A Direction Home :: 6 Sep 2025 : Don’t Let Me Down
I was sipping xpa in the marrickville hotel the other night when the unmistakable voice of John Lennon let out the cry ‘don’t let me down’.
It cut through everything else going on. So that’s my theme today….
Today’s artists will offer reminisces and reflections, felt obligations and shirkings, held hopes and shattered commitments….
There’s the quest for love that never fails… Jim White is on that trail, and Gavin Bryars was helped along the way by a street singer… In a new song from duo MINOR GOLD we’re trying to catch our mother’s eye by doing a handstand in the shallow end…
Wanting more is raised by Kathleen Edwards and Karen Dalton.
There’s offers of support – Fionn Regan says : I’ll wait for you below the avalanche…
David Byrne has just announced that he’s getting married this week, and sending out a new album in celebrations… “Everybody Laughs” celebrates so many very human aspects that we hold in common, no matter our backgrounds or personal histories….
Lots of pleas : please, darlin’ just don’t …. and plenty of encouragement too.
OK, let’s head down this road, seeking a direction home…
[IMAGE : “The Navigator” – Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire]
This playlist could have been a lot longer… here are some of songs that didn’t make the final cut, but are well on point….
– Bettye Lavette – Let Me Down Easy
– War – Don’t Let No One Get You Down
– Lady Lyon : Good 4 Me
– Laura Marling : Don’t Let Me Bring You Down
– Folk Bitch Trio : I’ll find a way (to carry it all)
– Allison Moorer : A Soft Place to Fall
– The Apartments : The Failure of Love is a Brick Wall (You Prayed for Me to Hit It)
– Ph.D / Jim Diamond – I Won’t Let You Down
– David Bowie : Never Let Me Down
– Radiohead : Let Down
– Sean McMahon : Before You Let Me Down
– ELO : Don’t Bring Me Down
– Psycho Zydeco – Feet don’t fail me now
– Carole King : You’ve Got a Friend
PLAYLIST
The Beatles Don't Let Me Down (Let It Be - Naked Version)
Dana Fuchs Don't Let Me Down (Across the Universe - Soundtrack)
David Byrne feat. Ghost Train Orchestra Everybody Laughs (Who Is The Sky?)
The Hollies Don't Let Me Down
Karen Dalton Down On the Street (Don't You Follow Me Down) (It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best)
Leonard Cohen Chelsea Hotel No. 2 (New Skin For The Old Ceremony)
Jim White The Love That Never Fails (No Such Place)
Colin Jones My Father's Keeper (Toledo, OH)
Gavin Bryars Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet (Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet)
Fionn Regan O AVALANCHE (feat. Anna Friel) (O AVALANCHE)
Kathleen Edwards Little Pink Door (Billionaire)
Minor Gold Handstand (Way to the Sun)
Neil Young Don't Let It Bring You Down
Loudon Wainwright III You Can't Fail Me Now (Strange Weirdos)
Don McGlashan I Will Not Let You Down (Warm Hand)
