as humanly possible. Each time I shake hands with someone, breath the same air, or meet anyone carrying a cold, a bug or some other infection, my life is placed in imminent danger. Their common cold becomes my automatic flu, and their common bug provides me with my potentially deadly infection within a few days. For instance, between 2013-2018 I spent nine months of each year either in hospital, bedbound with flu or housebound and unable to meet others without me/them wearing a face mask; and since December 2018 until March 14th I have had two operations for high-grade skin cancer and one operation for precancerous rectal warts, plus one operation for a shoulder dislocation.
My regime for staying alive longer involves me minimising all contact with crowds and all contact with more than three or four people who are infection free. The two most dangerous types of people I must minimise contact with because they carry a higher infection risk are children and old people. The types of places which are the most dangerous for me to be in, and increase the chances of me catching an infection, are all closed spaces that contain crowds, along with (wait for it), hospitals! Consequently, staying alive for me has become a daily game of 'Russian Roulette'.
The essence of providing you with this medical condition of mine, is simply to emphasise that none of this would have been possible/tolerable in my view without the continuous daily support of my lovely wife, Sheila, my family and the thousands of daily prayers and words of encouragement from my many hundreds of Facebook friends. I cannot underestimate the physical, mental, psychological and spiritual support such friendship has given me. Indeed, I’d go so far as to say that while I have always been and felt loved every day of my life since birth, I have never felt as loved in my life by so many people as I do today.
True friendship not only steers you safely through stormy seas, but it also anchors you constantly in calm waters and provides you with the knowledge that you never need to feel alone unless you want to.
Over my years as a member of Facebook, I have befriended many people who do not seem to make friends as easily as I do. They are not anti-social; indeed, far from such. They are the type of individual who rarely cause offence and are simply of the more reserved character type; the kind of person who hides their light under a bushel. For whatever reason, they find it more difficult to attract people towards them as many outgoing personalities do as a matter of course; and finding a suitable girlfriend/boyfriend with whom to share one’s life often appears to them that it just isn’t meant to happen.
One of my good Facebook friends in this category is Philip Ellis. Philip lives in Leeds, loves photography and animals, likes the occasional pint and keeps in regular contact with his father. Often, I have noticed on Philip’s Facebook page, his sense of loneliness or frustration with certain aspects of his life. He is a lovely person to befriend and would certainly welcome any befriending requests and the opportunity to make additional contact in his life. Philip is aware of this post today and has already approved my publication of its content that he is fully acquainted with. I also hope that it will not be too long before Phillip pays me and Sheila a visit in our Haworth allotment one sunny spring afternoon, where a nice bottle of Budweiser and one of Sheila’s sandwiches will be available for his consumption.
I dedicate today’s song to my friend Philip with fondest regard.
Love and peace Bill xxx
This song was written by Carol King in 1971. It was first recorded by King and included in her album ‘Tapestry’. Another well-known version was by James Taylor from his album ‘Mud Slide Slim and Blue Horizon’. His recording was also released in 1971 and reached Number 1 on the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ and Number 4 on the ‘UK Singles Chart’. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.
‘You've Got a Friend won ‘Grammy Awards’ both for Taylor (Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) and for Carol King (Song of the Year). Dozens of other artists have recorded the song over the years, including Dusty Springfield, Michael Jackson Anne Murray and Donny Hathaway.
Regarding her song, Carol King has stated that "the song was as close to pure inspiration as I've ever experienced. The song wrote itself. It was written by something outside myself, through me." According to Taylor, King told him that the song was a response to a line in Taylor's earlier song ‘Fire and Rain’ that said: "I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Whoever we are in this life or whatever our circumstance happens to be, our journey through life will become much easier and more bearable if we have a friend to walk alongside us, for when one has a true friend, one never needs to walk alone, worry alone or be alone, unless through choice.
I have always been blessed in my life by the presence of good friends. The greatest gift of life is friendship and the greatest insight of mankind is to recognise its very presence. You will always find at the common core of all friendship (however it appears to be packaged), ’Love’. I have received friendship in abundance at all vital stages throughout my life.
