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From St Kilda To Kings Cross Lyrics
From St Kilda to Kings Cross is thirteen hours on a bus
I pressed my face against the glass and watched the white lines rushing past
And all around me felt like all inside me
And my body left me and my soul went running
Have you ever seen Kings Cross when the rain is falling soft?
I came in on the evening bus, from Oxford Street I cut across
And if the rain don't fall too hard everything shines just like a postcard
Everything goes on just the same
Fair-weather friends are the hungriest friends
I keep my mouth well shut, I cross their open hands
I want to see the sun go down from St Kilda Esplanade
Where the beach needs reconstruction, where the palm trees have it hard
I'd give you all of Sydney Harbour (all that land, all that water)
For that one sweet promenade
I pressed my face against the glass and watched the white lines rushing past
And all around me felt like all inside me
And my body left me and my soul went running
I came in on the evening bus, from Oxford Street I cut across
And if the rain don't fall too hard everything shines just like a postcard
Everything goes on just the same
Fair-weather friends are the hungriest friends
I keep my mouth well shut, I cross their open hands
Where the beach needs reconstruction, where the palm trees have it hard
I'd give you all of Sydney Harbour (all that land, all that water)
For that one sweet promenade
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Kings Cross obviously means a lot to Paul Kelly and probably was a 'holiday' destination when he was younger. All of the song is about his love for the place except the part about 'fair-weather friends' who are only your friend when things are going good. When things arent working for you, they couldnt care less and i dont really understand the next 2 lines. Fair enough that thier the hungriest, because they feed off you while everythings working and i guess that he keeps his mouth shut and doesnt tell them. i.e. he tolerated their 'fair-weathered' relationship but i dont know whats with 'i cross their open hands' maybe its re-assurance or marking them for something... or denying them something.. not sure. Someone comment the meaning of that bit for me plz.
My interpretation is that the song is all a juxtaposition of St. Kilda and Kings Cross -- the suggestion of 'fair-weather friends' is part of this.
St. Kilda, with all its shortcomings, its need for reconstruction, is the friend that is always there. Sure, it needs some attention and is not looking at its best, but it is well-loved.
Kings Cross (and Sydney Harbour) is the 'fair-weather' friend. It is beautiful, like a post card, as long as it doesn't rain too hard. The beauty here surely relates to the Harbour.
Given the choice, Paul chooses St. Kilda.
this song isn't about juxtaposing the images of old, run down St Kilda and "post-card" like Kings Cross... If you've ever been to Kings Cross you would realise that it's quite the opposite, as it's the centre of Sydney's red light district, as was even more seedy in the 1980's when this song was written.
This song was written after Paul Kelly was dumped from his first record label, I think that is what the part which is talking about "fair weather friends" means... he moved to sydney, from st kilda shortly thereafter.
I think the part where he's talking about everything shining "just like a postcard" is simply about the city lights, reflected on the wet road, which i think makes it seem less seedy and more beautiful, just for a second... but the homesickness he feels after moving doesn't go away.