Song #71 New Times

NEW TIMES

(Listen)

CHORUS

Well my son’s away – our thoughts and prayers go with you
Travel far and safe – our love goes always with you

As you follow your dreams – remember those at home go with you
Though you’re far away we travel in silence with you
Hoping you’ll find what you’re seeking

There’ll be brand new faces – who will want to know you
Brand new places and some will no doubt test you
But I know you’ll find your way through

CHORUS

I have watched you change – from baby to grown man
I love who you’ve become – a man who knows that children
Can teach us lots of life’s lessons

And no matter how long – you roam the world afar
There are people at home – who you can always turn to
If it all seems too hard

CHORUS

BRIDGE

I wandered abroad to discover new seas
We took you away from this land that you now leave
So I well understand what now takes you away
And wonder alone what your new world will bring
And if this land.....will be home again

CHORUS

(Copyright M Coghlan 2012)

Commentary: a goodbye song I wrote for my son who had just headed off to live in Europe.

The Webheads Story

 

In 1997 I came across a website called English for Internet (EFI). It offered ESL and EFL students free web-based English lessons. It was run by David Winet out of his home in Berkeley (California) and he was looking for teachers willing to volunteer their time to teach an ever-increasing number of students who wanted to learn English this way. I knew almost nothing about how to teach online but I jumped in the deep end and with David’s help and endless patience I started my own sessions. 

As well as asynchronous web-based exercises we met weekly on Sundays in a virtual classroom called The Palace. There was another teacher who ran classes at The Palace just before my session - Vance Stevens and he was based in the UAE. 

Many students just stayed online at the end of Vance’s class and joined mine. Over time the two classes just blurred into each other and it became apparent that what students really wanted to was meet together online and practice their English. This arrangement continued for some years. We were joined by another teacher from Cologne in Germany, Margaret Ann Doty. But the majority of participants were bonafide students from all over the planet – Taiwan, Brazil, China, Australia, the US, Argentina. We called ourselves The Webheads.

In the early 2000s Vance decided to expand the group and try and recruit more practising teachers and use the growing community as a professional development vehicle for language teachers worldwide. It was an enormous success and became known as Webheads in Action and evolved into a fully-fledged community of practice with active members in multiple countries.

Many of us were involved in presenting at conferences about online education and it was quite normal for many of us to call on other webheads to help deliver what Jonathan Finkelstein dubbed multiple venue presentations. And slowly too as webheads began to travel many online connections were cemented by face to face meetings. Some of these meetings even extended to family members. My son met my dear webhead friend and colleague Teresa in Portugal. This frenzy of collaborative online teaching and learning, supplemented by regular meetings face to face, was a massively productive and enjoyable part of my personal and professional life up until around 2014. And throughout this time we continued our Sunday online meetings at noon GMT!

When I retired from full time work I deliberately scaled back much of my online activity but still today I meet a small group of webheads online every fortnight, and know that when I go travelling again there are webheads around the planet who will welcome me to their lands.

So perhaps the song below now makes a bit more sense. Being part of the Webhead community had a profound impact on my life, and I will forever be eternally indebted to Vance Stevens for his indefatigable efforts in making sure the community stays alive. And to Teresa, Rita, Ying Lan, Felix, Bee, Dafne, Chris, Jonathan, Eric, Aiden, John, Elizabeth, David, Nina, Carla, Jane, Buth, Tom, Peter, Graham, Thuan, Jennifer and so many others – thank you for enriching my life, and being friends across the waters.

24/7 – we’re online

It doesn’t really matter – whatever the time

Someone’s there to answer the call

Or maybe you’re lonely in the middle of the night

Someone’s there to answer your call

You’re going on a journey to a foreign land

Want to meet a friend there to show you around

There’ll be someone there to answer your call

 

Song #70 Webheads Theme

 

Michael doing the Webhead Salute

WEBHEADS THEME

 (Listen HERE)

CHORUS

Webheads – all over the world

Webheads – we’re all over the world

 

 

24/7 – we’re online

It doesn’t really matter – whatever the time

Someone’s there to answer the call

 

CHORUS

 

You want to know how to do it right

Or maybe you’re lonely in the middle of the night

Someone’s there to answer your call

 

CHORUS

 

You want to join your class up across the world

Or you want an expert to talk to them live

Someone will answer your call

 

CHORUS

 

You’re going on a journey to a foreign land

Want to meet a friend there to show you around

There’ll be someone there to answer your call

 

CHORUS

 

Learning together – sharing our views

Living together – sharing our news

Always someone there – on the same wavelength

 

CHORUS

COMMENTARY:  The Webheads changed my life. I can't believe I've come this far into this blog (about 20 years!) and not posted the story. The amazing story is inferred and referred to in many talks and presentations but it's time I documented my role in the Webhead story here. In the meantime co-Webhead founder Vance Stevens has done a sterling job of maintaining all webhead archives HERE.

Song #69 See You Later Reno

 

SEE YOU LATER RENO

 

He was sitting on a footpath in a town down south

Singing to passers-by for joy or some coin

“Man you’ve got a great voice”

Man you wrote some great songs

 

Target airconditioners and fights in the pub

Boring dancing girlfriends and friends who couldn’t swim

Man you wrote some weird songs

Man you made us laugh though

 

People still around who’d I’d rather not see

So full of themselves they’re not interested in me

See you later Reno

See you later Reno

 

We're friends in time and name but the time has gone

Once so close, now so far, we’ve all moved on

See you later Reno

See you later Reno

 

I journeyed there with an open heart

Enjoyed your sun

Sang up and down your coasts and malls

You enjoyed our song

 

So to everyone I’ve ever known

To those who’ve gone, days of yore, and the places we’ve been

I bid you all farewell now

So say goodbye to Reno

Say goodbye to Reno

Say goodbye

(See you later Baterz)

(Thanks for the songs man)

(See ya’ next time buddy)

Let’s say goodbye

Say goodbye to Reno

Say goodbye to Reno

 

Copyright (M Coghlan 2002)

COMMENTARY: Inspired by the death of friend and Adelaide/Canberra artist – Baterz. I think I was trying to make this song a metaphor for all the things we lose in life and it got a little confused along the way. In any event Baterz was an exceptional character – warm, talented, funny, honest. And yes – the first words he ever said to me were ‘man you’ve got a great voice’ so it was love at first sight! (More on Baterz.)

