The shock of the new seeking asylum
Safety haven some place with you
Safety Haven appears a ‘mellower’ and more reflective sister-song to David Bridie’s audacious protest song Nation (Of the Heartless Kind). They refer to the plights of undocumented refugees seeking asylum in Australia which culminated in the Tampa Affair 20 years ago. This is the sixth song to appear from Bridie’s obscenely underrated Hotel Radio record. It’s almost certain you haven’t heard of this 2003 record unless you had read my previous song articles. There isn’t even a wiki page about Hotel Radio, but it remains one of my most cherished Australian records by my favourite Australian singer – songwriter.
David Bridie as both a solo act; and founder, composer and front man of the group My Friend the Chocolate Cake is one of the prevalent artists to appear in my blog. I saw him Live on numerous occasions and spoke to him in person in between sets.
According to Bridie’s own web site – the album (Hotel Radio) radiates a sensual summer’s warmth with an expansive sense of mystery that delved even further into the art form of sonic texture.
Safety Haven also emits this breezy atmospheric sound which pervades most of the record. Bridie is a distiller of profound mood and ambience having worked on soundtracks for Australian films and television. According to his wiki-page: Bridie lived in the inner North suburbs of Melbourne including Northcote where I also lived from 2005 – 2009. In 2021 he moved to an off-grid property close to the Otway National Park on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast.
While my ‘politics’ now may not be so compatible with Bridie’s here or in other messages he has asserted, I sure as heck can’t help but feel swayed and moved by his music and the contextual moods and images which penetrate my senses. I do not consider today’s featured track Safety Haven one of the hallmarks from his record such as the title track, On a Day Like This or Tender Trap but I still find it very pleasing on the ear and how it feels around me. I hope you like it.
Lose the comfort, falling backwards
That’s so easy, it just leads me to the place I know
My asylum, safety haven, it’s a cushion
It cushions me from feeling this way
Let’s go travelling, every nation
Fill our heads up… with all these hits and memories
I’ve been looking only for the good in people
Every reason, for every reason for the things they do
(Chorus)
The shock of the new seeking asylum
Safety haven some place with you
I’ve been searching
Some place dripping with great beauty
You can find it with me that’s all I ask
(Chorus)
Reference:
1. David Bridie – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I’m running behind Matt…I like this…sounds really good…I like the sound of it.
Tell me about it. Later this morning when I get home I’ll catch up on other posts.
I’m glad you liked the sound of it despite it being one of the most demure songs on the record.
Good song Matt. It reminded me of the sort of soundtrack you would here at the end of a movie! You know when you see the credits coming up!! Can’t explain why!!! Hope you’re well. X
Hi Sharon. Thanks for your comment here and emails. I’ll get back to you, hopefully this afternoon. I can see how you could relate this song to credit-rolling music. Cheers.
The melody, instrumentals and Bridie’s vocals are all somewhat haunting, yet thoroughly enchanting.