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.
The Evangelist
Robert Forster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took away what she knew, had treasured over time
Let's sail away, baby
I can't explain what I see
Let's sail away, baby
Please try and follow me
And took her to this desert with threatening
Neighborhoods
Well I believe, baby
I thought it was better for us
Yes I believe, baby
There was gold in that dust
And now I see, baby
I put distance into your own life
Let's sail away, baby
Let's sail into this life
She drove a golf white diesel, she drove me through the
Streets
She took me into her world of parks and wooden seats
And I remember, baby
I remember it all
Yes I remember, baby
I remember it all
Let's sail away, baby
I thought it was better for us
And I believe, baby
I believe in us
The first stanza of the song "The Evangelist" by Robert Forster is about a man taking a woman out of her world and introducing her to his. He says that he took away what she had treasured over time and replaced it with something else. The second stanza talks about the man taking the woman out of her home and into a desert with threatening neighborhoods. The man believed that it was better for them to be there because he saw gold in that dust. The chorus of the song talks about sailing away together into this new life the man has created for them.
The third stanza of the song talks about a woman who drives a golf white diesel and takes the man into her world of parks and wooden seats. The man remembers it all and still believes in their relationship. He thought that it was better for them to be together and still believes in their love. The song is about a man who takes a woman out of her comfort zone and introduces her to something new, but in the process, distances her from her old life. He believes in their love and believes that they can sail away together into this new life.
Line by Line Meaning
I took her out of her world and put her into mine
I removed her from her own life and brought her into mine.
I took away what she knew, had treasured over time
I deprived her of what she was familiar with and had grown to love.
Let's sail away, baby
Let's embark on a new adventure together.
I can't explain what I see
I cannot put into words the things I am experiencing or witnessing.
Please try and follow me
Please try to understand and see things from my perspective.
I took her out of her home, a cabin near the woods
I removed her from the comfort of her cabin in the woods.
And took her to this desert with threatening Neighborhoods
And brought her to a harsh desert environment that may pose a danger to us.
Well I believe, baby
I have faith and confidence in what I am doing.
I thought it was better for us
I believed that this was the best decision we could have made for ourselves.
There was gold in that dust
This decision would lead to wealth and prosperity for us.
And now I see, baby
I have come to realize.
I put distance into your own life
I created a divide between you and your old way of living.
Let's sail into this life
Let's move forward and embrace this new way of living.
She drove a golf white diesel, she drove me through the Streets
She took me on a ride through the city in her white diesel Volkswagen Golf.
She took me into her world of parks and wooden seats
She showed me the beauty of the parks and the relaxation of sitting on wooden benches.
I remember it all
I remember every detail of our past experiences together.
And I believe, baby
And I trust.
I believe in us
I have confidence in our relationship and our ability to overcome any obstacles we may face.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: ROBERT DERWENT GARTH FORSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind