GROW – The Album

GROW - The Album

GROW_face

GROW_life

GROW

All tracks written and performed by Tramtracks. Recorded, engineered, mixed and produced by Robert Forbes and Tramtracks in Glebe, Sydney Australia 2011-2015. Mastered by Kathy Naunton, dB Mastering, Sydney http://www.dbmastering.com.au/. Glass art: Marc Grunseit http://www.marcgrunseit.com.au/ design: Justin Heffernan http://www.justinheffernan.com. 2015 © Tramtracks. All rights reserved. www.tramtracks.com.

Tramtracks members on Grow: Robert Forbes: lyrics, vocals, keyboards, theremin, tambourines; Mark Hudson: guitar; Graeme James: drums; Toivo Pilt: lyrics, vocals, keyboards; Dale York: bass. Special guests: Jamie Barnes: lyrics and vocals (2, 3, 12, 13, 14); Steve Davis: vocals (5, 6, 15, 16); Lou Steer: vocals (15,16), Suzanne Serelle: lyrics and vocals (11); Ralph White: sax and trumpet (7, 10), Franky Valentyn: bass (5, 23), Natasha: vocals (6), Peter Hancock: words and spoken voice (23).

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Face

1. Cat Fink

Lyrics

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2. Sweet on You (Gotta Fly)

Lyrics

Sweet on You (Gotta Fly)
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York/Barnes)
You and I
Dance in the wind
Footsteps left in the rubble
A coloured sky
Coloured rain
We live in a bubble

I’m sweet on you

The boulevard
A sea of romance
Runs like a river

The seven stars
Burn in your name
They come from another

Here we go again
Breaking the rules
Here we go again
Here we go again
Here we go
Nothing to lose
Here we go
Here we go again

You and I
Dance in the wind
Footsteps left in the rubble
A coloured sky
Coloured rain

I’m sweet on you
Come take me now

Special guest Jamie Barnes: lyrics, vocals; Forbes: keyboards, Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass.

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3. The Keeper

Lyrics

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4. I Saw Your Beautiful Face

Lyrics

I Saw Your Beautiful Face
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
Show me
Show me
Show me
Show me
I saw
Your beautiful face
I saw your beautiful face
I saw it
I saw your beautiful face

Forbes: keyboards, lyrics, vocals, tambourines; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass.
To see the face of an old friend again, to see an old face for the last time, and to see a new-born face for the first time. Inspired by Jeni, Mum, and Isabella.

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5. So Happy to See You

Lyrics

So Happy to See You
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt)
So happy to see to see you
So very happy to see you
Well I been thinking about you
Now I’m so happy to see you

I just wanted to tell you
How much I treasure
Sharing moments of wonder
When we talk together

So happy to see to see you
So very happy to see you

Forbes: lyrics, keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards. Special guests: Steve Davis: vocals; Franky Valentyn: bass.

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6. In The Garden

Lyrics

In The Garden
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
did I see you?
did I see you
In the garden?
If I missed you
I beg your pardon
And if I missed you
I beg your pardon

Crisp wind blew
Sun dazzled me
If I missed you
Thought I saw you
I beg your pardon
Dancing under a tree

Maybe it was you
Maybe it was light
what is true
Well I felt delight
I felt delight
la la la I felt delight

Now the sun goes down
Shadows go to brown
Did I see you
In the garden that night

And it’s true true true

Next time I see your radiancy
I know it’s not fantasy
It is a symphony

See you
In the garden at night
I see you
Clearly alright

Next time I see
Your radiancy
I’ll know it’s not fantasy
It’s a symphony

In the garden that night

Forbes: lyrics, keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Special guests: Steve Davis: vocals; Natasha: vocals.

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7. I’m In

Lyrics

I’m In
(Forbes/Hudson/Pilt/York/White)
Standing beside mighty ruins
The kingdom she lay
A lone horseman
Guards the secrets
Long falling
I’m in
Angkor Wat
Motionless to the picture I see
I’m in
Angkor Wat
To be so very well received
Carried by the wind
Into the forest
Reflection in the moonlight
Shows the colours under your skin

I’m in
Angkor Wat
Motionless to the picture I see
I’m in
Angkor Wat
To be so very well received

Forbes: keyboards, tambourines; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: lyrics, vocals, keyboards; York: bass. Special guest Ralph White: sax and trumpet.

