IF ONLY

Written in 1984, with Paul Young in mind as a performer, this has always been a favourite of mine, but a tough one to record a good version of. This is about the best (so far). It doesn't have to be this way That's what makes it so much worse I've said all I have to say There's nothing to reverse But it ain't easy to be strong When you believed that you were right And all the time you were wrong If only I'd known before what I know now I wouldn't have been so sure about the way it had to be But now I see If only So I thought I knew freedom Held it gift-wrapped in my hands For everyone to understand But I built my own prison Though I've realised too late Now there's no way to escape I've burnt my bridges Made up my mind When I thought I could see everything How could I have been so blind Thought I'd got the picture But I only saw a part Now it's too late to contemplate A sudden change of heart If only, if only I could have seen If only, if only I'd known what might have been