 

 

Song #68 Home to My Song

 

HOME TO MY SONG

(Listen HERE)

It’s a long long way that we all have to go

And it’s harder than we had planned

I’d rather sit tight and take it all in

I don’t want to take a stand

 

CHORUS

When it feels hard, too hard to explain

When it feels hard, hard to feel safe

Safe from the world, away from it all

I go home to my song

 

I can sing my songs and play them loud

And pretend that I sound great

I’m the centre of the sound and the call of my soul

Likes to tempt the edge of fate

 

I can live in that dream where I play all day

And don’t have to go to work

Scream and shout to a catchy tune

About fear pain and hurt

 

CHORUS

 

What is going on when I pick up my guitar

And the tears roll down my face?

I gotta go to work and do my bit as a part of the human race

Check my eyes in the mirror as I drive to see if I look OK

Good morning everyone your teacher is here

There’s a lot to get through today

 

CHORUS

 

(© M Coghlan 1995)

COMMENTARY:  One day, feeling quite happy, I picked up my guitar near the front door just before I left to go to work. Minutes later tears were flowing freely as I sang whatever stream of conscious sounds came out. It happened more than once actually. I had to move my guitar away from the front door to prevent it happening. It wasn’t a sad thing – it was quite a beautiful feeling in fact. This song explores why this happens A clash of worlds at play methinks. Other world views bubbling to the surface unbidden.

Song #67 Life's A Wonderful and Melancholy Thing

 

(LISTEN HERE)

LIFE’S A WONDERFUL AND MELANCHOLY THING

LIFE’S A WONDERFUL AND MELANCHOLY THING

 

THERE’S A LONG LINE OF DOORS AND SO MANY ARE OPEN9VfE0U

WITH NO SIGNS OUT THE FRONT TO TELL YOU WHICH ONE TO GO THROUGH

WHICH ARE THE DOORS THAT’LL SEE YOUR WAY FORWARD

ARE THERE MORE LEADING UP THAN THERE ARE LEADING DOWN

 

YOU MEET THE MAN WITH THE ANSWERS AND HE SAYS GO THROUGH THERE SON

WITH A SPRING IN YOUR STEP IT ALL STARTS OUT FINE

BUT THE ROCKS START APPEARING AND FORCE YOU TO SLOW DOWN

YOU FORGET ALL THE ANSWERS AND HEAD BACK TO THE WINE

 

CHORUS

 

LIFE’S A WONDERFUL AND MELANCHOLY THING (X2)

THERE ARE TIMES IT MAKES YOU WANNA DANCE AND SING

AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU JUST CANNOT DO A THING

COS LIFE’S A WONDERFUL AND MELANCHOLY THING

 

TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE WALK DOWN THE SAME ROAD

ONE COMES HOME WITH A TEAR IN HIS EYE

WHILE THE OTHER FINDS LOVE AT THE END OF THE SAME ROAD

ALL DOORS LEAD TO THE END OF THE LINE

 

CHORUS
 

LIFE’S A WONDERFUL AND MELANCHOLY THING

LIFE’S A WONDERFUL AND MELANCHOLY THING

Song #66 Fear of Being Too Good

 

Karam Board

FEAR OF BEING TOO GOOD

(Listen)

 You've walked the paths of history
 And you've watched the rivers flow
 You've been away for far too long
 It doesn't matter where you go
 You've been to funerals dressed in white
 You've stood pale among the dark skin
 You've looked for patterns around the world
 That describe the common man
  So where's the sense in returning
  To those who do not know?
  That's true devotion
  Or was it fear of being alone
       fear of being alone
       fear of being alone?
 

 You've kept your cool in foreign lands
 When conversation turned to God
 You've managed a touch of sympathy
 For the rundown unkempt sods
 You've drunk from flagons in the park
 And you found it quite a lark
 When the old man turned and told you
 He would never take a plane
 To the destinations across the sea
 That you flew to with your pain
  And the spirit then was lurking
  Like a misfit in your brain
       a misfit in your brain
       a misfit in your brain.
 

 You've sat out on the beach at night
 And were asked about Jesus Christ
 You found that you enjoyed it
 Like the tropics it warmed your heart
 The night wind formed your words
 In a way that you found easy
 But the sunlight left you questioning
 Unsure of where you stood
  It was all too bright and daunting
  Or was it fear of being too good
       fear of being too good
       fear of being too good?
 

 You've walked the paths of history
 And you've watched the rivers flow
 You've been away for far too long
 It doesn't matter where you go
  Where's the sense in returning
  To those who drove you away?
  That takes dedication
  Or was it fear of being alone
       fear of being alone
       fear of being alone?
 
 

 (Copyright  Michael Coghlan 1994)

COMMENTARY: a song that details the struggle between wanting to be away, and wanting to be home; between the freedom to wander where you will and fear of being alone, between a path of giving to others and a life of satisfying the self; and the fear of delving too far into religion in case you never get out! It’s about travel; staying home, and the person you need to/want to/should be 😊