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.
Heart Out to Tender
Robert Forster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look on down my line
She gets bigger in the mirror
I have to be with her this time
Heart out to tender
I came along with my bid
Tell you what we did
Threw kisses of bridges on country roads
That's what we did
Heart out to tender
I came along with my bid
Someone gave me a curtain
Someone said they were lost
I knew I would never be free
Until that curtain was across
the door
In Robert Forster's song "Heart Out to Tender", the lyrics express a feeling of vulnerability and the desire for a romantic relationship with someone. The opening line "Put yourself in my shoes" suggests that the singer is asking the listener to understand his perspective and empathize with his situation. The line "She gets bigger in the mirror, I have to be with her this time" could suggest that the singer is feeling intimidated by the person they are interested in but is also determined to pursue a relationship with them.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Heart out to tender" which could be interpreted as the singer putting his heart on the line and expressing his feelings for the person he desires. The lyrics also mention meeting the person at the crossroads and throwing kisses on bridges on country roads, which could symbolize a new and exciting beginning for the relationship.
The final verse mentions someone giving the singer a curtain and the singer feeling like he could never be free until he had that curtain across the door. This could be interpreted as the singer wanting to close off a part of his life or have a private space in which to pursue this new relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Put yourself in my shoes
Try to understand my perspective
Look on down my line
See where my life is headed
She gets bigger in the mirror
My interest in her grows stronger as I see her reflection
I have to be with her this time
I am determined to pursue a relationship with her
Heart out to tender
I am putting my heart up for sale
I came along with my bid
I am making an offer to win her affection
Saw her at the crossroads
Encountered her at a decisive moment in my life
Tell you what we did
Describing the actions taken with her
Threw kisses of bridges on country roads
We shared romantic moments in rural settings
That's what we did
Reflecting on our cherished memories together
Someone gave me a curtain
I was given an item that held significant personal meaning
Someone said they were lost
Someone told me they lost something they valued
I knew I would never be free
I realized that I couldn't move forward without resolving my attachment to the item
Until that curtain was across
Only after I hung the curtain did I feel at peace
Contributed by Samuel N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.