Steve Baker

Planetteer

 

More songs are at My Space

 

In The Dark Lanes
Bend A String For Me
A Nice Airconditioned House
Can You Eat It
Dancing On The Grave
Pretty Bella
Fudge In The Park
Two Haircuts Ago

 

 

In The Dark Lanes

The first night I saw this bag lady I remember the taxi driver saying "Are you sure you want to get out here mate?" That's how dodgy it looked.

And it was the first time I had coffee for three years - served in Bennett's lane by a pretty curly haired woman with a great smile. My curly headed pusher I call her. That coffee was great.

Bennett's lane is a place where you're expected to shut up and listen. I appreciate that! Highly recommended.

In The Dark Lanes

I first saw this woman in dim lit Bennett's Lane
On a wet winters night, I was lost, there was rain
Holding up a wall as shegulped
Hidden in the dark lanesof the city
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

She was framed by Australia's best jazz club's blue light
All alone with the grog, holds on tight
A pure soul framed by danger
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

I watched her carefully as I passed
Then entered the venue, and gasped
I found a musical wonderland
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

A space where Mags, Allan Browne, Michelle Nicole,
Peter Knight, Elana Stone, jazz greats, young and old,
Are loved by their fans
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

Eighteen months later this tough woman had prepared
A lean to with smart white garden chairs
It seems she's living there
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

She sits outside, facing away
Defiantly enveloped by sound, doesn't pay
Now sipping elegantly, a posh wine glass
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

Others pay a fortune to live near Bennett's Lane
I would if I could, if I dared, do the same
But I don't have the courage to live
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

So give some due to the homeless, living rough
Some of them just might have had enough
Of ease in the suburbs, they just might prefer to be
Hidden in the dark lanes of the city

 

Bend A String For Me

October 07

A bit of a whinge with a short shelf life, but a bit of fun I suppose. MP3 file is above

The Dentist reference comes from Barry Humphries who as Dame Edna reckons that "How could we vote for someone whose name is Kevin and who looks like a dentist. He'd be pearing at us and saying "who did this work?"

The whole Tampa affair really was disgusting. And we Australians just didn't care - we as a nation just watched interest rates, chose to believe the lies while the jobs rolled in and elected The Liberals. For me the facts weren't the most important thing. It was Howards lack of principle, his selfishness.

Fromour leadership we've been encouraged to forget principles, win battles and enjoy the spoils.

The recent death of Peter Andren a principled member of parliament who stood up to both the opposition and to the government when the Tampa incident rose, has also for me heightened the issue again

 

The Howard Government got thrown out in December 07.

Bend A String For Me

Some too few years have passed us by
And we have to make a choice
Between Howard and the Dentist
We don't have much of a voice
And we're meant to slide to one of the other
Find a new way to be
Bend a string, it's a bit of a mother
Bend a string for me
And we can't see a space in the crowd
It's tweedle dum or dee
One is a bit older, the other looks numb
It's sad to see

We're sponging on the third world
Throw another log on the fire

Ten years of Howard has left us
Lazy with prosperity
But at what cost, our morals are lost
We've become a more selfish country
We've lost our unions, our free schools
Our hospitals are in poverty
Gambling funds our roads
Two incomes fund our families
But we're flooded with propaganda
Telling us we've got good pay
As long as we keep out the African hoards
Our part time jobs will stay

We're sponging on the third world
Let's make world trade fair

Our PM lied and told us that loving mothers
Threw their babies in
To the deep blue sea off the Tampa
And we voted the bastard in
Our wheat board funded bombs
To throw at our troops in Iraq
Then lied with the government who told us
All to go and get stuffed
And we sit at home with Big Brother
And false Australian idols
Slopping our brains into mush
And making ourselves more comfortable

We're sponging on the third world
And watching a worm turn

Overseas poverty and grime
Pay for our cheap TV sets
We steal from the poor while US guns
Stifle third world's regrets
We live on borrowed time and credit
While we pollute our precious land
We're killing the fish, mangling the air
With and imperious rough hand
But we push that aside, trusting the world
Will keep lending us money
Hoping that our planet will find a way
To forgive our blind stupidity

We've sponging on the third world
Throw another log on the fire

A Nice Air Conditioned House

Overheard a man in an airconditioned supermarket last summer (in 2006/2007) saying that he'd like "a nice airconditioned house." I hate airconditioning unless the heat is dire - drys you out, lets properly design buildings, let's save energy etc, ----- but it got me thinking.

The porn reference is just lazy songwriting, I don't indulge in porn (much), but it raises a laugh from audiences. I am also a member of the "nuke the reef society." The beaches up here are lousy - no surf. There are lots of us nukers hidden away in Far North Queensland.

I'd like a nice air-conditioned, red and white house
3 bedrooms, 1 small, and a carport
A small to medium fuel-efficient car
I'd like a fence and a friendly dog
And a loving wife And a loving wife

I'd like a shiny, well-conditioned, unscratched wooden floor
3 whirlybirds, a breeze through, a doorbell
A tied down, sturdy, garden shed
I'd like the in laws a long way away
And a loving wife And a loving wife

I'll mow the lawn Every seven 7 days
I'll sweep away the grass I'll mend my ways
(I'll get up in the morn Do what you say
Watch a bit less porn Listen to what you say)

I'd like a groovy little café a few k's away
Good coffee, tasty cakes, and friendly
A decent supply of good guitar strings
I'd like a steady state, juicy income
And A loving wife And a loving wife

I'd like a moderate surf beach just over the hill,
A point break, a boat ramp, some good boards
A well run fish and chips shop
I'd like a major city just an hour away
And a loving wife And a loving wife

