Description
ERIC BOGLE – The Source of Light
Eric Bogle, best known for his song And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, which was named in 2001 as one of the Australian Performing Rights Association’s Top 30 Australian Songs Of All Time, has released “The Source of Light” through Rouseabout Records (distributed by MGM Distribution) for Australia and New Zealand.
“The Source of Light” is a remarkable collection of songs recorded and produced by long time friend and collaborator Peter Titchener, with the artwork designed by Emma Luker, both members of the “Bogle Band”. Eric surrounded himself in the studio with some amazing talent for this album.
Alongside Peter (guitar, vocals) and Emma (strings and vocals), collaborators include Damien Steele Scott (acoustic guitar, bass); Jon James (percussion); Richard Cotes (accordion, keyboards); The Sherrahs (harmony vocals); Anthony Stewart (mandolin, electric guitar) and Anthony O’Neill (tenor banjo).
In addition, The Girl In The Photo features Gina Jeffreys on lead vocals as well as Peter Franche (accordion) and Mike Haynes (bass).
Catching The Wave features guest English artists Chris While (vocals) and Julie Matthews (keyboards) and A Cottage In The Country showcases The Bogle Pub Choir.
Executive Producer Warren Fahey comments “Eric and I have been working together since
the release of his first album, ’Now I’m Easy’, in 1980. After forty-two years, and many
albums and compilations later, he never ceases to surprise me with the quality of his songs.
He is a masterful poet with a unique skill for gathering the right musical partnerships to carry
his songs down through the years. This new collection is no different in that it offers insightful
songs and evocative arrangements of songs which will stand the test of time. It is also a timely
release because 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of two of his most-lauded songs, ‘And The
Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ and ’Now I’m Easy’.”
Eric Bogle is a Scottish-born folk singer/songwriter, who kicked off his musical career at the age of 18, when he joined a local rock band called The Informers.
A couple of years later, he turned his attention to folk music, and soon this interest turned into a passion which he pursued professionally once emigrating to Australia in 1969.
Bogle has written songs that have become Australian classics, covering a wide range of subjects and themes.
He is best known for his songs And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda and No Man’s Land (aka The
Green Fields Of France).
His extensive catalogue also includes comedic, satirical and protest songs, as well as serious songs about the human condition, which have been recorded by the likes of Joan Baez, Mary Black, Donovan, Slim Dusty, John Williamson, Billy Bragg, The
Pogues and The Furies, and many more.
Eric has toured extensively over the last 28 years across North America and Europe and regularly tours around Australia, including festivals such as Port Fairy Folk Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival and Gympie Music Muster
amongst others.
In 1987 Eric was appointed a Member of The Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the performing arts as a songwriter and singer.
He was also awarded a peace medal from the U.N. for his efforts to promote peace and racial harmony through his music.
Eric Bogle’s recordings are released in Australia & New Zealand by Undercover Music’s Rouseabout Records label and Eric has been part of the Undercover Music family for over twenty years.
15 tracks: The Old Dog’s Song * The Armageddon Waltz * Embers * The Girl in The Photo *
Song For Susan * The Source of Light * If She Ever Dreamed * A Cottage in The Country *
The Flag * Catching The Wave * The Border * When The Last Tree Falls * Eric’s Never
Written a Song About Me * Mind The Gap / A Dear John Letter * If I Should Wake.
Eric Bogle – The Source of Light
CD review by Tony Smith
After 40 years in the business of entertaining audiences with his original songs, Eric Bogle is drawing on a range of emotions here.
This 2022 album of 15 tracks contains memories, celebrations and some serious warnings about the future.
As well as Bogle’s witty and incisive lyrics, there are contributions from several friends.
Above all, this album showcases the outstanding and diverse capabilities of Emma Luker.
Emma’s special talents became obvious when this Fiddle Chick began to provide beautiful string lacings to his songs, seemingly with no or very little rehearsal.
On this CD, Emma also does arrangements and vocal backing and designed the album cover.
‘The Armageddon Waltz’ and ‘When the Last Tree Falls’ warn about environmental hazards while ‘The Flag’ is an outlet for Eric’s anger about fascism.
These warnings note the complacency giving rise to even further catastrophe.
For the title track, a beautiful song with poignant fiddle backing, Eric raises the issue of children dying in wars, not just historically but today in Yemen and elsewhere as we watch: ‘Suffer the children …’.
‘Embers’ is about memories and sometimes, regrets.
‘If She Ever Dreamed’ is about the special Nancy in Eric’s life.
It contains a lament really for the way we treat our mothers as only existing in relation to us and our needs.
‘A Cottage in the Country’ is perhaps about dreams we all have.
It has an unusual chorus: ‘Hah-ha-ha-happy’, increasing the ‘ha’s’ as the pot kicks in, which only Eric Bogle could carry off.
‘Song for Susan’ is indeed for Susan Foster, a leading light in Canberra folk dancing circles, who died of Leukaemia in 2021.
A fine fiddle interlude is a highlight of this track.
‘Catching the Wave’ is about letting go and is dedicated to musician John Thomson.
The phrase is taken from John’s last post when he announced he was stopping medical treatment and allowing the wave to take him to the shore.
John’s friends, English singers While and Matthews, give a poignant rendition.
‘The Border’ was written by John Campbell Munro.
‘Mind the Gap/ A Dear John Letter’ are dedicated to Eric’s dear friend John: ‘gone but never forgotten, who was a constant collaborator.
‘Mind the Gap’ is a Luker instrumental and the Letter is from Eric’s heart.
Besides Bogle and Luker, the musicians include Pete Titchener, who also recorded and produced the album, Damien Steele Scott, Jon Jones, Richard Coates, Peter Franche, Gina Jeffreys, Rod McCormack, Mike Haynes, Chris While, Julie Matthews, The Sherrahs, Anthony Stewart, Anthony O’Neill and The Bogle Pub Choir.
Eric Bogle wrote most of the songs except ‘The Border’, a love song for his homeland by John Munro, Emma’s instrumental ‘Mind the Gap’ and ‘The Girl in the Photo’ (Pete’s Mum – sung by Gina Jeffreys) and ‘Eric’s Never Written a Song About Me’ by the difficult to rhyme, Pete Titchener.
The a capella song ‘If I Should Wake’ with its beautiful harmonies reverses the well known hymn which ponders if I should die before I wake.
Hopefully, those sleepers and sleepwalkers who hear Bogle’s warnings will wake before it is too late.
As usual, Bogle puts his insights fearlessly.
As always, he shows a fine understanding of the best principles found in any spiritual system, specifying those emerging from a genuine Christian ethos.
With ‘The Old Dog’s Song’, Bogle advises: ‘Singing is the best exercise your mouth and larynx can get, not to mention your heart, spirit and soul, so sing for your wellbeing and for the sheer joy of it.
‘Age is no barrier’.
‘I’ll sing while I still have a voice/ I’ll sing while I still have a choice/ I’ll sing in the hope for a bright day/ I’ll sing to help keep the shadows away/ Make the rafters ring, and sing, sing, sing’.
Hear! Hear!
