G'day Bob,

I think you're barking up the wrong gum tree!

The lyricist Joseph Campbell was aged only 23 when he wrote the song: he came from a conservative, Catholic middle class family, was probably sexually inexperienced, had had some psychological problems in his youth, was a late starter with women, and probably never had any "lost loves" (except maybe secret or imaginary ones). How such a virginal young man could write such passionate lyrics is I think testament to the strength of his romantic nature and the power of his poetic imagination.

"Lagan" is an Irish word meaning "low-lying".