NEW SINGLE: ODE TO OCHS -

Fifty-one years ago I met the great songwriter Phil Ochs in Perth, WA. Rather than take up your time you can click here to see me talk about that meeting. Phil Ochs inspired me as a songwriter, and I rate him in the same league as Bob Dylan.

Now Martin Cilia and I have released our song tribute to Phil. It is now available for streaming and download. Here’s the Apple Music link. Tony Cooper helped with production in a big way, so thank you Tony.

The photo here taken July 1972 shows Phil heading to catch his plane after my mates and I saw him off at Perth airport. It was the only shot that turned out.

Soon Martin and I will be releasing a physical CD single that will have ‘Hennessy Rd’, an old fashioned protest song about saving elephants, on one side, and ‘Ode To Ochs’ on the other.

There are only 200 of these being produced and I am doing a certificate of authenticity for each showing the exact number of the CD purchased. The single should be ready in approx two weeks. Thank you Steve Panozzo for great work on the art design. If you would like to pre-order and get a low number click here. Because the postage is fixed cost it would make sense for you to buy multiple copies, for yourself or with a friend. For example 3 copies will cost you $11 for postage, the same as for 1.

PHIL

D                               F#M     G                     D

Where are you goin my singer of sad songs

D                           F#M                   G                 D

Now that the evening has perished into dawn

D               F#M     C            D               D                     G                          C                 D               

And the airport is only half-awake  a handful of followers with open palms to shake

D                                                                       G                              F#M

Round to clubs into parties where they get you name all wrong

               D                            G                              A                  D      

And to them you are nothing more than a singer of some songs

D                               F#M     G                     D

What are you doing my teller of the truth

D                               F#M     G                     D

You are the beacon that led us through our youth

D                 F#M                  C            D                               D                       G                        C                 D               

Brought the pleasures of the harbour to our door   yes we were listening to the  dipping of the oars

D                                                                       G                              F#M

You slipped a toe in the ocean on the far side of the world

               D                          F#M              G     

And we’re honoured that we met you Phil,

D                                             F#m     G

And wish that you were with us still

D                                            G               A                  

And as the hushing hours slowly fall

G                                                        F#m    

I whisper you were best            of all

D                              F#m                         G                              F#M

And no it don’t matter now that they got your name all wrong

D        G                              A                  D      

For you are so much more than a singer of some songs

D                              F#m                         G                              F#M

And no it don’t matter now that they got your name all wrong

D        G                              A                  D      

For you are so much more than a singer of some songs

               D                          F#M              G     

And I’m honoured that  I met you Phil,

D                                               A  G        D      

And I wish that you were with us still