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8. Cando Wind

Lyrics

Cando Wind
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
It was the early nineteen hundreds
Young servicemen shipped away
Leaving behind all those memories
Of their women

Has the emptiness of each day
The Cando wind keeps blowing
Blowing her heart away
The Cando Wind the Cando Wind.
And while he’s away

She’s going to write another letter
Let him know she’s okay
Our new born little girl
Has to find his name today.

Has the emptiness of each day
The Cando Wind keeps blowing
Blowing her heart away
The Cando Wind that keeps blowing
And while he’s away

As the newspapers arrived late today
There was no letter in the mail box this day.
She flicked thru the newspaper
Could not find his name
As missing in action,
Not today.

She’s going to write another letter
Not knowing what to say
Our new born little girl
Has to find his name.

Has the emptiness of each day.
The Cando Wind keeps blowing
Blowing her heart away
The Cando Wind (the Cando Wind)
While he’s away.

The newspapers arrived today
There was a letter in mail box, it says
“His Majesty’s Service wishes to say
He died fighting in His name”.

Forbes: keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: lyrics, vocals, keyboards; York: bass.

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9. Brand Washed

Lyrics

Brand Washed
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
I’ve been brand washed
I’ll kill for your shoes
Got my image to lose
I’ve been brand washed

I choose to wear
Your brand on my outside
so people stare
I’m so faithful, starry-eyed
Your message, amplified
on my backside

On the harbourside
I will be there
At your side
I make your brand
recognised
I can be relied upon to ..

but then I cried
is my loyalty denied?
it’s not certified?
am I really brand washed?

Brand washed
Got my image to lose.

Forbes: lyrics, keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: vocals, keyboards; York: bass.

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10. Islets Of Langherhans

Lyrics

Islets of Langerhans
(Forbes, Hudson, James, Pilt, York, McKay, Touma) (RF): We had to write a song about these wonderfully named cells in the pancreas!

living on the Islets of Langerhans
ooo how sweet it can be
feeling insulinated
a sense of satiety

living on the Islets of Langerhans
ooo how sweet it can be
feeling insulinated
from society
ooo how sweet it can be

be yeah oh
oh how sweet it can be
oh how sweet it can be

feeling insulinated
feeling insulinated
freedom, freedom, freedom
from society

Islets of Langerhans
chocolate
Islets of Langerhans
cake
sweeties
a sense of satiety
sugar overload
come on diabetes
give it to me now, give it to me!

living on the Islets of Langerhans
ooo
ooo how sweet it can be

oh how sweet it can be

chocolate topping
lots of sultanas
oh how sweet
Mars Bars
it can be
chocolate sauce, topping

oh how sweet it can be

living on the Islets of Langerhans
oooh how sweet it can be
feeling insulinated
from society

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11. We Got The Way

Lyrics

We Got The Way
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York/Serelle)
You, you don’t need to worry
oh no no
because I, I can see what’s coming
yeah yeah
and we
we don’t need to keep running
because the world
it won’t stop turning
no no
because we have got the way
to make it alright
and we have got the minds
to work it out
Don’t listen to that big man
that big man talking
No no no
We don’t have to listen anymore
To what they’re hawking
no no no
‘cos we have got the way
to make it alright
and we have got the time to work it out
work it out!

Hey!
To work it out
Don’t listen to the big man
no no
The big man talking
no no no
we don’t have to listen any more
to what they’re hawking
no no

cos we have got the way
to make it alright
and we have got the minds
the minds

to work it to work it out
work it out
we got the way
we got the time
we got the vibe
we got the soul
we got the minds
to work it out

we got the way
to make it alright
we got the time
to work it out

Forbes: keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Special guest Suzanne Serelle: lyrics and vocals.
No matter what’s going on in the world, we actually have the way to make it alright.

