> This cover is dedicated to my Aussie friends, and there’s a story behind it. Please read this before you watch/listen to the video
It was mid March of 1969. I was three months short of twenty years old and had spent the past 10 months in the hell hole of Vietnam. Although I wasn’t out there in mortal combat, I saw my share of human death and injury as the boys were helicoptered back to our base (LZ for those who know the lingo). Even those of us who worked in the communications bunker were under constant threat, as the VC liked to sneak up at night and aim their mortars at us. Not a day or night went by without stress and worry.
When an R&R to Sydney became available, I jumped on it. I needed a break, and Australia in mid summer sounded good. It turned out to be he fastest week of my life!
I stayed at a hotel named Texas Tavern in an area of Sydney called Kings Crossing. It was a small, not very luxurious room above an actual tavern. It was a dumpy place, but all I could afford on my army sergeant’s pay. The bed was lumpy, but an improvement over the cot I had for a bed back in Chu Lai. In any case, I was happy to be able to sleep at night without worrying about a mortar attack.
In the evenings, I hung out at the tavern below my room, nursing drinks and minding my budget. When the locals struck conversation with me and discovered my American accent, they began to buy me drinks and befriend me. Soon, I had made a passel of new friends who demanded nothing of me, yet offered me warmth and a feeling of welcome to their country. I was even taken in by a family who served me dinner at their home and treated me as if I was part of their family. I came close to defecting to Australia. I will never forget the hospitality of the Australian people and the beauty of their country.
Twelve years later, as a civilian back in the states, I heard a song that reminded me of my love for Australia and it’s people. Now, fifty-two years after my visit to the land down under, I’m reliving that memory of my time in Australia with a cover of the song, which I’m dedicating to all my Aussie friends here on the B2B forum: @TNKA36, @Mac, @rory, @russki98, @leonard, @admacdo, @wave, @ian.cossart1, @Shane_W, and anyone whose name I missed; this is for you.
Some of the backdrops at the beginning of the video are aged and faded photos taken with my Kodak Instamatic camera (only us older folks remember those). The rest are stock photos from the internet.
For all you “blokes and chicks” in Melbourne, the backdrops at the end of the video are stock photos of Melbourne, a place I regret never having visited.
Played on my Yamaha BB735, with neck pickup only (Precision Bass sound)
D’Addario Black Nylon Tapewound strings
Ibanez TS9b Tube Screamer