Tread Lightly

Written by Kirsty MacColl and Pete Glenister
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCHvPVni4B8

Chords

Chords for Tread Lightly, transcribed by John Meranda.

Lyrics

Another time, another day
Another baby on the way
A dreamboy for your nightmare nights
Who never shouts and never fights
Happy with your 2.2
What else is there for you to do
But turn and wet the baby’s head
And pray he will be happier than you or me?
That’s how it’s meant to be

It’s called a lifetime
At first you never notice
Then the years go flying by and I say
Tread lightly in your dreams
They might come true for you tomorrow

Say sorry to the boys and girls
You’re sorry for this bloody world
Sorry for the sick and old
And sorry for the lies you told
Sorry for the things I did
The things we should have left unsaid
And walked away and left instead of
Rubbing salt on all those open sores and wounds
We should have left to heal

I never knew just what to feel or to expect
I tried to stretch my mind but I’d just
Get my body wrecked and now I
Tread lightly in my dreams
They might come true tomorrow

And I don’t sleep at night in case
I don’t wake up tomorrow
I curse the day I met you
But I won’t forget you
Not in my lifetime

Another time, another day
You’d never give your heart away
You’d never think and never cry
You’d look the devil in the eye
And tell him to be gone, bye bye
He’ll never get you in this lifetime
He’d love to touch you but his hands are tied
So just tread lightly in your dreams
They might come true for you tomorrow

Tread lightly in your dreams
They might come true for you tomorrow
They might come true for you tomorrow
They might come true tomorrow

Recording

After we got the demo together Kirsty sang the first vocal on Tread Lightly, then said “Nah, lets leave it, the chorus doesn’t work” – I wanted to scream IT’S A GREAT SONG, but instead i took a deep breath and said “Yeah, the major/minor chorus sounds a bit clunky, but once the harmonies are on it i’m sure this one will be epic” – K “Really” – Me “Yes i’m sure”

Fortunately we continued with it and it became one of her best IMHO. Some weeks later in Townhouse studios, i helped Pino sort the bass part, then suggested to Mel that he play his classic snare crescendo at 2.07 – “You’d look the devil in the eye and tell him to be gone, bye bye he’ll never get you in this lifetime”

Kirsty was a truly amazing musician and i’m proud to have contributed even the most minor touches to her artistry.

Colin Stuart

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