A song for the present month, Robin Williamson’s ‘October Song’, and the portentous era in which we seem to be, written around 1965 by Robin Williamson. I saw Henry Parker perform it (i.e. this very clip) last week in Halifax. As Henry reminded us, it was its author’s first crack at writing a song. For Robin, it was all downhill from there, but then it would have been for any of us.
I’ll sing you this October song, Oh, there is no song before it. The words and tune are none of my own, for my joys and sorrows bore it.
Beside the sea The brambly briars, in the still of evening, Birds fly out behind the sun, and with them I’ll be leaving.
The fallen leaves that jewel the ground, They know the art of dying, And leave with joy their glad gold hearts, In the scarlet shadows lying.
When hunger calls my footsteps home, The morning follows after, I swim the seas within my mind, And the pine-trees laugh green laughter.
I used to search for happiness, And I used to follow pleasure, But I found a door behind my mind, And that’s the greatest treasure.
