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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Charles Jenkins & The Amateur Historians have crammed a lot of history into just six months: a clutch of superb new songs inspired by Melbourne past and present; two sold-out shows at Fitzroy and Northcote Town Halls; two limited-edition albums; and now a “best of” collection!

    If you weren’t lucky enough to attend one or both of the Amateur Historians’ gigs, then this new release “The Past Is Never Where You Think You Left It” presents an accurate historical record: 14 of the trio’s songs captured in the studio very much as they were performed live with tasty playing, clever but economical arrangements and brilliant, soaring harmonies.

    It’s hard to pick favourites, but “The Melbourne Eye” is an instant Jenkins classic and sets the tone for what follows. Likewise, the melodies and heartfelt lyrics of “Beautiful William” (a love song to escaped convict William Buckley), "Blue Lagoon" (a lament for the long-lost wetlands just west of the city) and “This Is How You Say Goodbye” make them moving and memorable.

    “Dennis” is whimsically romantic, and I love the only-in-Melbourne humour of “Hook Turn”, “Victoria Market” and “Little Audrey”, and the wacky gold rush romp of “The Theatre Royale”.

    Not surprisingly I have a soft spot for “Stephen Street”, a rocking exposé of Melbourne’s dark Victorian underbelly. “Trams of Love” and “Statues of Melbourne” tell tales of petty street crime, and the spoken-word piece “Beneath the Maniacal King” brings the childhood horrors of Luna Park's Giggle Palace flooding back.

    But “Chloe” is truly chilling, the tragedy of the story behind the iconic painting told simply and compellingly, with a bitter edge to the refrain.

    Let’s hope this great selection keeps the wolf from the door while Charles Jenkins, David Andrew Milne and Douglas Lee Robertson regroup for another history-making live performance in the not-too-distant future.

    Stephen Downes
    Touch My History / Batmania, 3RRR-FM

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Past is Never Where You Think You Left It via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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lyrics

Gold gold gold gold

Oh the butter and the milk
Freshly squeezed from the cow
Are placed upon the table that looks dandy
She’s been told that the gold
In the valley down below
Is close and accessible that it’s handy

Oh the shepherd drops the sheep
The Drover drops the cow
The Merchant and the Lawyer drop their quill
The Captain and the Crew
Have no more sailing to do
For there are golden deposits in them thar hills

The Theatre Royale hurrah
The Theatre Royalee hurrah
Built by gold made of gold
Flung from far and near
We'll all get drunk and arse about
And swing from the chandelier

Oh they’re out to break our backs
Here comes another tax
They’re sending all out gold back home to mother
We’re sober now and then
But gold brings out the worst in men
And it can make us turn on one another

The Theatre Royale hurrah
The Theatre Royale hurrah
Built by gold made of gold
Flung from far and near
We'll all get drunk and arse about
And swing from the chandelier
And swing from the golden chandelier hurrah

credits

from The Past is Never Where You Think You Left It, released December 12, 2014

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about

Charles Jenkins Melbourne, Australia

Charles Jenkins is a Melbourne songwriter/musician, producer, performer and teacher with more than 30 years experience in the Australian Music Industry.

He has released 21 albums and been nominated for 2 ARIA awards with the Icecream Hands. In 2014 he won the AGE/Music Victoria award for best folk/roots album.

Charles has a Masters In Music and is an Ambassador for APRA/AMCOS.
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