"You Can't Do Anything Anymore"

[Spoken Intro] Mum grew up in tougher times When doors stayed open wide And neighbours dropped in unannounced Most any day or night She’d seen hard years and come through strong But nothing could prepare her For watching all the world she knew Just slowly disappear [Verse 1] She said, “Don’t make me wear that mask I cannot catch my breath” But every door in every town Had warnings at the step She’d shake her head in disbelief At all the world became And every time the rules changed more She’d say the very same [Chorus] “They can’t do that!” “They can’t close the whole world down!” But one by one the lights went out Across our little town And late at night She’d say it soft somehow... “You can’t do anything anymore...” [Verse 2] We heard it on the radio Driving home one day “They’ll close the pubs this afternoon” She laughed and said, “No way” But later as we drove back through Those doors were locked up tight She stared out through the window glass Like something wasn’t right [Chorus] “They can’t do that!” “They can’t lock good people out!” But empty streets and shuttered shops Spread silence all about And every day She seemed to lose a little more... “You can’t do anything anymore...” [Verse 3] She wanted fish down at the café Like we’d done a hundred times But I had to stand there telling her “They won’t let you inside” Driving home with takeaway Getting colder on her knee I knew the world she understood Was slipping out to sea [Bridge] Months went by behind closed doors With carers masked each day And doctor visits felt so strange With faces turned away She’d look at me so tired and worn And ask what all this for Then shake her head and whisper low... “You can’t do anything anymore...” [Final Chorus] “They can’t do that!” Still echoes through my mind Like someone trying to hold back time Before it slipped behind And sometimes now I still hear her voice once more... [Spoken Outro] “You can’t do anything anymore...”