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.
2541
Robert Forster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jerry gave us a place to stay
And Billy got a hold of a van
And man we moved in the very next day
To twenty-five forty-one
Big windows to let in the sun
Twenty-five forty-one
Well I put down the money
And I picked up the keys
We had to keep the stove on all night long
So the mice wouldn't freeze
You put our names on the mailbox
And I put everything else in the past
It was the first place we had to ourselves
I didn't know it would be the last
Twenty-five forty-one
Big windows to let in the sun
Twenty-five forty-one
Now everything is over
Now everything is done
Everything's in boxes
At twenty-five forty-one
Well things are so much different now
I'd say the situation's reversed
And it'll probably not be the last time
I'll have to be out by the first
Twenty-five forty-one
Big windows to let in the sun
In Robert Forster's song 2541, the lyrics tell the story of a couple who finally have a place of their own located at the titular address after being helped by friends to secure it. The song recounts the excitement of moving in and setting up their new home. Forster's lyrics are filled with vivid imagery such as "big windows to let in the sun" which convey a sense of hope and optimism for the future of the couple's life together. However, things take a sharp turn as the song progresses and the lyrics swiftly transition to a feeling of melancholy and nostalgia as the couple moves out and everything is boxed up. This shift in tone makes it apparent that despite the happiness and promise that the new home brought them, their time there was temporary and they were forced to move on.
Interpreting the deeper meaning of the lyrics, it can be seen that the song is a reflection on life's constant changes and how people must adapt to new situations. The song's exploration of the bittersweet emotions of moving and starting anew can be relatable to anybody who has experienced change and loss. Despite the song's nostalgic tone, the lyrics also offer a sense of hope by emphasizing the importance of making the most of life's opportunities and appreciating them while they last.
Line by Line Meaning
Jimmy gave me the number
A friend named Jimmy gave me the phone number of someone who had something to offer us.
Jerry gave us a place to stay
Another friend Jerry offered us a place to live temporarily.
And Billy got a hold of a van
A third friend Billy got hold of a van, which we needed to transport our belongings to our new home.
And man we moved in the very next day
We immediately grabbed the opportunity and moved to our new place the very next day.
To twenty-five forty-one
We moved into a house whose address was twenty-five forty-one.
Big windows to let in the sun
The house had big windows that allowed the sun's rays to come in.
Well I put down the money
I paid the money required to move into the new house.
And I picked up the keys
I picked up the keys of the house from the landlord after paying the money.
We had to keep the stove on all night long
In order to keep the mice from freezing, we had to keep the stove on throughout the night.
So the mice wouldn't freeze
We didn't want the mice to suffer, so we kept the stove on throughout the night so that it wouldn't be too cold for them.
You put our names on the mailbox
Someone put our names on the mailbox, indicating that we were the new residents of that house.
And I put everything else in the past
I left behind everything that happened before and started afresh in the new house.
It was the first place we had to ourselves
It was the first place we owned and had complete control over, without roommates or any other restrictions.
I didn't know it would be the last
At the time, I was not aware that it would be the last place we would call home.
Now everything is over
Now everything is finished, and we have to move out of the house.
Now everything is done
Everything that had to be accomplished is complete - we are finished with this house.
Everything's in boxes
All our belongings have been packed up into boxes, ready to be moved to a new place.
At twenty-five forty-one
Even though we are leaving, the address of our old house was still twenty-five forty-one.
Well things are so much different now
The current situation is drastically different from the situation when we first moved into the house.
I'd say the situation's reversed
Now, the situation has completely opposite circumstances compared to when we moved in.
And it'll probably not be the last time
It's highly likely that this will not be the last time we have to move out of a home.
I'll have to be out by the first
I will have to leave the house and start a new journey by the first of the month.
Twenty-five forty-one
Even though our time in that house is over, the house's address was still twenty-five forty-one.
Big windows to let in the sun
The windows in that house were still big, which allowed the sun's rays to come in and fill the house with light.
Contributed by Hailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@richalderson6069
RIP Grant Hart. A classic song among many classic songs he wrote. Well done Robert!
@poshladdie
2541 Big windows to let in the sun
( Big windows to see the drop-kicks coming )