The Life Of Riley

Chief Lightning Seed Ian Broudie wrote this song about the birth of his son, Riley. When he wrote the first verse, Riley had yet to be born, but the name was picked out. In that verse Ian anticipates fatherhood ("Smile at the empty sky and wait for"). "I was wondering about what would happen and whether I was ready for it," he told Songwriting magazine. It's the whole idea of serendipity, that everything just comes together to create this one person, out of all those little sperms and all those chances... Then they come to Earth and it's up to you to not miss that moment and be in that moment." Broudie wrote the second verse after Riley was born, which explains the cradles and sleepless nights.

Riley is a common Irish name so Broudie (who is English) made the music sound like a jig in tribute.

For many years this was the music that accompanied BBC Match Of The Day's Goal of the Month.