Forster met McLennan during drama classes at the University of Queensland and, inspired by a mutual love of Bob Dylan and the New York music scene, they formed the Go-Betweens in 1977. In addition to his work with the Go-Betweens, Forster has released several solo albums, including: Danger in the Past, recorded in Berlin in 1990; Calling from a Country Phone, recorded at Sunshine Studios, Brisbane, in 1993 with members of local pop group Custard; I Had a New York Girlfriend, a collection of cover versions recorded in Melbourne in 1994; Warm Nights, recorded in London in 1996 and produced by Edwyn Collins; and The Evangelist, recorded (all but one track - "A Place to Hide Away") at Good Luck Studios, London, September - November 2007 with long time collaborators Glenn Thompson and Adele Pickvance.
Critically-acclaimed internationally as a songwriter, Forster reveals a strong literary influence in his work. In 2005, Forster began writing for the Australian magazine, The Monthly. Prior to this he had virtually no print experience, with only a column on hair care for a fanzine in the 1980s to his credit. On 25 October 2006, it was announced that Forster was the winner of the Pascall Prize for Critical Writing for his columns.
On 6 May 2006, Grant McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane. Forster picked three songs co-written by Grant McLennan, including "Demon Days", which is the last song the pair wrote together, and recorded them alongside some of his own material to produce his first album in 11 years. The Evangelist was released on April 26, 2008 through Yep Roc Records.[5]
Forster announced his return to live performance with four nights at the Queensland Music Festival in July 2007.
121
Robert Forster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One sleeve rolled down
I'm wearing a black and white shirt
In a sleepy town
And I love the shirt, love the town
And when the sun goes down
We go to a café
And it's tombstones, cobblestones
All those old bones
That lie beneath this city
But I want to see her one to one
One to one
I love her eyes and everything that they see
I hope my footsteps are somewhere beneath me
'Cos it's another corner, another bend
I run into an old, old friend
She said she saw you moving through the streets like you owned them
And it's tombstones, cobblestones
All those old bones
That lie beneath this city
But I want to see her one to one
One to one
One to one, you to me
Bring a whole new kind of certainty to my life
To these days that run out to the sunset
I see you by the old stone bridge
Your daddy's beer down by the river's edge
And it's…
You know someone told me that you were at the health food store
So I rushed there
And there you were
It was perfect
And it's tombstones, cobblestones
All those old bones
That lie beneath this city
But I want to see her
Tombstones, cobblestones
Her beautiful bones
That lie beneath this city
But I want to see her one to one
One to one
The lyrics in Robert Forster's "121" are about the singer's love for a sleepy town and a girl who lives there. The black and white shirt that he wears represents the simplicity and charm of the town. As the sun goes down, he goes to a café with the girl and they have a one to one conversation. The tombstones and cobblestones in the city represent the history and depth of the town, but the singer is focused on seeing the girl one to one.
The singer expresses his love for the girl's eyes and everything that she sees. He hopes that his footsteps are somewhere beneath him, as he continues to explore the town and run into old friends. The girl's father's beer by the river's edge and the old stone bridge add to the picturesque scenery. The singer even rushes to the health food store to see the girl, which is a testament to his love for her.
Overall, the lyrics convey a nostalgic feeling about small towns and the simplicity of love. The one to one conversations and the beauty of the town and the girl remind the singer to appreciate the small things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
One sleeve rolled up
I have one sleeve of my shirt rolled up
One sleeve rolled down
I have the other sleeve of my shirt rolled down
I'm wearing a black and white shirt
My shirt is black and white in color
In a sleepy town
I am in a town that is peaceful and quiet
And I love the shirt, love the town
I really like the shirt and the town
And when the sun goes down
When the day ends and it becomes dark
We go to a café
We go to a coffee shop or restaurant
And we talk one to one
We have a conversation between just the two of us
And it's tombstones, cobblestones
This town has old grave markers and streets made of cobblestones
All those old bones
The bones of deceased people are buried beneath the town
That lie beneath this city
The graves are buried underneath the area
But I want to see her one to one
I want to have a conversation with her, just the two of us
I love her eyes and everything that they see
I adore her eyes and the experiences they have witnessed
I hope my footsteps are somewhere beneath me
I wish I had a connection with this town like my ancestors might have
'Cos it's another corner, another bend
It's a new location for me to explore
I run into an old, old friend
I encounter someone I knew long ago
She said she saw you moving through the streets like you owned them
My friend has seen her walking confidently through the area
One to one, you to me
I want to engage in a conversation with just the two of us
Bring a whole new kind of certainty to my life
This interaction would bring me newfound assurance
To these days that run out to the sunset
To these passing days that come to an end
I see you by the old stone bridge
I envision her near an aging bridge made of stone
Your daddy's beer down by the river's edge
Her dad's beer is on the edge of the nearby river
You know someone told me that you were at the health food store
I heard from someone else that she was at the grocery store
So I rushed there
I hurried to that location
And there you were
Sure enough, she was there
It was perfect
Everything seemed to go smoothly
Her beautiful bones
I admire every part of her, even the hidden parts
But I want to see her one to one
I still desire to have a conversation with her, individually
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.