Bob Lind's Message Board

Yes, Aussie Bob - "It's Just My Love" grabs me every time it comes across my senses, also...

I was cornering tightly at Guildford, having had glimpses of the river all the way over from Daylesford...

"These bright unfolding moments, shining like diamonds in our hands.
And they open just like roses, and I hear a voice within me speaking low:
'You are heavy with this anger - don't you think it's maybe time to
Let It Go?'..."

Castlemaine, the Spring sun slapped me in the face - a shock after a bit of a cold snap...

"...ran out of money yesterday, she doesn't have a place to stay, suitcase carries everything she owns, she can't afford to take the Greyhound home..." - San Francisco Woman's cheerful affirmation...

Bendigo was downright weird. New people in my favourite motel - TV not working, no early breakfast order, reception deserted at 8.45pm (?)..woe is me. Out of there by 6.30am next day, back to Castlemaine for a Council Depot meeting - glorious morning, new sun yawning with me...

"She's not too proud. She'll wear her hand-me-downs - proudly.
And she's not too wise. She'll listen to your trite advice - because she loves you..." "Spilling Over" sang me down the Calder Highway.

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

Locusts, locusts, locusts - everywhere - well, everywhere in North Central Victoria, anyway...

"She Can Get Along" was a strange anthem for the car as they rose in waves and smacked agains the windscreen from Horsham to Bendigo, via Rupanyup, St. Arnaud, Marong etc.

And she did get along, too...

Regular trip to Naracoorte with an old mate done and dusted, we were experiencing first hand the worst locust plague in these parts for 25 years...

"Laughing Song" provided great sing along vibes, after I'd dropped him off and was heading back through Maldon, Welshman's Reef, Newstead, Sandon, Campbelltown, Smeaton, etc. to Ballarat...

"I'll just smile and say I remember May", a satisfied reminiscent Lind told me near Creswick, then "Go Ahead And Go" changed the mood to one of perceived frustration and impatience...

Before, "Love Came Riding" just HAD to be repeat played - geez, I LOVE that song...! - crusing through Natimuk - "...over miles of open, broken road - I must've been hung up somewhere - ain't that just the way it goes?"

and "It Wasn't Just The Morning" chimed in loudly and demanded more volume through sleepy Apsley - had the sound just right: speakers aligned, bass/treble set perfectly...

"I'd die before I'd let my pet gorilla marry you" sniffed Lind, on "What Colour Are You?", a cut from "The Album That Didn't Happen" - an insult thrown at the racist...

"Gravity of the World" always demands attention, and it did so near Lake Wallace - full now - at Edenhope..."..the lies that protect our money, the lies that guard our pride, the lies that keep our trigger fingers curled. The necessary lies that keep our loved ones safe from pain, keep us tethered to the gravity of the world.."

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

Back on the road again. First time since the REAL floods and their follow up rains hit.

"Two Women" demo. eased me over Tollbar Hill, near Lexton. Sunny day, beautiful day. Evidence of big rain - lush, plush countryside. "Down the road, every step that you take, you gonna carry the choices you make."

The Turtles evidently enjoyed their cover of "Down In Suburbia", their infectious rendition - "and no-one's ever un-American in suburbia..."

Greenhills Creek turnoff, and it's "Maybe It's The Rain" - (I'm a bit concerned that Lind still hasn't mended the screen, which he also refers to in "Perspective").

"Home", with its sobering reflective matched the slowing down at Avoca..."safe with the ones who love you, you are salvaged and returned..."

"How To Get Depressed"'s tongue-in-cheek advisory grinned me through Moonambel's signage.



Redbank turnoff and "Have A Lovely Yesterday" bit - a rueful, hurting Lind here..."what do you think'll happen with his hands on you again - do you think he turned into Jesus when you disappeared?"

"How Can You Go?" demands a gobsmacked Lind at Stuart Mill - "...I bought you that new power-saw, so you won't go and hurt your back and have an ugly heart attack..." (such a caring soul...)

"Shine on, my little galaxy, while I'm gone" burst from the speakers at St. Arnaud, from "From The Road".

Hitting Donald now, and the proof of the floods all to plain...still huge expanses of water, transforming paddocks into lakes and the tell-tale sandbags still in view - this town has homes and businesses out of operation, yet.

"Too Late", a newish, pretty, thoughtful demo. ushered me through. "...and then theres you, who never seems to count the cost of love - who knows that nothing's ever lost to love..."

_________________
"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

The very full Murray River at Mildura, and a fruitful Regional Delegates Conference for our union members.

