Flame Trees

Album: Twentieth Century (1984)
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  • Kids out driving saturday afternoon just pass me by
    And I'm just savoring familiar sights
    We share some history, this town and I
    And I can't stop that long forgotten feeling of her
    Try to book a room and stay tonight

    Number one is to find some friends to say "you're doing well"
    After all this time you boys look just the same
    Number two is the happy hour at one of two hotels
    Settle in to play "do you remember so and so?
    Number three is never say her name

    Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
    And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
    There's no change, there's no pace Everything within its place
    Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

    But oh who needs that sentimental bullshit, anyway
    Takes more than just a memory to make me cry
    And I'm happy just to sit here a table with old friends
    And see which one of us can tell the biggest lies

    And there's a girl falling in love near where the pianola stands
    With a young local factory auto worker just holding hands
    And I'm wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay

    Do you remember, nothing stopped us on the field
    In our day

    Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
    And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
    There's no change, there's no pace
    Everything within its place
    Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

    Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
    And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
    There's no change, there's no pace
    Everything within its place
    Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around Writer/s: Don Walker, Steve Prestwich
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Pucho from TasmaniaI went to school in Grafton and I always believed it was about Grafton. I wondered if the "factory worker" had worked at the match factory which closed in the late 70's. The Flame trees flowered at the same time as the Jacarandas (they were Queensland fire whee trees not the Illawara flame trees) they looked amazing together. I'd sometimes bump into Don Walker at the Piccolo bar in Kings Cross in the early '80s he was a easy going guy and easily one of the greatest Australian song writers.
  • Marty from SydneyMy all time favourite song
  • Myles from Brisbane Amazing song
  • Adrian from Perth"Do you remember, nothing stopped us on the field in our day." It only just occurred to me that this is a sporting reference, at least I think it is.
  • Ian James Watson from West End, Australiai am led to beleive steve prestwich had already left the band and a stand in drummer ( ray arnott ? ) was used.
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