I often think that I have been blessed from my first breath of being able to have all those people in my life who I have loved the most as ‘my friend’ also. I include in this list of significant others God, my mother, siblings, lovers, wife Sheila, along with my closest work associates and neighbours. Such friends have stayed with me through thick and thin. They have always been willing to share both my pain and happiness and have never been afraid to make me face the truth (as they saw it) of any uncharitable actions I have ever engaged in or foolish ones I planned.
You know, there are thousands of good things that have been spoken about the true value of a good friend, but none hold more meaning to me than how a friend will help one reconcile oneself to their past, keep you anchored in the present and stand alongside you whenever you face an uncertain future. I will never forget my mother telling me, “Billy Forde, the best friend in the world you will ever have is yourself. Make yourself ‘your best friend’ and you will always find friendship in others easier to come by.”
Since I developed a terminal blood cancer six years ago, I have needed to readjust my lifestyle to many significant changes. The type of blood cancer I have has a reported life span of 3/4 years between diagnosis and death according to European medical statistics. Two of its prime features is that because the cancer is a terminal blood cancer, the longer the cancerous blood flows around your body, it is merely a matter of time before the person with it contracts cancer in all major body organs. Since 2012, I have had a Lymphoma, skin cancer of the nose, cancer of the forehead and precancerous warts in my bottom. This past month has witnessed me having two operations for different cancers and one operation to put back a dislocated shoulder following a bad fall.
The second feature of my blood cancer type is that I have no effective immune system with which fight off illnesses and all infections, even the common cold. Because of this absence of any effective immune system, I must regiment my life in order to maximise the possibility of me staying alive as long as humanly possible. Each time I shake hands with someone, breath the same air, or meet anyone carrying a cold, a bug or some other infection, my life is placed in imminent danger. Their common cold becomes my automatic flu, and their common bug provides me with my potentially deadly infection within a few days. For instance, between 2013-2018 I spent nine months of each year either in hospital, bedbound with flu or housebound and unable to meet others without me/them wearing a face mask; and since December 2018 until March 14th I have had two operations for high-grade skin cancer and one operation for precancerous rectal warts, plus one operation for a shoulder dislocation.
My regime for staying alive longer involves me minimising all contact with crowds and all contact with more than three or four people who are infection free. The two most dangerous types of people I must minimise contact with because they carry a higher infection risk are children and old people. The types of places which are the most dangerous for me to be in, and increase the chances of me catching an infection, are all closed spaces that contain crowds, along with (wait for it), hospitals! Consequently, staying alive for me has become a daily game of 'Russian Roulette'.
The essence of providing you with this medical condition of mine, is simply to emphasise that none of this would have been possible/tolerable in my view without the continuous daily support of my lovely wife, Sheila, my family and the thousands of daily prayers and words of encouragement from my many hundreds of Facebook friends. I cannot underestimate the physical, mental, psychological and spiritual support such friendship has given me. Indeed, I’d go so far as to say that while I have always been and felt loved every day of my life since birth, I have never felt as loved in my life by so many people as I do today.
True friendship not only steers you safely through stormy seas, but it also anchors you constantly in calm waters and provides you with the knowledge that you never need to feel alone unless you want to.
Over my years as a member of Facebook, I have befriended many people who do not seem to make friends as easily as I do. They are not anti-social; indeed, far from such. They are the type of individual who rarely cause offence and are simply of the more reserved character type; the kind of person who hides their light under a bushel. For whatever reason, they find it more difficult to attract people towards them as many outgoing personalities do as a matter of course; and finding a suitable girlfriend/boyfriend with whom to share one’s life often appears to them that it just isn’t meant to happen.
One of my good Facebook friends in this category is Philip Ellis. Philip lives in Leeds, loves photography and animals, likes the occasional pint and keeps in regular contact with his father. Often, I have noticed on Philip’s Facebook page, his sense of loneliness or frustration with certain aspects of his life. He is a lovely person to befriend and would certainly welcome any befriending requests and the opportunity to make additional contact in his life. Philip is aware of this post today and has already approved my publication of its content that he is fully acquainted with. I also hope that it will not be too long before Phillip pays me and Sheila a visit in our Haworth allotment one sunny spring afternoon, where a nice bottle of Budweiser and one of Sheila’s sandwiches will be available for his consumption.
I dedicate today’s song to my friend Philip with fondest regard.
Love and peace Bill xxx