Cruise control engaged south of Redcliffs and Live at Luna Star's "I Was Looking For You" floated from the speakers - Lind was still getting his arse kicked on the sawdust floor...! Bottle-neck little town, Redcliffs - the red Sunraysia dirt all around...

Hattah ( a palindrome - unlike the "twin" towns of Nangiloc and Colignan) - "..foreign princess, it's your castle: won't you lead me through?" - the jangling "Unlock The Door" gets the in-car percussion going and I harmonise on the chorus...there's a top National Park here, magnificent Australian flora and fauna...

My roadhouse stop at Ouyen, where friendly service is assured..."May", from Luna Star - "and though nothing that I was could make you stay, we had May...". Car and me fuelled, onwards southerly, southerly...love the wending way out of town, then the 110 km per hours section starts (but for too short a section) - vroom!

The turn-off just out of Lascelles, "It Wasn't Just The Morning", pounding drums and jingle, jangle - "a bird was singing somewhere about a rainbow that he'd found, and the stillness of the morning painted colours on the sound.." Left blinker on, eased around the corner, gunned it up the road...

By now the noble metal steed had warmed to the task and had borne me along beautifully, gobbling up the miles...

St. Arnaud: "..now that your pain has been mended, you're only seeing one side. Behind the bright easy laughter, rivers of tears have been cried..." - "Remember The Rain", a doleful Lind was warning us... Narrow main street, always feel enclosed, this town...


The bush between St. Arnaud and Stuart Mill is notorious for kangaroo populations, so cruise control and high beam are not recommended - the tell-tale tyre skid marks on the road are a clear indication of that. "Wandering", with it's dreamy Lind vocal: "...When I'd laid it on the ground and gone to blow the fire flame, something rustled on the floor and someone called me by my name...". Excellent company for a meandering journey home...

The lush Australian bush and grasses, from the unseasonal summer floding and a so-far kind winter, impressive in their startling abundance...by fluke, "Maybe It's The Rain" joined us..."maybe it's just Sunday, or the way that shadows fall like concrete at this hour.."

On the raised highway 'round about Lamplough I usually crank up the volume and sing heartily: and you ripper! One of my faves - "Like The Night". Just love the "Drifter's Sunrise"-like fadeout - "I was just a drifter then, passing through your town..."

Divided highway at Avoca, home to many good times in my younger years (my old mate Pud, and the Maryborough boys, in our early 20's: cherchez la femme, etc.) Good Grief! John Otway rudely disturbed the ruminations - no wonder "Cheryl's Going Home", I thought darkly...

"It's a strawberry morning, I stand in the dew with my eyes on the sea and my mind on you...". A homesick Lind was enduring an "English Afternoon", and none too well.... Waubra heard his protestations, as I passed yet another 'interpretative centre' (ha ha!).."Let's all read about the wind farm, kids!"

The town of Learmonth, with it's crass artificial palm tree outside the pub (WHY?) and it straight-as-a-die Sunraysia Highway/city centre main street, and Lind was sadly summarising the extent of the impact of his "Long Term Woman."

- and I was "Home In Time For Twilight"...

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

On my travels, I swap from 'random mode' to 'play through mode' with the car music.

If I was to choose, my most played by choice Lind songs (Top 20, folks) are:

1. China;
2. How The Nights Can Fly;
3. We've Never Spoken;
4. Let It Go;
5. Love Came Riding;
6. Like The Night;
7. Gravity of the World;
8. A Nameless Request;
9. Wandering;
10. Eleanor;
11. Go Ask Your Man;
12. Whose Is The Funeral?;
13. Theme from the Music Box;
14. I Just Let It Take me;
15. What Colour Are You?
16. Spilling Over;
17. Anymore;
18. She Can Get Along;
19. Dale Anne;
20. I Found You.

_________________
"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

Oh, and there's this song about a butterfly that I quite like, too...

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

Yeah, I was going to say, your list contained one very notable omission!

Also, I'm not sure which songs I would bump off your list, but I would include I Love To Sing/Sweet Harriet, and We May Have Touched.

On foot along the Yarrowee Creek, Sam the dog and me. Beautiful, I mean just beautiful, Spring day - lush grass, trees drooping with blossom, or new buds. A Highland Pipe Band rehearsing on the football oval.

iRiver playing Lind - sky so blue, clouds white as white...

