Garth Dutton

Cold Wind From The South – A Song

Now that you’ve read my short story “Cold Wind From The South” here are the lyrics to the song that goes with it. I did a “David Bowie” and ‘became’ the character Roland Smyth in the song and wrote of his personal love experience as if it was my own.

Cold Wind From The South
© Garth Dutton, 2006

She was quite pretty, sometimes rather quiet,
a warm bright smile and long dark hair.
There had been hard times.
She tried not to show it.
It was merely by chance that I met her.

I remember a beach and an autumn day.
A cold wind from the south kept most people away.
I sought the shelter and warmth of the town.
Tourist season was over, few people around.

I bought a drink in the hotel.
She came and sat down beside me.
There seemed no point in each being there alone.
We talked of ourselves and our circumstances,
the state of the world and the way things were going.

It seemed we both needed some kind of fresh start,
and quickly I found that she had won my heart.
Looking back, all I can say is,
“I thank the south wind for that cold autumn day.
I thank the south wind for that cold autumn day.”

Tags: david bowie, garth dutton, lyricist, Music, song

Spirit Of The Forest – A Song

This song is a collaboration with singer/songwriter Casey Finlay. One of these days I’ll put the music up online.

Spirit Of The Forest
© G. Dutton/C. Finlay 2007

Sunlight and shadow in a green forest tall.
I went into the woodlands for an afternoon stroll.
Down along a pathway into the forest deep,
all around a silence in the afternoon heat.

Dappled and dancing, oh the play of light.

The power of the silence casts its own spell.
The spirit of the forest lingers here still.

Dappled and dancing, oh the play of light.
The branches are waving, oh the play of light.

The silence is broken. It may never have been.
The sounds of clear water in a nearby stream.
And wings up in the tree tops and a soft bird call.
Sunlight and shadow in a green forest tall.

Dappled and dancing, oh the play of light.
The branches are waving, oh the play of light.
Ever, ever changing… Think I’ll stay awhile…

Tags: casey finlay, garth dutton, Lyrics, Music, song, songwriting

I’d Like To Think There Could Be Peace – A Song

This is my peace song. Every songwriter should have at least one peace song in their repertoire.

I’d Like To Think There Could Be Peace
© Garth Dutton 2005

I’d like to think there could be peace
and an end to war.
The soldiers will have all gone home
and leave their families no more.

And women and children would have rights
like those enjoyed by men.
Religious differences be put aside,
not divide the world again.

I’d like to think there could be peace
all over the world.
And countries have good governments
and resources that were shared.

And world poverty be tackled
and be quickly swept away,
so we might all look forward to
a better future day.

I’d like to think there could be peace
and an end to war.
The soldiers will have all gone home
and leave their families no more,
and leave their families no more.

Tags: garth dutton, Lyrics, Music, peace, song, songwriter, songwriting

Nineteen Forty Five – A Song

This song “Nineteen Forty Five” was written for the 50th Anniversary of the ending of World War 2, but I ran into problems with the music for it. The verses were in 6/4 time. (Fleetwood Mac’s song ‘Go Your Own Way’ is also in 6/4.) But I couldn’t find a related time signature for the ‘bridge’ about the TV program, so missed the occasion.

Some years later, I tried singing the verses in 4/4 time and I immediately found that 12/8 time suited the bridge perfectly. (The Beatles song ‘You’ve got to hide your love away’ is in 12/8 time.) But unfortunately the song proved unsuitable for the 60th Anniversary in 2005, because all the main celebrations were held in Moscow.

Oh well. I recorded the song on my 2006 CD “Long Weekend 2″ which I will write about some other day.

Nineteen Forty Five
© Garth Dutton 1995
    
The British Empire was over and done,           
but its image lingered on.
Some people thought it was still alive,
in Nineteen Forty-five.
In Nineteen Forty-five.

Hitler died on April’s last day.
to avoid the 1st of May.
His Thousand Year Reich in ruins lies,
in Nineteen Forty-five.
In Nineteen Forty-five.

But in Europe’s east, there was no dawn,       
though Hitler’s armies had all now gone.
For victory, such a price to pay.
It now was Stalin’s day.
It now was Stalin’s day.

It was a TV program about  ‘Civilization’.       
Sir Peter Ustinov did the narration.
Europe in chaos, destruction, despair…
Images so real I felt I was there.

Amongst the homeless refugees       
and the cast-out expellees,
I too thank God to have even survived
in Nineteen Forty-five.
In Nineteen Forty-five,

The winter snows turn the ruins white         
and the bombed-out cities come back to life,
while America and Russia the world divide,
in Nineteen Forty-five.
In Nineteen Forty-five.
In Nineteen Forty-five.
In Nineteen Forty-five.

Tags: garth dutton, Lyrics, Music, songwriter, songwriting, ww2

Goyder’s Line – A Song

George Goyder was Surveyor General in the S.A. Government in the late nineteenth century. He drew his ‘line’ at a natural boundary where mallee scrub ended and saltbush plains began.

Until the fiasco of the advance beyond Goyder’s Line the population of South Australia’s coutryside had been steadily increasing. The retreat from it started a process of movement from the countryside to Adelaide that continues today.

About “Goyder’s Line” as a song. I don’t think anyone has ever worked out by ear how to play an accompaniment to the song version of ‘Goyder’s Line’. This is not surprising as it is ‘atonal’. The main verse riff of the verses goes from F to A. F has a Bflat in its key signature, and A has three sharps, so that effectively cancels out key signature altogether.

