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Hi MJ’ers.
This all-Aussie collaboration has been percolating away whilst I have been in hospital for a kidney transplant and jiguma (Neil) did a great job of pulling together the bit and pieces that Philip18 and I had offered.
I wrote this song staring at the ocean on a summer camping holiday on the south coast of New South Wales (co-incidentally just up the coast from where Neil lives – although I didn’t know that at the time) and it was crafted as an introspective folk ballad.
When Philip, Neil and I agreed to try an Aussie collab I offered this up for consideration but was unsure how it might go. It was a bit slow and dirge like.
As it turned out, the tasty guitar work and subtle backing vocals that Philip added, and Neil’s sympathetic drums, bass and Hammond (nice surprise) gave this the lift it needed.
Philip and I have known each other for many years now and we live close to each other in Victoria so we met up on a couple of occasions to lay some of the tracks down.
Neil is a master, masterer and I called on his talents to produce a mix that brought out the best of what we gave him, and as expected, he hit the mark perfectly. Philip and I really liked where he took the song.
Neil says: "I've been wanting to do a collaboration with some other Australians for a while now. I think Alf (alfalpha) and Nolan are the only others I've collaborated with in all these years. Peter and Philip are both schoolies too, which gives us another point of congruence. I like Peter's writing and Philip's playing is another attraction to doing this one. I'd just like to thank them both for letting me loose on this song and all their tracks."
So, on behalf of Philip, Neil and myself, we hope you enjoy this collaboration from the Great South Land.
Peter.
This all-Aussie collaboration has been percolating away whilst I have been in hospital for a kidney transplant and jiguma (Neil) did a great job of pulling together the bit and pieces that Philip18 and I had offered.
I wrote this song staring at the ocean on a summer camping holiday on the south coast of New South Wales (co-incidentally just up the coast from where Neil lives – although I didn’t know that at the time) and it was crafted as an introspective folk ballad.
When Philip, Neil and I agreed to try an Aussie collab I offered this up for consideration but was unsure how it might go. It was a bit slow and dirge like.
As it turned out, the tasty guitar work and subtle backing vocals that Philip added, and Neil’s sympathetic drums, bass and Hammond (nice surprise) gave this the lift it needed.
Philip and I have known each other for many years now and we live close to each other in Victoria so we met up on a couple of occasions to lay some of the tracks down.
Neil is a master, masterer and I called on his talents to produce a mix that brought out the best of what we gave him, and as expected, he hit the mark perfectly. Philip and I really liked where he took the song.
Neil says: "I've been wanting to do a collaboration with some other Australians for a while now. I think Alf (alfalpha) and Nolan are the only others I've collaborated with in all these years. Peter and Philip are both schoolies too, which gives us another point of congruence. I like Peter's writing and Philip's playing is another attraction to doing this one. I'd just like to thank them both for letting me loose on this song and all their tracks."
So, on behalf of Philip, Neil and myself, we hope you enjoy this collaboration from the Great South Land.
Peter.
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Lyrics
Life Sailors – Peter Bowen (2008/2011)
[D] I am staring at the [G] ocean
[D] The sea reflects a leaden [G] grey
[D] White caps prowl, the wind in [G] motion
[D] A big swell comes from miles [G] away
[C] Our life [G] path is often [D] stormy
[C] Ebbs and [G] flows from day to [D] day
[C] Squalls race [G] quickly from the [D] horizon
[C] We must [G] make it our [D] own way
Then sunlight breaks through the cloud’s lining
Announced by shimmering rays of gold
At once the outlook it is brightening
Our journey’s end can be foretold
The course of a life is never static
Rogue waves and currents come into play
But if we stay firm on our true bearing
We’ll make safe port with good headway
[Cmaj7] We need to learn from old life [Gmaj7] sailors
[Cmaj7] How to work the wind and plot a [Gmaj7] course
[Cmaj7] Read the weather, find safe [Gmaj7] anchor
[Am7] To live a life without [D7] remorse
Break
When I was young and green and naïve
I just took one day at a time
I was dismissive of the future
And lurched from fool to the sublime
I was too easy on the rudder
My course was often ruled by chance
I drifted listless, in the doldrums
Floating back with each advance
Then winds of fortune filled my mainsail
My running rigging is now well set
I’ve set a spinnaker for the long run
I plot a course with few regrets
Still our life path is often stormy
Ebbs and flows most every day
Squalls race quickly from the horizon
We must hold fast and make safe way
We must make it our own way
[D] I am staring at the [G] ocean
[D] The sea reflects a leaden [G] grey
[D] White caps prowl, the wind in [G] motion
[D] A big swell comes from miles [G] away
[C] Our life [G] path is often [D] stormy
[C] Ebbs and [G] flows from day to [D] day
[C] Squalls race [G] quickly from the [D] horizon
[C] We must [G] make it our [D] own way
Then sunlight breaks through the cloud’s lining
Announced by shimmering rays of gold
At once the outlook it is brightening
Our journey’s end can be foretold
The course of a life is never static
Rogue waves and currents come into play
But if we stay firm on our true bearing
We’ll make safe port with good headway
[Cmaj7] We need to learn from old life [Gmaj7] sailors
[Cmaj7] How to work the wind and plot a [Gmaj7] course
[Cmaj7] Read the weather, find safe [Gmaj7] anchor
[Am7] To live a life without [D7] remorse
Break
When I was young and green and naïve
I just took one day at a time
I was dismissive of the future
And lurched from fool to the sublime
I was too easy on the rudder
My course was often ruled by chance
I drifted listless, in the doldrums
Floating back with each advance
Then winds of fortune filled my mainsail
My running rigging is now well set
I’ve set a spinnaker for the long run
I plot a course with few regrets
Still our life path is often stormy
Ebbs and flows most every day
Squalls race quickly from the horizon
We must hold fast and make safe way
We must make it our own way
KCsGROOVE
Really good song!
Dig the playing and singing!
Peter, take care, hope you'll recover soon...
KC