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The Great Adventures of Alexander the Great

Friends and I have been creating a theatre production companion to the Australian Museum’s Alexander the Great exhibition. It opens on Jan 6th and runs through til the 27th of Jan each day except Saturdays. It has been a great experience co devising and writing the songs for the musical. Bridget Ralph has designed it, with special thanks to Stephen Ralph for set construction. Show details are available here on the Australian Museum website.

Rise Up

words & music (c) matt ralph 2019

When I’m strung out, out of my body,

And yesterday is just a blur,

When today is just a race,

And tomorrow’s already over,

I want to break free and make time,

Take my self out for an hour,

And though it might test me in the break line,

It’s in there that I feel the power,

And when my mind just can’t think clearly,

And my heart won’t seem to rest,

And my struggles seem never ending,

And in my own home I feel like a guest,

I need to break free and see that,

I have something to give,

And I can set things in motion and I can feel that,

When the waves rise up and lift

Rise up rise up rise

When I’m out on the ocean,

And my troubles I’ve left behind,

Well I look back to shore and I see them,

But they’re only half of their size,

And I wish I could stay there forever,

But I know that it has its time,

And it’s not that I want to surrender,

It’s just that I don’t want to fight,

I want to rise up, rise up, rise

Colours in Air

words & music (c) matt ralph

I’m  a traveller on the river
I pick up songs on the way
They take me Rollin like water
Through the memories of my day
Like the time that I was swimming
To Steve Miller with my friends
When I hear The Joker
I’m back the again

Someone told me once that I’m addicted to music
But I don’t care
Give me some music and I’ll use it
Cause if I need a reason for magic everywhere
I Just listen to my music
And there’s colours in the air

And when my sister brought that tape player back for me
And I put on my headphones and pressed play on queen
I was standing in our garden
My head began to spin
And I walked up the road alone
And knew my life would begin

And when my brought back a tape of sunny boys
Well I’d hear it in the mornings as I packed away my toys
And I was ready
I was listening to all they had to say
Their words of experience
And what might come my way

I was raised when the radio was playing Duran Duran
And there was Culture Club and Violent Femmes and Drum machine bands
But my girlfriend was different
She liked Billy Brag
So lay there to The Specials, The Clash, The Cure and The Jam

And still then all my memories
Were deep within the tracks
Of Dixie and the Midnight Runners on my first school camp
I was kissing on the river to A Smooth Operator
Singing on the bus back home
One Bourban, One Scotch and One Beer

At my son’s assembly in his little new school hall
And they’re playing feeling groovy and wonder wall
And everybody’s singing and everyone belongs
They all love the music
They all love the songs

And as I close my eyes and I speed my bonnie boat
And I travel up the river into starry skies I float
See boxes on the hillside
Hear Sad Lisa in my mind
And I’m fourteen in my doorway
To Dire Straits Telegraph Line

Hold That Train

(c) words & music matt ralph

I’m running down the highway

With my poor soul in a bag

Trying to deliver it before the milk turns bad

Hold that train

There’s a seat for me I swear

The pistons start a-pounding

The whistle scares me it’s so loud

I lost my shoe by trippin’

But I’m not slowing down

Hold that train

It’s the only way out of town

My feet are cut and bleeding

From the metal on the tracks

I wish I had a big lasso

To haul that engine back

I call out to the driver

I can’t tell if he’s heard

I’m wavin’ like a mad man with my

Old torn red shirt

Hold that train

I’ve got the ticket in my hand

Someone let the dogs out

They’re runnin’ cross the field

they’re hunting down the blood that’s been

Dripping from my heels

Hold that train

You got to get me out of here

Well nobody knows where I’ve been

Or how much my luggage has cost

But if I don’t make the last railroad car

Just bury me here in the rocks

I’d sure like to be riding

Up there in first class

With someone offering champagne

And filling up my glass

Oh hold that train

I’d really like to climb upon

It’s not getting any closer

But it’s still there in my sights

If I just keep running

And don’t stop to sleep tonight

I’ll make that train

And I dare God to prove me wrong

(Harmonica break)

The sun it keeps on sinking

And the moon keep rising up

Just a few more days of this

And then I’m giving up

Hold that train

I really need to rest my bones

I think I see it slowing

Or have I lost my mind?

Looks like their pulling up a bit

I’ll get there just in time

Oh my God

I’m climbing on that train

All the folks are leaving

The driver lights a cigarette

They’re walking off the platform

But it hasn’t sunk in yet

Oh my God

I’m here all own my own

The bag sits undelivered

Resting by my side

A sign in broken English reads

Half a good time

Hold that train

I think that this ones mine