Chrissie on Rockwiz R.I.P.

William over at a1000mistakes challenged me to come up with my ‘Top 10’ duets from this Oz quiz show in response to his own Here I have struggled a bit due to the fact that 1. He took a lot of the best ones (Summer Wine, for example) 2. Some of them seem to be no longer available (What happened to Blue Christmas with Tex Perkins and Paris wells?) and 3. I’m a lousy researcher.

Nevertheless I add a ‘Top 8’ ….. more as an adjunct to his rather than a ‘mine are better than yours’ type of thing.

My own personal biases, no doubt, shine through.

To those of you (most of you) unfamiliar with the show I should mention that they are not supposed to be highly polished performances. They are done with a minimum amount of rehearsal and are, therefore, a bit raw in places. They are all performed by highly skilled and experienced artists who have a wealth of their own work to boast about, but they are all (obviously) cover versions.

I list my own 8 in no particular order.

Isabella Manfredi and Steve Cummins

Deb Conway and Tex Perkins

Dan Kelly and Martha Wainwright

Chris Cheney and Christie Amphlett

Kat Spazzy and Chris Bailey

Neesa Morgan and Ross Wilson

Jess Cornelius and Mike Rudd

Not really a duet but

Dog Trumpet and the Wolfgramm Sisters

And so, to wander further down this path of negativity that I find myself so frequently treading I repost a few lines that I penned last night for my mate, Stoner who was, at the time, feeling a bit black and expressing the same sentiments.

I was born
against my will
And yet I find
I’m living still
No feeling. Stealing
oxygen
Depressed expression
from my pen
I pretend. I dance. I sing.
But fuck I hate you
everything.

I came upon these challenging few words this morning via Deep Down at Godoggocafe and whilst trying to get my head around the concept of what Dad’s sins might actually taste like I borrowed a few words from it (and stole some likewise, unashamedly, from Shakespeare) and penned something which seems to be about my constant obsession with old age.

Silent exit

Forced retreat

From public life

Out on the street

No train to catch

No bag to pack

Baby, I ain’t

Welcome back

Fading light

A cold descent

A winter of my

Discontent

So light the fires

Chill the beers

Down in the basement

Of my fears

 

Tales from the mind of Kristina word prompt – Negotiate

 

I know that this all sounds bizarre

But trust me baby, I’m not far

I got a call from Zanzibar

Then had some issues with the car

 

Volcanoes out on Molokai

Pouring rain in old Versailles

Was waiting for my pants to dry

And didn’t see the time go by

 

An email came from Timbuktu

Tell me, what was I to do?

A cry for help – someone I knew

I had to fly to Kathmandu

 

I left my suit in Baltimore

Another made in Singapore

All organised by now, I’m sure

Won’t keep you waiting anymore

 

Don’t let these mishaps seal my fate

Baby, I’m just running late

At the altar you must wait

And there we can negotiate