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12. Feel It In My Bones

Lyrics

Feel It In My Bones
(Forbes/Barnes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
I feel it in my bones
Rattling ‘round inside me
I’ve got to be alone with you tonight

Got your number on the wall
Got my forget on the pulse
Ship shape, toned

Forbes is on the phone
Keeps calling through the evening
Its the night you come all alone
I wonder what he’s thinking

Forbes: keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Special guest Jamie Barnes: lyrics, vocals.

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13. Leaving Town

Lyrics

Leaving Town
(Forbes/Barnes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
I’m gonna leave this town for the country
I’m going
I’m gonna turn my back on them foot long chilli dogs

Gonna take my time
Take it slow
Just the moon and the stars and the billy and the radio

I’m gonna leave this town for the country
I gonna… I’m gonna go
Gonna live by the river

Take my time
Take it slowly
Just the moon and the stars and the billy and the radio

I’m gonna leave
I’m gonna go

Gonna take my time
Take it slow
Under the moon with the stars and the billy and the radio

I’m gonna leave

Forbes: keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Special guest Jamie Barnes: lyrics, vocals.

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14. Band Of Sheep

Lyrics

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Life

15. Steam Reap

Lyrics

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16. Flying with Dragons

Lyrics

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17. Water Dragons

Lyrics

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18. Revelations

Lyrics

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19. Unsettled Times

Lyrics

Unsettled Times
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York/Davis/Steer)
unsettled times, uncertain future
politics is pantomime
need a new leader
what are we to do?
countries in debt
cries of confusion
blood will be let
and there’s no transfusion
but there’s no transfusion
where is the wealth?
taken by stealth
its taken by stealth
unsettled times, uncertain future
playing pantomimes
need new meetings
true greetings
in a garden free from weeds
this cannot proceed
this is agreed
this time is over
no political institute
don’t need a brain wash
it was clean at the start
we don’t need a brain wash
was clean at the start
we are humane
we love with our heart
check out our place
no one rules us
no one rules us
songs sustain us
grow and play
break away, break away
grow and play, break away
our different world
this time we get it together
this time we have it together
this time we have it together
break away, break away
break away!

Forbes: lyrics, keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Special guests: Lou Steer, vocals, Steve Davis: vocals.

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20. Run LIke The Stars

Lyrics

Run Like The Stars
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York/Davis/Steer)
this time we get it together
this time we love forever
this time we have it together
this time we love forever

so we woke up with wisdom
early morning breeze
fragrance of freedom
minds set at ease
fragrance of freedom
minds set at ease
the wall was made of paper
we ran through like the stars
goalposts in front of us
we hit the ball with guitars
we hit the ball with guitars
sporting with alchemy
victory was ours
our old enemies
despatched to mars
our old enemies
despatched to mars
did they know we would see this
we woke up in the spring
did they know we would find this
more inspiring

more inspiring

their walls are made of paper
we’re awake to them now
it’s over, red rover
goodbye, ciao
their newspaper walls
finally fall
they are off to mars
we’re with the avatars

run through like the stars
run through like the stars

Forbes: lyrics, keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Special guests: Lou Steer, vocals, Steve Davis: vocals.
Once upon a time, everyone bought a newspaper on their way to work. Newspaper barons yielded enormous power. One night while watching the sports segment on the TV news there was a scene of a football team running though a huge paper banner which broke apart as they ran through it. We don’t buy newspapers any more, we can run free onto the field and we hit the ball through the goalposts with guitars. Their newspaper walls are breaking down. Goodbye.

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21. Over To You

Lyrics

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22. Life

Lyrics

Life
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/Hancock/Valentyn)
Part 1 Life – we arrive

Part 2 – We see

The Spirit whirls through the cosmos. We are breathed forth when our time is right in the plan of evolution. Deep down, we stir; and try to respond with our hearts, with the innate instincts of wonder, and gratitude. Our head is evolving too, and we sometimes get ahead of our hearts to move into abstraction, and get tangled up; looking for a linear, shapely, map of meaning.

We never get to the edge. We never penetrate the mystery as the heart does.

