The Southern Cross (The Power of Music)

The battle of the internet jukebox continues to rage on at the pub. So many songs, so many taste's. The next great war will surely be based on music if not religion.

A friend of mine, Brad, has been plugging the machine like crazy lately, and for the most part I have been digging his tunes.

The other night as I was trying to figure out the vintage of my beer (third week of may I think), "The Southern Cross" came on by CSN. It's a very special song to me. I'm one of those people (I'm probably the only one), that when a song is as stirring for me personally, such as "The Southern Cross", I will not burn it, buy it, or tape it. The randomness of me hearing it is something I hold dear, and something that so instantly takes me away to another place. There is a good chance I had drool coming down my face as I listened. It takes me that far away.

It's a little know fact, but for a spell in the early '90's I was homeless. Not the greatest time of my life, but I did what I could with it, after all I was the only homeless person in Vancouver wearing a $300.00 Nautica sweater, and it was summer.But we will save the meat of that for another blog, I know how Stephanie likes me to get on with these things and not drag it out.

So one night I was lying on my bed of sand and gravel at the beach in English Bay. I was always at some level of alert because if was often I would have to fight for what was mine, sleep was fleeting at best. I would lie and look at the stars for hours. On this particular night there was a speedboat anchored off the beach, a small group partied and cranked some tunes from the boat. I didn't mind, who was I to complain anyhow, I was just the bum in the nice Nautica sweater.

There is a purity to music that carries across the water, it tends to wrap you like a glove. As I lost my gaze into the stars, "The Southern Cross" came on. I got lost in the words and the harmony. And the song ended cruelly quick.I really don't know what came over me, but within 5 minutes of the song ending, I decided my life is not finishing here. I have not seen the Southern Cross!! The Southern Cross is the most well known constellation in the Southern hemisphere. It was what guided sailors to the new world and the lost world. It graces flags all over the world, from Australia, to New Zealand, to Brazil.

I picked myself up and literally brushed myself off, I picked up a handful of sand that I stuffed in my pocket. It now sits in a vial by my desk for whenever I need to be reminded of how I got here.

I still haven't seen the Southern Cross. For me it's one of those things that seems like it should be my final accomplishment, but who knows. I could see me taking Miley down there some time on a barefoot sail charter. Enjoy the song, lyrics below.


Got out of town on a boat goin' to southern islands.
Sailing a reach before a followin' sea.
She was makin' for the trades on the outside.
And the downhill run to Papeete Bay.

Off the wind on this heading is the Marquesas.
We got eighty feet of the waterline.
Nicely making way.
In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you.
But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away.

Think about how many times I have fallen.
Spirits are using me, larger voices callin'.
What heaven brought you and mecannot be forgotten.

I have been around the world,
lookin' for that woman girl,
who knows love can endure.
And you know it will. And you know it will.

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time,
You understand now why you came this way.
'Cause the truth you may be runnin' from is so small.
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a coming day.

So i'm sailing for tomorrow, my dream are a dyin',
And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain.
I have my ship and all her flags are a flyin'
She is all that I have left and music is her name.

Think about how many times I have fallen'
Spirits are using me, larger voices callin'.
What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten.

I have been around the world,
lookin' for that woman girl,
who knows love can endure.
And you know it will. And you know it will.

So we cheated and we lied and we tested
And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do.
You will survive being bested.
But somebody fine will come along make me forget about loving you.
At the Southern Cross...