Verse 1 1967, April 29th When a guy receives a call from his wife, she said “I’m going into labour and the baby’s coming, please say you’re coming - I need you here; straight away he’s running, fast, thinking hard tryna find the quickest route, he doesn’t know what he’s thinking bout, he just knows that he’s tripping out, cos’ he don’t wanna miss the birth of it all, but he’s having trouble finding the maternity ward, He’s running in and out of corridors,He keeps on asking nurses, Giving names and numbers saying show me where the birth is, He’s shaking nervous thinking he might’ve missed the birth when, He sees her name on the board and just bursts through the curtains, He runs up to the bed holds the child in his arms, looks at his wife, he holds their life in his palms, he smiles and says we better give him a name, holds his son close to his face he just whispers and says “James” Chorus Whatever it takes, I’ma be there every step of the way, I’m not leaving, Cos’ when I look at your face, I get this feeling nothing else can replace it ey, I’ll do whatever it takes, (listen)You’ve just gotta call out my name, and I’ll be there, You won’t ever feel pain, cos’ I’ll be here for you through everyday Verse 2 1983, James is sixteen, he’s had enough of hearing his parents arguments, he’s in the front room staring at the TV, But all he’s hearing is the both of them arguing, He’s shouting at her, mum’s just screaming at his dad, Then his dad comes in and tells him that they need to have a chat, He seems pretty sad, he knows this means something bad, and then his dads says that he’s leaving don’t think he’ll be coming back, now he’s brains racing, cos’ everything’s changing, it doesn’t make sense why the family would break, how could: everything he know as normal just change now he: knows its never gon’ be normal again, cos’ his: dads standing at the door with his bags packed won’t turn back (nah) he saying he’s walking and thats that, as his leaving, james he sees a message from his father, he just picks it up and reads it, it says - this. Chorus Whatever it takes, I’ma be there every step of the way, I’m not leaving, Cos’ when I look at your face, I get this feeling nothing else can replace it ey, I’ll do whatever it takes, (listen)You’ve just gotta call out my name, and I’ll be there, You won’t ever feel pain, cos’ I’ll be here for you through everyday Verse 3 James has grown up, he’s got a family of his own, a wife, 3 kids and now a house he calls his home, and he’s: working over 60 hours a week, and he’s drifted from his father, now they don’t even speak its been years, still they’ve never said a word never ever tried to speak to him, he’s never put him first, only getting worse, growing more distant until, he gets a letter in the post and its addressed to himself it reads, “Look I know I’ve never said it, but I’m sorry, I wish I could go back and rewind to try and do things properly. I wish everything was different, didn’t turn how it has, I love you son, no matter what. I’ll always be your dad” Theres a number on the letter, so he dials and calls, forwards his phone to a hospital ward, and speaks to a nurse, who explains his fathers condition He says “Can you put dad on the phone cos’ I want him to hear this” and says Chorus Whatever it takes, I’ma be there every step of the way, I’m not leaving, Cos’ when I look at your face, I get this feeling nothing else can replace it ey, I said whatever it takes, (listen)You’ve just gotta call out my name, and I’ll be there, You won’t ever feel pain, cos’ I’ll be here for you through everyday Middle 8 Now he’s running tryna find him, Tears rolling down his face, he’s been crying, He sees the doctor and explains that he’s just rang up, and the doctor says, “Your dad, he’s got cancer” So he’s running to the hospital bed, He can’t believe when he sees what the doctor just said Walks in the room, he sees his own dad take his last breath, grabs hold of his hand, sees a card and the card read. Chorus Whatever it takes, I’ma be there every step of the way, I’m not leaving, Cos’ when I look at your face, I get this feeling nothing else can replace it ey, I said whatever it takes, (listen)You’ve just gotta call out my name, and I’ll be there, You won’t ever feel pain, cos’ I’ll be here for you through everyday Outro Whatever it takes, I’ma be there every step of the way, I’m not leaving, Cos’ when I look at your face, I get this feeling nothing else can replace it ey, I’ll do whatever it takes, (listen)You’ve just gotta call out my name, and I’ll be there, You won’t ever feel pain, cos’ I’ll be here for you through everyday