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.
Baby Stones
Robert Forster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Although you're satisfied with me
We have to open our horizons, my love
We can, but you'll do it without me
You can call me old-fashioned
You can call me straight laced
I'm not going to sit here and let another man take my place
So go and see him, what will be will be
Every man for the rest of your life will be less than me
I want you to stay
You search for a worthwhile need
But why not do the searching around here and try to involve me?
You say there's nothing wrong with us
That what we have here is good
But you have more needs and the fire cannot burn on the same old wood
So excuse me if I look tired
So excuse me if I just look at the sun
You see I wanted to be blinded
And I wanted to be your only one
The yellow time of autumn comes
The dying sound of distant drums
The old me that sit on doorsteps know I am an unfortunate man
And on a road that's made of stones
The road that's made of Baby Stones
There's an arrow made of stones
That points away from this home
I missed the turning back, I walked on by
Old situations can make you want to lie down and die
I want you to stay
You search for a worthwhile need
But why not do the searching around here and try to involve me?
And on a road that's made of stones
The road that's made of Baby Stones
There's an arrow made of stones
That points away from this home
In Robert Forster's song "Baby Stones," the singer is grappling with his partner's desire to take a lover despite being in a seemingly good relationship with him. While his partner wants to "open their horizons," the singer is hesitant to let another man take his place. He urges his partner to involve him in her search for something more worthwhile instead of searching outside their relationship. The song touches on themes of insecurity, jealousy, and the fear of being replaced.
The song's lyrics are poignant and thought-provoking, with Forster using powerful imagery to convey his emotions. For instance, the phrase "the fire cannot burn on the same old wood" suggests that the relationship has gone stale, while the imagery of "the road that's made of Baby Stones" conveys a sense of being lost or directionless.
Overall, "Baby Stones" is a powerful song about the complexities of relationships and the struggle to hold onto something that may be slipping away.
Line by Line Meaning
You say, you want to take a lover
You express your wishes to be with another man
Although you're satisfied with me
Despite of being content with me, you have a desire for someone else
We have to open our horizons, my love
We need to broaden our perspectives, dear
We can, but you'll do it without me
It is something you need to explore without my involvement
You can call me old-fashioned
You may label me as traditional
You can call me straight laced
You can think of me as someone with a conservative attitude
I'm not going to sit here and let another man take my place
I won't stand aside while some other man takes my position in your heart
So go and see him, what will be will be
Go on and meet him, whatever the outcome will be
Every man for the rest of your life will be less than me
No other man can ever match my standards throughout your future years
I want you to stay
I wish for your presence with me
You search for a worthwhile need
You look for something that is significant
But why not do the searching around here and try to involve me?
Why not look around this place and include me in your pursuit?
You say there's nothing wrong with us
You believe that our relationship is fine
That what we have here is good
You consider our bond to be desirable
But you have more needs and the fire cannot burn on the same old wood
But, your desires have outgrown our current state; our bond cannot keep up with your passions
So excuse me if I look tired
Please pardon me if I seem drained
So excuse me if I just look at the sun
Please understand if I just stare at the sun's rays
You see I wanted to be blinded
You see, I wished to be blinded
And I wanted to be your only one
I desired to be the only person in your heart
The yellow time of autumn comes
The season of autumn arrives in its yellow hue
The dying sound of distant drums
The sound of fading drums in the distance
The old me that sit on doorsteps know I am an unfortunate man
The earlier version of me, who often sat on doorways and streets, realize that I am an unlucky person
And on a road that's made of stones
And on this path, created of stones
The road that's made of Baby Stones
This is a way formatted with small stones
There's an arrow made of stones
There exists an arrow fashioned by rocks
That points away from this home
Which points away from this place of residence
I missed the turning back, I walked on by
I took the wrong turn, I kept on walking
Old situations can make you want to lie down and die
Previous circumstances can make you so tired that you wish to just give up and die
And on a road that's made of stones
On this path, created of stones
The road that's made of Baby Stones
This is a way formatted with small stones
There's an arrow made of stones
There exists an arrow fashioned by rocks
That points away from this home
Which points away from this place of residence
Contributed by Colin P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bad80shair
Has to be one of the best opening verses in songwriting history.
Paul Pritchard
Big call, I know, but this song is RF's greatest masterpiece.
ANDY KING
this or "Draining the pool for you"
Compact Discourse
Robert's eyebrow shuffles can make any woman (or man, for that matter) melt, and what poetry in those lyrics :-) J x
townesforever
Wow! Didn't even know this existed. I played the shit out of this album back in the day. Thanks so much!
Diana Gocławska
When I was a teeenager, I used to have tv set on all the time until that video was released, and because that song was repeated very often, I was stuck to the tv most of the time those days. Wonderful time and charming Robert Forster and his declamation and voice .
Raspadora
Have always loved this, thanks for the post.
John Fiebke
Why in God's name is Julie Andrews bleeding through the left channel of this wonderful song? It's certainly not part of the original. The whole RF album is fantastic, by the way.
marcy taustine
Someone I hurt very badly once put this on a mix for me. He passed away recently and I came here searching for this song. Brilliant and heartbreaking
holo9
I love Robert and this song!!! Could someone thell me in which album is this, please?