 

 

Can You Eat It July 07

Anticonsumerism is a good idea

How much is it worth How much will others pay
Don't overvalue that trinket Stick it up on Ebay
Who else would buy that thing Let others have their say
Let the market value it Test it out, Ebay it

Can you eat it Can it put a roof over your head
Will it clothe the children Put blankets on a warm bed
If some fool buys it for more than you paid
Lets throw a party We didn't' want it any way

There's not much in your coffin
Your corpse is free of need
The kids will only squander Whatever you leave
An auction is for buyers Sellers beware
Crows feast on rubbish Without a care

Chorus

Buy new, sell for nought It's a mug's game
Unless the things got substance You'll be sorry you came
Debt will make you miserable Health will leave you happy
But if you make a good profit Invite me to the party

Chorus

I used Ebay once to buy a guitar
But it was a mistake I'd gone too far
You have to hold one of these, to know that it's right
But I later sold it on Ebay, got twice the price

 

Dancing On The Grave

A beautifully written article appeared on the front page of the Australian in 2006. It featured wonderful Aussie turns of phrase.

It discussed how a whole small town, after a barbecue in a park on a Sunday afternoon, proceeded a little way down the road and burnt down a house belonging to a man who had done something to a local little girl. The house was co-owned by another person. I have heard of no repercussions regarding the police, the government or insurance companies. Sometimes mobs do rule. And the girl was reported to have not been able to "wipe the smile off her face".

She's dancing on the grave Of the house of a bad evil man
She's dancing on the grave
With a grin, with ash between her toes
A burnt timber smell Slides right through her nose
She's dancing on the grave of the place
You couldn't wipe the smile off her face

The little town is called Meringur It nestles in country Victoria
It houses only 16 souls And six of them aren't very old
A ute was leant to the man by her Dad
And that's where things went mad
And now she's dancing on the grave, there's no rush
The man's in jail, the ute's been crushed

How could a little child be the prey
Of a nasty foul man in that way (She was 9 years old)
The cool wind ruffs her hair
Let's warm the pure soul in there

The chimney's left, some tin and hot dust
Of a house that housed her hate
And hate the man she must
Or self-loathing might seal her fate
Dad and Mum are kind
The whole town turned out to turn her mind
Support might give her hope
And heal her trust and then she'll cope

(Chorus)

That ugly chimney will be flattened
Creaking steel will force down a pattern
And men will have to watch what they say
This child's trust has been cast away
A dance on the grave
Won't guarantee peace we've much to say
But dancing's too much fun
To not be good for this young one
(Especially with ash on your tongue
Especially with the support of everyone
Especially with ash on your tongue)

 

 

Pretty Bella

Originally based on a Fiona Boyes riff (and ended up nothing like it). Met Pretty Bella at Woodford last year. Hope to sing this to her one day. She might like it! She might not. Written in a Byron Bay backpackers. Good Times!!

Slip down and then get up
Slow down and then speed up
Move along and don't give up
Life's too short to waste your time, fill your cup

Making love to me would be ok
Make your way my way and have you say

Ride on and take a punt
Push forward and take the brunt
You're a power strong and tough
I know you're scared, call my bluff

Smile for me your eyes do shine
Hug me I want you for mine
Hold me, show me you care
I'll jump for joy, pay the fare

chorus
You're smile pretty Bella is so fine
I would like for a while to make you mine
Give me a go take a chance
The time is ripe now for romance

Chorus 1

 

Fudge And The Park

November 2007

The Park lies peacefully, the sun's going down
Hot food's on a table, the smell waftsaround
Work's finished for the day, my mind's at large
We're heading for the weekend, life's a charge

The kid's are healthy, my dog licks his paws
My wife seems happy, but you can never be sure
Little dog sniffs around and has a play
It's a good way to start and end the day

And we pay our homage the park
Share our stories, mend our souls
Find a new way to start
We need our friends, we need to breath
It's healthy to give and to need

The park trees blow gently the doves do coo People wander in and settle down too,
Old Herc stumbles with a weary grin and stagger Cancer hasn't stopped this dog's love, he's what matters

Fudge suddenly died in November, A card was forged,
A family of five became just four
The bereavement was sudden and the pain increased
When visits to the park by Fudge's owners ceased

chorus


Mako the greyhound lies about
Only occasionally whipping around
Zeppy's a toughy who's king of the crowd
But he's just bull headed, his motives are sound

Roy is young, a chocolate Labrador
And Pico is little with the heart of a boar
Rufus is delinquent with destructive streak
And Rocco treats the rest like a flock of sheep

Chorus

1

 

Two Haircuts Ago

June 07

I forgot about you two haircuts ago
When that last grey hair hit the floor,
I knew then we were just for show
So now you've called, I'm still on your speed dial
I only answered cause it's been a while
I forgot about you in an instant two haircuts ago

I've changed shampoos got re cut, two haircuts ago
I don't know how I managed it, but now I'm one not two
I stayed at home, stayed off the drink
I had one chance, I had to think
I forgot about you in an instant two haircuts ago

My mind is numb, I don't dare feel
I've suffered enough, things aren't real
I forgot about you in an instant two haircuts ago

I walked out of that barber shop two haircuts ago
With my mind made up, with eyes clear blue, I was way over you
I felt a smile grow on my face I'd made the break, found my place
I forgot about you two haircuts ago

Break

I know I was in despair two haircuts ago
You'd twisted my soul, dug a hole, carved my heart in two
Please don't call, I need some peace
I definitely don't want to see your face
I forgot about you two haircuts ago

Break