Tuesday 7 July 2015

RETURN TO TIREE and THE SONG THAT BELONGS THERE

There have now been three titles for the song which belongs with the island of Tiree - LIKE THE SEA ROLLING IN, YOU COME ON OVER ME and a TIREE LOVE SONG  But this post is not about the song It is about the place that inspired it

On my last visit to the island of Tiree - and who knows it might be the last ever - I wanted to find out if the feelings I had for the place many years ago would be aroused again They were and they were not

But there were three special moments

The first was the scene in the photograph below just minutes after arriving there by boat The photograph has been cropped but has not been altered in any other way



The second 'moment' came with being taken to a house which was on sale at the time From a few hundred yards away, approaching over an expanse of green grass, one could see a full washing line blowing in the wind and a small house overlooking the sea The scene brought with it thoughts that Tiree might be THE PLACE after all

The  photograph below was taken from the land surrounding the house


The third moment was not really a moment at all

It was more of a search for the place in the sand dunes where for days and sometimes weeks I had lived in a tent and spent the time doing nothing much more than sleeping eating drinking and washing in the sea

There are memories of playing guitar and singing at the nearby hotel for visitors from Kenya and I also have a vague memory of singing at a concert in bare feet

What I am certain about is the photograph below This is exactly where the tent was pitched  


Yes indeed -YOU COME ON OVER ME aka LIKE THE SEA ROLLING IN is a Tiree love song