far away in time
I'm cooking lunch (it's cool enough to use the stove today), listening to the radio. It's rather good, they're playing a lot of eighties and early nineties music. Stuff I knew and loved. Like Man Overboard by Do-Re-Mi, some Funboy Three and Joey by Concrete Blonde. I'm digging it and grooving along gently. Then she plays Echo Beach by Martha and the Muffins and instantly I'm twenty again, sitting on the floor of my boyfriend's bedroom as he plays me music. He's a bit older than me and has been out in the world longer. He has lots of records. We're a bit high, no actually we're quite stoned and giggly. He plays me Echo Beach. I've never heard it before and I make him play it again and again. Later when we break up, I buy the record for myself.
So now I'm forty-four. For a moment I forgot how sensible I've become and turned up the music up and danced and sang out loud. Smiling. I still remember all the words. And what's more, it has survived the various vinyl purges (you mean I gave the Triffids record with the green, red and white cover to the opshop! yep) and I still have it on vinyl.
I know it's out of fashion
And a trifle uncool
But I can't help it
I'm a romantic fool
It's a habit of mine
To watch the sun go down
On Echo beach, I watch the sun go down
From nine till five I have to spend my time at work
The job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
The only thing that helps pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Echo Beach some day
On a silent summer evening
The sky's alive with light
Building in the distance
Surrealistic sight
On Echo Beach
Waves make the only sound
On Echo Beach
There's not a soul around
From nine till five I have to spend my time at work
The job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
The only thing that helps pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Echo Beach some day
Echo Beach
Far away in time
Echo Beach
Far away in time
Mark Gane, from Metro Music by Martha and the Muffins 1980.
And now I've just learnt how to embed youtube so we can listen to it live.
Oh wow, now Martha and the Muffins have done children's music amongst other things. Must investigate further.
