Spirit of Play

Yes, 2010 is the year we go intercontinental and transhemispherical: as soon as the curtain falls on our next gig, and possibly even during it if I cock up the lyrics to "Hare and Tortoise", I'm off on a fact-finding mission (remember those?) to Melbourne. It's just like a world tour, only without the dates, venues, and the rest of the band. Lucy's particularly excited about Spirit of Oz, because she doesn't have to get on a plane. (She's the Dennis Bergkamp of the 12-string, which could make our future commitments in, oh, I don't know, Nashville, Vegas, and Swansea, a bit complicated.) And I'm excited, because there some good venues and bands in Melb, and an enterprising arts salon called Gert's, run by a friend of the band, Fi Gruber, who may yet find a way of coaxing us to perform in the land of sunblock and spiders.

In other news: the band have been trying out something I've written called "Title Song". Inspiration: all the tracks auditioned for Bond movie title music that are then dropped in favour of bad anthems by mad pairings, uncomfortable sounding soul legends, or some American bloke. I think K. D. Lang was in the running one year, with the fine "Surrender", but it was relegated to the end credits. Sheryl Crow sang, just about, the opener instead. Then again, sometimes they're all turkeys -- Dionne Warwick (born Leamington Spa) had to give up on "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", in 1965, and I so know how she feels. Tom Jones wobbled through "Thunderball" instead: lyrics by Don Black. "He always runs while others walk", apparently. What, always? Even if he's helping an elderly person across the road?

So, who knows, we may sing "Title Song" in a gig soon, when I'm back from Oz, and all facts have been found. More news from Down Under in due course. G'day and G'night.

TITLE SONG

It went to the wire
they flew me into town
they said they liked my sound
but not enough

So I sang some other stuff
they said they liked that too
but not enough

Hey, keep in touch
we know you've got real style
just like all the rest

You said, who's this other guy
they like so much more
does he get the end
credits as well?

Or can you make a case
for some minor third disgrace
as they embrace?

Yeah, keep in touch
I think you've got real style
just like all the rest

(mid 8) Settle in your seat
suspend your disbelief
all I ever wanted to do
was writed an unrejected
title song for you . . .

So this is how it goes
it always ends this way
the citizens are saved
it's such a shame

But it went to the wire
I almost read my name
right there in your eyes

Hey, keep in touch
I know you've got real style
not like all the rest