Greg Hastings - lyrics

Greg began his musical career as a founding member of the Mucky Duck Bush Band in 1973, 3 years after he migrated to Australia from Wales. In 1976 the band turned professional and rose to great heights of success in Western Australia. At the beginning of 1979 Greg launched his solo career, travelling to New Zealand, America, Canada, United Kingdom and Europe. He then returned to Australia for a year before setting off once more around the world in 1982. On his return to Australia in 1983, he began touring the continent extensively. For 25 years he has toured almost continually playing Festivals, Clubs, Tourist Resorts, Schools etc.
GGreg has traversed over 400,000 kilometres of this vast continent amassing a unique knowledge of Australia and Australians, including some of the most respected elders of the Aboriginal people. Learning to play the didgeridoo from them on his first tour of the Kimberley Aboriginal communities in 1988.

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After seeing many a night 'ruined' by mismanaged sound systems, Greg penned this song.

TESTING 1, 2, 3 by Greg Hastings

For many years I've sung in places all around the world
No sweeter than the human voice in chorus can be heard
But now with our technology all reason has been lost
Sometimes I wonder if the end defeats the cost.

CHORUS
Cos it's testing, testing 1, 2, 3
We don't need electricity
Don't need a microphone to sing a song
So nice to hear the music back where we belong.

Once not long ago if you had a mind to sing
Friends would gather round you and make the rafters ring
But now with these amps they run in mortal fear
With the booming of a microphone ringing in their ear

CHORUS

Now the local musos gather round
With their ultra quado phonic sound
The crowd was stunning nearly yelled for more
When one he counted up to four !
His quiet little voice was made to sound
Just like Michael Jackson in the London underground
With digital delays, effects by the score
Just one check blew his audience through the door

CHORUS

I stayed at that club till just a few were there
Speakers the size of tea chests standing on a chair
I checked, it buzzed, everything went wrong
When I finally got to singing, the audience had gone.
Saying why can't you just sing to me
Without this testing 1, 2, 3
We long for the day you can do without
Because it's far too loud and it hides your mouth.

CHORUS

Yes, I feel acoustic music is music of the soul
Sharing it in harmony should always be our goal
The way things are going it's very plain to see
Before we can speak we'll have to test 1, 2, 3
But they'll flick a switch and they won't say when
Before you know we'll have to sing again
But I can sing to you and you can sing to me
There'll be no more testing 1, 2, 3



Copyright Greg Hastings ©
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