Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Walking In The Ruins


Have you ever heard a song in your dreams?

I don't mean in the Paul McCartney dreamt 'Yesterday' and thought someone else had already written it sense; I mean that a song you've been listening to in the waking world has ended up playing in the iPod shuffle of your head while you slept?

This did for me while I was on holiday.

A relationship ended mapped out in memories of simple things done and places been; it is the kind of song that haunts you. So I thought I'd let it haunt you too.

From the best break-up album I've heard since Blood On The Tracks. Have a tissue handy.

Land's End at dusk
A day of churches
Her getting her hair cut
A windswept walk to Dunnet Head
Boarding a northbound train at Inverness
A rainy Cley-next-the-Sea
Her swinging on a tyre
Me taking her picture
A station frozen in time
March stars in a Norfolk sky

Her sleeping head on my shoulder
With the bus heading on
And the day-out done
A lighthouse sending its light
Out across Thurso bay at night
To Blakeney Point and back again
Walking in the ruins
Of Binham Priory
Abba on the jukebox at Parr Sands
A two way trip on the Bodinnick ferry

(Robert Wratten)

Trembling Blue Stars - 'ABBA On The Jukebox' (1996)

(Buy. Thanks as ever to Colin for starting me on the journey).

6 comments:

  1. That's two songs from this band i've had off you. Definitely going to investigate further. Cheers.

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  2. It's an understanding. A feeling. My story... I first heard The Field Mice when I was 18 and off to college. 'Emmas House' had just come out. An ex-girlfriend bought me the 7" single. A goodbye present, of sorts, I think. And that was the start of my journey into the heart, misery, soul, tears of all things Wratten... you either get it or you don't. To those of us that do get it, well, we are blessed and fortunate in the most wonderful, trembling, remarkable way... That's my assertion at least (and I'm so glad you are one of us Davy - I knew you would be, deep down...).

    x

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  3. Now I need the tissues AGAIN Colin.

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  4. PS, what has happened to Crash? PLILAS has vanished...?

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  5. I have been wondering the same thing. He was breaking for the summer, so perhaps he will reappear in 'relaunched' form??

    Crash? Are you out there??

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