Anyway, enjoy…

Goyder’s Line
© Garth Dutton 2000

They had no gold like the Eastern States,
but the layout of land and sea
meant ships could sail up into the heart
of good land for growing wheat.
But a rush further north was on in earnest
in the Eighteen-seventies.
They said that rain would follow the plough
and went onwards without heed.

Goyder had warned, and drawn his Line.
He’d seen the north in normal years.
But when the rains came early
and the rains came well,
the whole desert was in bloom.
It was said the growth of desert flowers
was a sign of fertility,
so they followed the vision of a golden north
full of fields of wheat.

Some held on, though all hope had gone,
through winters with little rain.
With ground bone dry and frosts that were hard,
they cursed the saltbush plains.
And one by one they were forced back south,
somehow to start again…
In the north leaving only heartbreak,
not golden fields of grain.

Now across South Australia’s northern plains
the lonely ruins stand.
Reminders that men once came
to plough and sow this land.

Tags: adelaide, garth dutton, george goyder, lyricist, Lyrics, Music, south australia

The Non-Green Blues – A Song

Here is a song I wrote a few years ago called “The Non-Green Blues”.

It sums up my feeling on development and the urban sprawl that’s happening in Adelaide at the moment perfectly.

Tags: adelaide, garth dutton, lyricist, Lyrics, Music, poet

Accompanist – A Song

The song “Accompanist” is about a sexual relationship broken down, but the both of us continued performing as a duo because of ongoing committments at music venues.

Eventually it got too much and I set out to travel to Johannesburg via Portugal. I called it quits at Dover in heavy snow, as I didn’t have adequate winter clothing for such a journey.

Even though I wrote this song a long time ago, I still perform it as this song means a lot to me.

Accompanist
© Garth Dutton, 1971.

London Town, snowflakes are falling,
and in my heart the highway’s calling,
to Johannesburg, for there’s someone there who’d want me.
from the letters she writes
I know she has a place in her heart for me,

But tonight you’ll sing, I’ll play guitar,
and it’ll still feel good, for still friends we are.
At some pub downtown, friendly atmosphere,
and your lovely voice, soft and sweet and clear.
Everyone just stops and listens.

Then I’ll take you home, but there’ll be no after
beyond the coffee cups and the talk and laughter.
You’re afraid to walk late at night from the station,
and your company is a gift and consolation,
for loneliness is London’s desolation.

But we’ll be alright when we see the morning,
picture postcard white in clear bright dawning.
Cold dark night, clear bright morning.
Cold dark night, clear bright morning.

Tags: dover, garth dutton, johannesburg, london, portugal, song, songwriter, songwriting, winter

Book Launch – The Apricot Tree

My new book of poems, The Apricot Tree, will be launched at the S.A. Writers’ Centre at 6 pm tonight, Thursday 13th November 2008.

The venue is at 187 Rundle Street, Adelaide on the 2nd Floor, All welcome.


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Tags: book launch, garth dutton, poem, poet, Poetry, sa writers centre

Who Put The FUN In Fundamentalist? – A Song

Every time I’ve sung it I get a very positive response. Thank goodness there’s people out there with a sense of humour.

Who Put The FUN In Fundamentalist?
© Garth Dutton, 1994

Chorus
Who put the fun in fundamentalist?
Try as I may I can’t find any.
Is there something that I missed?
Yeah, who put the fun in fundamentalist?

Verse 1
Most of us have opinions,
but keep them to ourselves.
Fundamentalists want to convert everybody else.
They say they have the one pure faith
to get us heaven bound.
It would be much nicer
if they weren’t around.

Chorus

Verse 2
It seems that most religions
have amongst their flocks
people with narrow minds
who want to set back the clock.
They don’t like the modern world at all,
with its pleasures and its sins,
and as for paradise, only they’ll get in.

Chorus

Verse 3
Although the Cold War’s over,
nuclear weapons still abound.
It would be much safer
if they weren’t around.
I’d trust someone secular
the button not to press.
Would a religious fanatic do it?
The answer I fear is, “Yes!”

Chorus x2

Tags: fundamentalist, garth dutton, Music, song, songwriter, songwriting

The Wonders Of Nuclear Technology – A Song

Don’t worry, the song title requires a tongue firmly planted in cheek. This song is from my CD “Long Weekend 2″. As soon as I get this WordPress thing figured out I’ll put up some music on this site for your enjoyment but until then, here is “The Wonders Of Nuclear Technology”

The Wonders Of Nuclear Technology
© Garth Dutton, 1997

Verse 1
On the two hundredth anniversary of the U.S.A.
A nuclear power spokesman had the cheek to say,
“Of nuclear waste you should have no fear!
I guarantee we can guard it for ten thousand years.”

Chorus
Free, free, please let us be free
From the wonders of nuclear technology.
Free, free, please let us be free
From the wonders of nuclear technology.

Verse 2
Out in the German countryside,
Defences and barbed wire are half-a-kilometre wide.
You think, “This can’t be Germany, there’s no more Berlin Wall.”
It’s a nuclear power station that is all.

Chorus

Verse 3
What food from Europe can we really trust?
After the rain of Chernobyl dust.
You still can’t drink water from Black Forest streams…
North Wales sheep are radioactive it seems…

Chorus

Verse 4
In a nuclear-powered future, how would things be?
I think they would be anything but free.
Potential for disaster would be so great,
It would have to be a totalitarian State.

Chorus

Tags: garth dutton, lyric, Music, songwriting, words, Writing