Mark Gillespie: Songs

songs Apr 19, 2020

I only have the one album of Mark’s and it was Only Human from 1980, so probably got (the original vinyl) at university. It was stunning. I was amazed to learn that he was from Melbourne too.

Update November 27th 2024. I had initially wrote that "It’s a bit hard to find information [on] Mark as he’s basically retired – apparently to the Victorian countryside – many years ago." I was saddened to discover recently that he has actually died. He passed away on "Thursday November 11 [2021] in hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the country in which he had lived for many years." according to this source. The same article also adds: "A friend of Gillespie’s, who was working for British Airways when he met him in the early ’80s, recalled that Gillespie was working as a volunteer in a children’s home in Dhaka, Bangaldesh, and helped build and and run a new home in the village of Sreepur."

I do find this little summary apt: “he produced some of the finest recordings in the short history of Australian popular music. The artists that have played with Mark Gillespie over the years reads like a “who’s who” of Australian musicians”. From a forum post at songfacts, quoting from another page, which itself has gone.

It follows that these 4 songs are from that one superb album.

Only Human

The title song is also the first cab off the rank. Seems to be about a relationship in a bit of bother. A theme we’ll return to. I love the funky beat and clever rhymes.

Mercury

Now we have a sweet, sweet love song.

Mayday In Arcadia

Seems initially to be story-in-a-song, with a few literary and mythological references carefully placed, but then other layers drift in and the song just takes off into a more complex place and plot. One, I must admit, I haven’t quite unravelled. But I love it.

Damsel in Distress

A beautiful and mournful story-in-a-song. Looks to be about a man meeting a women; he’s lonely and she needs his help…but things don’t seem to work out. It seems it’s not the first time they’ve done this (?). There’s a sad sting in the tail; obliquely referenced, but it’s there.

As usual his lyrics are superb; here’s a sample from the start:

A lonely man who travels, yeah
Everyday around the world
He doesn’t know what he’s looking for
But he sure hopes it’s a girl

He lives inside his suitcase
And he looks into the Void
And he sees Desiree standing right there in the corner
And she’s looking very paranoid

….

And Desiree waved a scarf at him
Just like she was some kind of damsel in distress
And he said, well hang on now babe, I’ll come and help you
If you tell me your address

And Desiree said, Mmm, I like your style
But won’t you get me out of this mess
He just smiled and said, Honey, I came to help you
And he helped her right out of her dress