[Vision2020] "Bottle Tree Lane" Played to Honor Afghanistan Soldier Deaths

[Ted Moffett]

Last night I heard a song, "Bottle Tree Lane," on Radio Australia
short wave, about Australian soldiers who died in WW1, that was played
last night in honor of Australian soldiers recently killed in
Afghanistan.

Some may think this unrelated to current events regarding US soldiers,
but the intense emotions and thoughts expressed in this song I think
to some extent are universal; and it is easy to forget that soliders
from other nations are dying in the Afghanistan war, that this war is
not only a US war.

Brendon Walmsley's work is now on my list of music to explore.

You can listen off the Internet to this song at this website:

Bottle Tree Lane
Release Date: 2004

http://www.brendonwalmsley.com.au/music.php
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Some info about the song "Bottle Tree Lane:"

http://www.brendonwalmsley.com.au/news.php?arid=20

The album's title track and current single is in line for the Heritage
Award, a title he's taken out twice before. "Bottle Tree Lane" was
inspired by Heroes' Avenue in Roma Queensland, the town where Brendon
grew up. The street is lined with bottle trees, each planted in memory
of a local WW1 soldier who never returned from the battlefields.
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Lyrics below:

Bottle Tree Lane

Brendon Walmsley (Control)

Bottle trees lining the lane where she met him
The place where her dreams had finally come true
Flickering sunlight the dance of the branches
They walked beneath each afternoon
In a world going crazy, skies couldn’t be clearer
‘Til war was declared and her eyes filled with tears
The boy enlisted, she cried when he kissed her
And he whispered these words in her ear

Remember the good things the good Lord has given
Remember that love will remain
Here’s to the wonderful life that we’re living
We owe it to Bottle Tree Lane
Don’t forget Bottle Tree Lane

Once more they walked through the trees in the evening
The only one smiling, the man in the moon
They promised each other forever
The sun came up too soon
The whole town turned out for their boys at the station
Waving their flags as they boarded the train
He heard her voice as she ran down the platform
“Come back to Bottle Tree Lane.”

REPEAT CHORUS

Time marches on she became an old lady
The ANZAC parade made it’s way down the lane
The diggers passed by recalling the fallen
‘Cause each bottle tree bears a name
Everyone knew why she stood where she did
Beside the same tree on that day every year
And her grandchildren don’t take for granted the reason
They’re able to play without fear

REPEAT CHORUS x 2

Lest we forget Bottle Tree Lane
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett