Song(s) of the Day # 4,250 The Go Betweens

 

'When a woman learns to walk she's not dependent anymore. A line from her letter. May 24. And out on the bay the current is string. A boat can get lost'

Yesterday was a good day. I'm back with my ninety year old parents after  what has felt like a long time away. A prodigal son though I've tried to be good. My sixtieth year on the planet which has felt phenomenally momentous. In countless ways. At least to me. I've done a lot. Reunited with important friends. One in particular. Been to Denmark, Dublin. Said goodbye to others. Needs must. Had some interesting adventures in York. Glasgow. Taken measures with others to protect myself when I felt I needed to . Tried to maintain forward momentum.

The Go Betweens are very important to me. We have history. I bought Spring Hill Fair when I was 17. It spoke to me.  Saw them with friends when I was/20 and a couple of important university people came to stay at my parents house in Teddington. We went and saw the band at Kingston Polytechnic. I suspect for a pound. Best pound I ever spent, 

 I started going out with one of the great transformative loves of my life about a month later. I made her a C 90 cassette. R.E.M.on one side. The Go Betweens on the other. They were kindred spirits. She protested that she preferred The Go Betweens. Because I played her R.E.M. relentlessly throughout our relationship.Then told me R.E.M. had sold out when we went our separate ways and she was with someone else. Such is life. It's important to be a player if you can. And to learn from the narrative tat life paves for us.

Now I write a blog on a daily basis. I've written daily since 2014. It's named after a Go Betweens line. From Five Words which .  It Starts With a Birthstone. And ends with a Tombsstone. As all our narratives must. But of course they don't actually end there either. The story goes on. There are sequels. It's been difficult keeping this up the blog this year frankly. Bit I'm still at the helm. Scanning the horizon. Looking for a fresh catch. Interesting quarry. Stories to tell. Records to play.

My parents are downstairs. They're going to church. I will finish my tea, Go downstairs. Onward. Ever onward !