"Gravity of The World" kicked off the jaunt, then "The World Is Just A B - Movie". "Waterfall Waltz" - apt, eh? "We've Never Spoken", "What Color Are You?", the 'newest' "Maybe It's The Rain"...

alpacas, horses, goats, sheep - all looked up from grazing - "Who's that artist he's listening to?", they seem to enquire...

Sam the dog has almost contracted RSI of the cocked leg ("the neighbourhood puppy uses me for a tree")

through the tree lined avenues, past the wetlands, ducks, water fowl, ibis, a stork...

magpies in groups of four...

"Fennario", "How The Nights Can Fly", "Valentine From Neil", "Anymore" (gee, I like this one)...

"I Can't Walk Roads Of Anger", then "Pastures of Plenty", leading into the way back and "China", "Go Ahead and Go", "The Hurricane"

Home, Sam and I...carried by a pair of old sneakers and a gifted, versatile artist

_________________
"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

Incredible vegetation growth alongside the roads...a real problem, what with summer bearing down...not enough farm stock to graze this off...and not enough Council workers to tend it...don't you just love 'economic rationalism'!

In the meantime, just beautiful - this State of Victoria has been blessed with the best year or so of seasons you could wish for...

"Whose is the funeral?" makes me think as I climb Tollbar Hill just out of Lexton...

Straightening the car up towards Waubra while RNL croons through "May"...

The trucks are rollin' on The Sunraysia Highway, grain loaded - the farmers' gamble has paid off - crops in, harvested before the rain...

I sing along to "City Scenes" from the "Circles" set - being an old railway man myself...like the ending...

Here's one for you - a shop at Learmonth that sells pizzas, yet is only open 9am to 5pm daily???

You think there's much of a market for pizza at that time of day?

"English Afternoon" propels me out through this 'burg, and Lind sounds a little fractured - trying, yet lost...

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

I swear it's true...climbing out of Stuart Mill, listening to "Jazz Ballad" ("...drugs and drink...") - Police breathalyser! (passed, of course...)

"She Can Get Along" pops its little head up - clever lyrics, this...

"Cool Summer", then ""I Just Let It Take Me" (and I do...)

The Murray River at Koondrook, the Murray River at Euston, the bullants at Robinvale, the god botherers at Swan Hill...all background scenery to the music and the miles...

The miles and the music: the car's full of Silverheels, Truly Julie, Dale Anne, West Virginia Summer's Child, Lola, Eleanor, the Butterfly, pretty Peggy-o, The Swan - and other love interests and their circumstances that Lind ink has "seeds to fill"..."Jenny, put on some Coltrane..."...

"May, we put a lot of passion into those thirty days..."...

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

Bob,
I see you will be in CA on May 19.
Be sure to go to northern CA to see the Solar eclipse (near Redding) the next day on the 20th.
It will be 2017 until the next one in the U.S.

Bill and Smokey Dishong

Come September, the new Lind CD and me go "Wandering" again...

_________________
"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

over to Mortlake to watch my horse run...

Drew the rail, missed the kick, shied at the rail slightly, jockey pushed him through late and he flew home for third...

"How Dare You Love Me" opened the new set on the way...

Unheard by me previously, a strong vocal and tight lyrics wrapped in Hoover's production...

Rumour has it Lind is strong on this one - it shows in this delivery...

A Lind trait is the combination of challenge, even truculence, in a mixture with disarmed/disarming openess...

In this one, he beats himself up to the point of self ridicule, then hails the lover who takes him warts and all...

A genuinely felt song, presented candidly with an occasional wince from the artist...

A challenge to a would be suitor, ruefully put, then a realisation of hope and acceptance, thankful, a hint of joy, a hint of relief, a hint of achievement, and underlying all this, an acknowledgement of being incomplete, of want, of need...

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

The champion racehorse is taking a little longer to salute the judges then an impatient owner expects...

Two more runs - a disappointing 7th. at Dunkeld (beautiful backdrop, mountain looming over us...) and a Fast Finishing Fourth at Avoca...

Some good signs...(?)

Solace lives in the car CD/MP3 player...

"How Dare Yo Love Me" is a great opener...

"Don't you care how your fingers are torn, as they reach through these brambles and thorns...?"

A slightly incredulous, wounded lover challenges the new interest...

Eventually, the realization of hope dawns, and he begins to believe in the power...

Hopefully, he relents and opens up to the advances of belief, trust and shared optimism...

I love this track.

(I just wish my nag loved the track as much...)

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"Some may call it wanderlust, some may call it crazy.
I don't call it anything - I Just Let It Take Me."

There is a reason why we use the expression "horse sense". A horse has more sense than to bet on a man.