Lyrics of love
“CITY by the Bay, shining light that gleams on thee Across the sea City by the Bay, path to western shores and land Beckon you and me”
THIS is the first verse of a new love song to Geelong by Melbourne barrister, and former local, Damian Austin, which had its “world premiere” at The Pier, on February 9.
I was privileged to attend the event, which saw one of Geelong’s most renowned singers, Tim McCallum, return from Queensland to his old home, supported by the Geelong Concert Band, for what was billed as A Night with Tim McCallum.
It was a wonderful night of popular and operatic singing by Tim, capped off by his rendition of City by the Bay.
Damian may not live in Geelong anymore but he does visit his mum here frequently, and he obviously still loves his former home.
That comes through in both the words of his song and the enthusiasm he exudes when he talks about his boyhood days here.
Damian’s dad, a Geelong boy himself, I discovered — I actually knew a couple of Damian’s uncles as a junior reporter on the Addy — was headmaster at Lake Boga State School, in the dusty and dry Mallee Region, from 1954 to 1960.
The contrast with Geelong when the family returned here left its mark on the 12-year-old as he grew up and he’s never forgotten it.
The family lived in Yarra St and young Damian would walk to the top of the hill to look down over the bay.
His interest and love of what it offered grew during bus trips around Western Beach/ Drumcondra, to his secondary school, Chanel College which, sadly, no longer exists.
When he left Geelong to follow his legal career in Melbourne, Damian took his love of the bay with him.
The song brought back memories to me of another “City by the Bay”, the bold vision of a new CBD waterfront launched back in 1981, by Colin Atkins, CEO of the Geelong Regional Commission.
There was a lot of scepticism back then, but when you look at our magical waterfront now, the vision has been realised in the busy and vibrant precinct it has become.
But, I digress, Damian’s City by the Bay didn’t happen overnight either, as work and family commitments of adulthood placed the boyhood aspirations on hold.
But by 2011, in his mid-60s, Damian began bringing everything together in his composition and was intent on making it something special. By 2012 he was happy with his verbal portrayal of his thoughts.
During that period he discovered The History of Geelong and Corio Bay, by former Geelong Advertiser editor Walter Randolph Brownhill.
But it was another five years, with the help of a small group of friends, before lyrics and music scores were perfected.
Returning to Geelong’s people, they are the real heroes of the song because they endured the pain and suffering of the demise of the wool industry, the Pyramid collapse, the loss of the motor industry and Alcoa and are determined to build a new and exciting future.
Damian’s song captures the heartbeat that is Geelong, past and present: there is no “Sleepy Hollow” here!
I am disappointed there was no media coverage of this event and that when you Google “City by the Bay” it is San Francisco that dominates and Lights, the 1968 composition by American singer Steve Perry, of the American group Journey that is featured.
I reckon there should be a public Geelong launch of our City by the Bay, perhaps at Eastern Beach, or somewhere along the foreshore: or should it be at GMHBA Stadium during the footy season to gain national television and radio coverage?