Living in the Bush was made possible through the support of Musica Viva Australia.
In 2011 Paul undertook and expansive tour of the outback regions of Western NSW, Australia. The area had been suffering a very long drought; so long in fact, that some of the younger children he met had never seen rain fall from the sky.
Paul travelled thousands of kms, working with various communities, conducting workshops, singing and writing music. in the remote town of Wanaaring, Paul joined a handful of remote school communities to research ideas that he could use for the inspiration of a new song, a song that would ignite their passions for the place in which they called home. During such a devastating drought, this was a moving and rewarding experience for all.
On day two the sky began to darken, clouds rolled in and for the first time in years, the rain DID come down. Paul had to quickly pack up his things, jump in the 4WD and hastily get back to the closest larger town centre of Bourke, 200km away on a dirt trail, for this trail was about to turn into mud.
The next day the entire landscape began to change. Grasses appeared, wild flowers started blooming, birds began to sing and the countryside sang along with new life. With the lyrics in his mind and a song in is heart, Paul wrote “Living in the Bush” as a tribute to the hard working people who survive the toughest conditions for years in these remote parts of Australia.
The audio sample below is recorded with a full band rather than piano, and is also in the lower key of D Major.
