Rocktober Day Twenty Three: You Are My Sister

Right now I'm thinking about my sister who is due back from New York on Monday (this long long long distance romance stuff is hard work). Which made me think of this song and made me realise that it is terribly remiss of me to leave poor Antony and The Johnsons until day twenty three when they are so very important to me.

As you probably know I found Antony at the Came So Far For Beauty concert at the Sydney Opera House in January 2005. It was a tribute concert for Leonard Cohen songs and there was an assortment of musicians performing. Some I knew, many I didn't.

Antony lumbered onto the stage, a huge man, all long black hair and stretched out old jumper; looking like someone's oversized four year old brother. Not for a moment did I expect the voice of a fallen angel to emerge from that shape.

When I left the concert hall that night I was in shock. I needed to find out about Antony Hegarty immediately if not sooner. When I couldn't get into his booked out solo show at a small nightclub in Newtown a few days later I literally sat in my car and sobbed.

A few weeks later I received his I Am A Bird Now CD (import, not available in Australia) and I could not get enough. For a while it was on constant rotation in the car. Now I don't listen that often; the feelings his voice brings out in me are too painful. Avoidance and denial, try them, you'll like them.

Anyway, this song is too beautiful for anyone who has a sister (or any sibling or really a wonderful friend) who has been there for them. For a giant homosexual, androgynous boy growing up must have been tough in New York City and I imagine these words for his sister are a tribute to the love and support she showed him through the difficult years.

The addition of Boy George's beautiful backing vocals are an extra treat.

You Are My Sister (Antony and the Johnsons live on Letterman)

You are my sister, we were born
So innocent, so full of need
There were times we were friends but times I was so cruel
Each night I'd ask for you to watch me as I sleep
I was so afraid of the night
You seemed to move through the places that I feared
You lived inside my world so softly
Protected only by the kindness of your nature

You are my sister
And I love you
May all of your dreams come true

We felt so differently then
So similar over the years
The way we laugh the way we experience pain
So many memories
But theres nothing left to gain from remembering
Faces and worlds that no one else will ever know

You are my sister
And I love you
May all of your dreams come true
I want this for you
They're gonna come true (gonna come true)