History
repeating…
One Friday night
back in the 90’s, my work friends and I headed out for the obligatory drink
after work at our local haunt.
Working in
the city was great. We caught the train from the outer suburbs – a group from
the East and another group from the West and we stepped out together – no designated
driver and everywhere within walking distance.
One drink,
led to two, which led to another bar, for another one or two!
I don’t
remember where we ended up, or exactly where it was in the C.B.D. (maybe due to
the one or two I consumed!) but I do remember walking down a flight of stairs
into a dark, smoke filled room and hearing an acoustic guitar and a young man
singing. His voice was amazing.
It was just
the one guy on the makeshift stage. He wore denim on denim (a faux pas these
days!) and his long hair kept falling over his face while he was intent on his
guitar. He sat on a stool in the smoky haze and belted out lyrics to songs we knew
from the radio; some heartfelt, some sad, some just easy to sing to. It was like
our own intimate concert.
Fast forward
twenty five years or so.
The room
wasn’t smoke filled this time, and there was stage lighting, a drummer, bass
guitarist and keyboard player. But it was the same guy belting out tunes. His
hair (or what may be left) was hidden under a fedora hat. His voice and the
songs exactly the same as all those
years ago.
We sat in
comfortable chairs in the darkened theatre and sang along, feeling glad that history
was repeating – until he sang ‘Silent Witnesses’. This twenty something year
old song refers to the refugee crises, which has only escalated over all this time.
I’m not ashamed to say I cried as I sang.
It is time
to stop history from repeating itself… I might not have a good singing voice like
Jack Jones from Southern Sons but I want to use it anyway...
Jo
Southern Sons: Silent Witnesses YouTube clip:
Jo
Southern Sons: Silent Witnesses YouTube clip:
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