DAVE’S AUSTRALIA DAY ADVENT JUKEBOX #2

Bicton Breezes – an early one.

Wrote this one in my little room in Brixton in 1975. It encapsulated my whole idea of creating original music that sprang from the mundane features of Australian suburban life, mingling with autobiographical stuff like the Kouzinas Brothers fish and chip shop in Hislop Rd, Attadale. The physical distance and removal from Australia helped clarify and intensify my concept. Tony Durant played on this demo way back then and later came to Australia to join the band.(click on title below to run video).

BICTON BREEZES

Of course I remember the service station

And the boys who roasted chestnuts

Out the back and told dirty jokes of a Saturday.

No I don’t recall the tram to Point Walter

I wasn’t born then and by now it’s all altered

A band I understand would play by the river

And boys off to war would hold girls who would shiver

Ah, even Bicton suffered

If they hadn’t died there never would be

Boys coming home late from football training on the 159

And housewives who contemplate a suicide by the washing line and

Love their children

And their husband

And their car

And their family tree.

Do you recall the FJ

And the trips to school?

Stephen Bizacca always won the loose football

And Sister often read to us

Stories ’bout the saints

I was an altar boy at benediction.

And if there’s one thing that I learnt there

It’s be always what you ain’t

That applies to all beliefs and all convictions.

‘Cause what you are is meaningless as things described as quaint

Especially if you’re born a kid in Bicton.

Oh we all congregated

At the fish and chip shop

Nicely situated

Just by the 148 stop

While fish were frying we were eyein’ each other

Cooked, salted, vinegared, goodbyin’

 And your mother was watching              

Then a new car was something (Special it seemed)

Adopted our money                  (Fostered our dreams)

Of tropical isles                        (but Kouzinas is Greek)

And Mediterranean smiles         (but that was last week)

While fish was cookin’ I was lookin’ ahead

Sometimes I missed my bus but then I got my fish and I toured Athens instead.

Oh the Kouzinas Brothers, Jimmy and Don

Had a fish and chip shop

Nicely situated

By the 148 stop.