Kath Tait

Kath Tait is a songwriter from New Zealand, living in London. She writes about her life as a carer, a hippy, an itinerant bard and a wholefood freak. Described as ‘wonky and eccentric’ she is an empathetic and intelligent lyricist.

 

An Odd Number of Songs was published in 2019, and has  lyrics, illustrations and guitar chords by Kath. It contains twenty-three of her most popular and well-known songs.

 

 

Kath talks about her songwriting

I’ve been writing songs now for about 45 years. I don’t write the same kinds of songs all of the time because I get bored with that. So my material is a mixture of the wistful, poignant, outrageous, satirical and obnoxious. When I perform I like to take the audience on a journey where they might be laughing one minute and crying the next. All of the songs have short and unusual introductions in which I reveal a lot of personal information, some of which may not be true.  I’ve had a lot of fun doing this act over the years and my favourite gigs are in the backrooms of pubs to an audience of seven.

Two more songs from the collection with recordings

STRANGERS AND FOREIGNERS

Lots of people think, when they own their own homes,
That they can keep the immigrants out of their living zones.
Strangers and foreigners are everywhere
But they don’t bother me, no I  don’t care.
If you look at yourself you just might find
A stranger or a foreigner in your own mind.
So be kind to yourself and have some care
For strangers and foreigners everywhere.

Lots of people worry deep inside their hearts
About what other people do with their private parts.
Gays and lesbians are everywhere
But they don’t bother me no I don’t care.
If you look at yourself you just might find
That you’re a little bit that way inclined.
So be kind to yourself and have some care
For gays and lesbians everywhere.

Cold hearts, closed minds, cold shoulders,
From people who don’t like change.
They say variety is the spice of life
And then they all try to act the same.

Lots of people think that they’re totally cool
And they frown upon the poor town fool.
Foolish people are everywhere
But they don’t bother me, no I don’t care.
If you look at yourself  you just might find
A big fat dickhead in your own mind.
So be kind to yourself and have some care
For fools and dickheads everywhere.

What kind of a civilisation
Where small minded prejudice reigns.
Inferior behaviour
From creatures with superior brains.

© Kath Tait

Kath’s song is sung below by an Australian choir called Shaking the Tree


ALL THE NEWS FROM HOME

Dear Ellie, I’ve grown fat round the belly
I’ve been watching too much tele
Eating honeycomb
The weather’s warm here
Or maybe it’s the central heating
Or the ice caps retreating
That’s all the news from home

Sail on. You are a wandering child
And the world is wild with mystery
Keep and eye upon where the highway goes
And the other on what’s under your nose

Oh Ellie, you’ve grown fat round the belly
And it’s not the vermicelli
That you ate in Rome
Your Dad is sighing
About the baby clothes I’m buying
Perhaps you’d rather have the money
And that’s all the news from home

Ellie. Thank you so much for the photos
You and the baby in Kyoto
He’s got the family chromosomes
Dad is leaving
He found a woman he believes in
I am grieving
That’s all the news from home

Dear Ellie, I sold the house and tele
I threw the old love letters
In the river Frome
Life is fleeting
I’m having clandestine meetings
Please do not worry
My heart is now my home.

© Kath Tait 2020