Raise
a Glass
I'm glad you all could make it
It's good to see you all looking so good
But you know we'll soon be parting
And we won't stay as close as we should
Raise a glass to me, when I'm gone
Think about me, once in a while
Raise a glass, mention my name
I hope thoughts of our past, bring a smile
We'll all see new people and places
This is the last I'll see of some of you
So I'll leave you with best wishes
And hopes that the years will be good to you
Raise a glass to me, when I'm gone
Think about me, once in a while
Raise a glass, mention my name
I hope thoughts of our past, bring a smile
Seems like yesterday, we were playing hide and seek
Now the game's the same, I just wish that you'd find me
I often wonder, will things ever be the same
I don't think so, but I know we're not to blame
Next time you're all together
Do me a favor and I'll do the same for you
Sit back and tell an old story
And we'll all laugh just like we used to....
Raise a glass for me, when I'm gone
Think about me, once in a while
Raise a glass, mention my name
I hope thoughts of our past, bring a smile
glenn hughes - 1981
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The
Story:
In 1981, I was in a band called Mickey Torpedo.
Our singer, Tom Dier, asked me to write a song that he could sing for his
high school graduation.
The title, "Raise A Glass", had been sitting in my notebook for
about a year, waiting for a suitable idea to attach itself to.
This was obviously the right idea.
I had graduated the year
before, so it wasn't terribly difficult for me to find the words
that I wanted to say.
I went for a long walk with my notebook, through the neighborhoods I grew
up in, and past the high school. I thought about people and places, and
just wrote the words that I'd want to sing to my friends.
It ended up being our most popular original song.
This recording of "Raise
A Glass" is pretty beat-up, but very listenable. It was recorded in
my basement on a four-track reel-to-reel deck, sometime between 1981 and
1983.
The Mickey Torpedo Lineup:
Tom Dier - Vocals
Glenn Hughes - Guitar, Second Solo
Mike Calendar - Guitar, First Solo
Russ Randall - Bass
John Glavocich - Drums
Final Word:
Almost immediately after I wrote it, I found myself wishing I had been
able to sing "Raise A Glass" to my graduating class.
This year, at my 20th High School reunion, I finally did just that.
As you would guess, the song meant even more, twenty years later.
It was a nice bit of closure for a song that has had a long history.
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