“Even in the sun, defeat is cold. At the end of the rainbow there’s no gold” – Jonny Blair (International Anthem).
I spent cumulatively about 10 weeks in Tasman Backpackers in Devonport, Tasmania, Australia from February to June 2010, with many nights in between spent in my tent, my car, sleeping in the Molly Malones Pub or at a few more hostels around the island as I spent 6 lonesome yet hard working months in Tasmania. There was something magical about Tasmania. I arrived almost skint, I arrived by ferry with three travel friends. They had all left by flight within 4 days. I stayed 6 months, left by the same ferry, $5,000 Australian Dollars richer, a trip to Antarctica booked and with 5 months of broccoli harvesting experience. There is no doubt the island changed my life and I cried when leaving that night.
International Anthem Live: Last Day in Tasman Backpackers, Devonport, Tasmania, Australia
On my last day in the backpacker’s hostel, I thought I’d play a bit of guitar. I took out Sharon’s guitar (my Australian friend) and played an acoustic end of an era song, about working too much and not getting any sleep. Here are the lyrics of my song and the guitar version below, filmed by Sharon.
International Anthem Live: Last Day in Tasman Backpackers, Devonport, Tasmania, Australia
I reckon I have about 1,100 similar poems or songs that I have written in my life, I write new songs weekly. I was doing it for years. It would be a whole other website on its own. Jonny Blair songwriter. If only I could sing or play guitar. This is a mere snippet:
International Anthem (by Jonny Blair)
Morning morning comes too soon and I’m sleeping on the moon,
Waiting for a lame excuse to get up for orange juice.
On the eve of a golden age I’m told: “At the end of the rainbow there’s no gold”
On the eve of a golden age I’m told: “At the end of the rainbow there’s no gold”
Now it’s Friday afternoon and I’ve nothing left to do,
But collect my salary I know I’ll spend on Saturday.
Even in the sun defeat is cold, at the end of the rainbow there’s no gold
All we do is get more old, at the end of the rainbow there’s no gold
#jonnyblair #internationalanthem