I wish I was back where I was born in Newcastle on the Tyne
In England’s North East country with all those friends of mine
Walking down Northumberland Street then ’round to Eldon Square
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there

I wish I could hear that dialect that no-one understands
And see again that famous bridge that’s known throughout the land
I wish I could be there for race week when they have the Hoppings Fair
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there

I wish I could ride on a Metro train, it would mean so much to me
Or take a walk by those market stalls on Sundays on the Quay
Or sing along at the City Hall with Lindisfarne each year
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there

I wish I could hear the Leazes roar at St James Park Gallowgate
As the Magpies score that winning goal, that would be just great
To see again my family, nothing could compare
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there
I wish I was back in Newcastle, I wish that I was there

Words & Music by Wilf Mitford

It’s been a long time since I posted, and I figured it was time to get back in gear. It’s hard to believe it’s almost 2 years already since Dad passed away. Whilst I’ve been quiet on the blog that hasn’t been the case in the real world. I’ve been down at the session at The Fiddler, Rouse Hill as often as possible singing Dad’s songs as well as some of my favourite traditional ones, and we’re slowly making Good Old Geordie Song a favourite sing-along number. Dad would be proud! He would absolutely love the crack we have at the session. If you’re ever in western Sydney and fancy a jam, get along to the Fiddler – 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month and the most welcoming bunch of people you’ll ever have the good fortune to meet (like my Dad I couldn’t miss an opportunity for a plug)!

So it’s time for another Dad / Wilf’s songs from the archive. Back in 2015, I posted the song ‘What have they done to Gateshead?’ which Wilf wrote from the point of view of his Uncle Richard who had emigrated to Australia. He was very clearly taken by the idea of Richard being part of a great adventure to the other side of the world. This is another song written from that perspective.

The song possibly speaks more to Wilf wishing he could hang out with his Uncle and hear stories of faraway lands, and what he imagines someone would feel so far away from home, than of Richard’s melancholy at being away. In the years before he departed for Australia, Richard’s mother Annie, brother Archie, and sister Elizabeth had all died. There was only my grandfather William left, who was by all accounts, a bit of a difficult chap. I don’t know that Richard would have spent too much time missing the grey & wet industrial landscape of Gateshead when he was experiencing such hot summers and the prosperity of a booming Melbourne. By the 1980s, at the time this song was written, Richard & Gladys were living with their sons on Phillip Island, an absolutely stunning part of Victoria, NSW, famous for its’ penguin marches.

Nonetheless, Wilf used this idea to explore what makes Newcastle truly distinctive – the Tyne Bridge, the metro, the Hoppings, the footy, and the sounds of Lindisfarne with Fog on the Tyne. I think most people who are from the North and live away from the area can relate to that. This song reminds me of “I’m coming home Newcastle” by Ronnie Lambert (The Busker) – though his offers a more jaunty angle. It’s perhaps no coincidence that Ronnie’s song was also written in the 1980s – perhaps some inspiration for Wilf there.

I was lucky enough to visit Richard’s wife (my Great Aunt) Gladys, their son John, and grandson Jacob last year (and better late than never given I’ve been in Australia for over 15 years now, for shame!). Gladys lives in Wonthaggi these days and the coastline along that part of Victoria is breathtaking. Apart from a few visits in the 60s and 70s, the latter a few years after his only remaining brother William passed, Glady and Richard didn’t return to Gateshead. Experiencing Australia myself now I understand that the distance is long, and the main draw to return is family. Northumberland is of course stunning but there are really only a few weeks in the year where the weather makes the trip enticing. I’ve become too acclimatised to the Australian weather and so now I find the cold intolerable. My last trip home was for Christmas 2022 and I’ve sworn never to do a winter visit again!

Whilst Wilf was clearly fond of Richard and Gladys, he wasn’t close to them. He would only have met them a few times. They did however occupy a special place in his heart, whether it was simply because of his own longing for adventure or his perception of their seemly exotic life. He talked of them often and as I mentioned in my previous post he sent them a letter every year, a tradition I’ve continued with Aunty Glad. When Wilf passed away he had very few personal items – he wasn’t a sentimental man, and generally didn’t get attached to things – however we found a tie pin and cufflinks set in the shape of Australia. A gift from Richard & Gladys no doubt.

I’m very grateful Dad maintained that connection with our Australian family. It was a joy to be able to sit with Gladys over a cuppa and hear about Uncle Richard and their life down under that so captivated my Dad and provided so much creative inspiration for his songs. Now to start planning the next visit!

I wish I was back in Newcastle by Wilf Mitford is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://mitfordmusic.wordpress.com/.