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.
Leave Here Satisfied
Robert Forster Lyrics
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I just wanted to run and hide
Felt a drop of water deep down inside
I could go but I wouldn't Leave Here Satisfied
A neighbour came in and said who are you. Me? I'm one of a million friends that can come when a party ends. He said they're gone - I asked him long. No he said "not long at all."
Felt a drop of water deep down inside
I could go but I wouldn't Leave Here Satisfied
As I stood upon this place as sad as a gambler's face every impulse in me said Run. There was dust on the piano keys, dust on the backyard trees, dust on the doorlocks but not on me. The bookcase stood there and I really don't care that none of my books now stand there. Where are you now, where are you now. Where are you now my friend.
I just wanted to run and hide
Felt a drop of water deep down inside
I could go but I wouldn't Leave Here Satisfied
Visitations hit me like a blast. If you put a detector to the past would it pick out the good bits that would last. I think so, and when you can let me know where you are and so. Leave Here Satisfied
In this song, Robert Forster expresses a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. He finds himself in an empty house calling out for someone, but there's no answer. He feels a drop of water deep down inside, which could be interpreted as a feeling of sadness or tears. He wants to leave, but he wouldn't be satisfied just running away. When a neighbour questions who he is, he responds by saying he's just one of a million friends who can come when a party ends. However, he soon realizes that everyone has left and he's left alone in this empty house, which feels sad and lonely.
The lyrics convey a sense of loss and nostalgia as Forster is looking for his friend. He questions where they are now and wonders if he'll ever find them. The dust on the piano keys, backyard trees, and doorlocks suggest that no one has been in this house for a while. Forster doesn't care about the books that used to stand in the bookcase, he just wants his friend back. He feels like he's lost something important and he's left with a feeling of sadness and emptiness. The final line suggests that he won't be satisfied until he finds his friend and has closure.
Line by Line Meaning
Found myself in an empty house calling out is anyone there thinking someone must be here somewhere.
I arrived at an empty house and called out, hoping someone was there. But there was no response and I couldn't see anyone around.
No one stepped up at all, no one I could see no one tapped my shoulder and said "it's me."
There was no one there to respond to my calls, and no one approached me to let me know they were there.
I just wanted to run and hide
Felt a drop of water deep down inside
I could go but I wouldn't Leave Here Satisfied
I felt an intense desire to escape the empty house, but I also knew that leaving wouldn't bring me the satisfaction I was seeking.
A neighbour came in and said who are you. Me? I'm one of a million friends that can come when a party ends. He said they're gone - I asked him long. No he said "not long at all."
A neighbor entered the empty house and asked who I was. I explained that I was just one of many people who might show up when a party ends. He informed me that everyone was gone, and that they had left recently.
As I stood upon this place as sad as a gambler's face every impulse in me said Run. There was dust on the piano keys, dust on the backyard trees, dust on the doorlocks but not on me. The bookcase stood there and I really don't care that none of my books now stand there. Where are you now, where are you now. Where are you now my friend.
Standing in the empty house, I felt a sense of sadness and regret. Everything was covered in dust, but I wasn't. The absence of my books in the bookcase didn't matter to me. I wondered where my friend was and wished they were there with me.
Visitations hit me like a blast. If you put a detector to the past would it pick out the good bits that would last. I think so, and when you can let me know where you are and so. Leave Here Satisfied
Memories flooded my mind suddenly. I thought about whether the past could be filtered to focus only on positive moments. I believe it's possible, and I hope that one day my friend will let me know where they are, so I can finally leave the empty house satisfied.
Contributed by Colin N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.