All this takes place in a time and a place.

Cultures come and go; and religion holds us together for a while. The danger is the centre seeking nature of cultures and sub-cultures to harden and exclude the Spirit, ever new, in every human heart.

Deep in every current religious and non-religious conversation and ritual is the truly fresh searching of human hearts. Bubbling up from one source, the blowing, calming, disturbing, Wisdom. Her acquisition will be bought at a great price.

Part 3 – We grow

come with me
as we grow
come with me

as we go on our way
we grow our history
we get to know our history
as we grow
we see
we feel our history

come with me
as we grow
come with me

Part 4 – We learn from West and East

first teacher
sixties child
the divine call
of western civilisation
as we knew it

music opened doors
to the second teacher
it was so close to the edge
that vision from the east

understand
accept
it’s karma
it’s karma
we can take birth again
we can take birth again

we can take birth again

hail holy princess
light of our life
sweetness and joy
with you we sing
every evening
with you
we send up our love
dancing,
singing
in this garden on earth
we turn then
our eyes of magic
and after this our light reveals
this lifetime
of love of our hearts
love of our hearts

Part 5 – And From Our Land

love of our hearts

long time
to understand
first people
on this land
waited for us
on sacred ground

love of our hearts
love

know this land
in a while
you understand

we lost contact with simple spirituality
The size of your temples
means nothing to me
in touch with this earth
live
with simplicity
with simplicity

sacred land
understand
believe in you
what you see
simplicity

sacred land
long time
understand
believe in you
what you see
simplicity

Part 6 – Life – we are here

this is life, we put it together
west was love; east – acceptance
then I met you
on the other side of this life
after all this time
we are here
all those parties, those dances,
those wonderful university balls
walk with me
you walk with me
through these halls
it seems to be
always seems to be you and me
your smile, your face
your grace, this place
all this time we are here
our friends are here
all this time we are here

Forbes: lyrics, keyboards; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards. With special guests Peter Hancock: written and spoken word; and Franky Valentyn: bass.

This is the story of people who were educated in Catholic schools in Australia in the 1960s; and the series of teachers and learnings we were exposed to.
Part 1 Life – we arrive: the journey begins with an instrumental exploration of awakening.
Part 2 We see: Special guest Peter Hancock was my English teacher at school in 1969 and 1970. For Part 2 Peter has written and spoken words which provide an overview to the search for wisdom. Lyrics by Hancock.
Part 3 We grow: an invitation to walk together through life, creating and observing our own history. Lyrics by Forbes.
Part 4 We learn from West and East: now we remember the first teacher … the enlightened post-Vatican 2 era teaching the poetry and spiritual history of the West, illustrated in the classroom with Simon and Garfunkel music. Around that time, music became entranced with sounds from the East, and this helped lead us to the second teacher, the East. Concepts that we take for granted now were radical new ideas – karma, reincarnation. Part 4 finishes with a re-work of a rather depressing prayer we used to say at school. But this version is uplifting. Lyrics by Forbes.
Part 5 And From Our Land: the third teacher is here on our land. It takes a long time to even partly understand the calming spirituality of the indigenous people of Australia. Lyrics by Forbes.
Part 6 Life – we are here: the fourth teacher is our own life. The lessons of our teachers can lead to contentment with our present and appreciation of our companions. Lyrics by Forbes.

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23. Lost For Words

Lyrics

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24. Miss Trigger

Lyrics

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25. So Many Ways

Lyrics

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26. See You Anywhere

Lyrics

See You Anywhere
(Forbes/Hudson/James/Pilt/York)
You, saw you running there
Follow, follow you any where
we can see you see me
running dancing
flying? floating? running?
so close and so so surreal

follow you, see you any where
still you see me
flying? floating? running?
so close and so so surreal

see you see me
love you any where
running, we follow you
see you any where
flying? floating? running?
so close and so so surreal
surreal
so so surreal

Forbes: keyboards, lyrics; Hudson: guitar; James: drums; Pilt: keyboards; York: bass. Vocalist: no one yet, can you sing these lyrics?

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27. Pictures