Golden Leaves – a Richmond fan’s lament

There comes a point in every AFL season where a Richmond fan’s patience is well and truly tested. When you think it’s finally rock bottom, but then the next week provides you with yet another stomach-dropping moment, and a source of mirth for the rest of the competition, smug at how “non-Richmondy” their team is.

Hopefully, this is it. It can’t get any worse than this. Surely.

This song has been my personal Richmond pick-me-up for the past few years. It’s written by Passenger, an English musician who spent several years in Australia, busking around the country. The Melbourne autumns clearly made an impact on him.

So Richmond fans, think back to the start of the season and revel in how apt this song is. You have to laugh, otherwise, you’ll cry.

(But seriously, losing to GWS by only three points after an 88-point thumping last time is a definite improvement. There’s still hope. That bloody Richmond hope.)

Do you remember how this first begun?
Teeth were white and our skin was young?
Eyes as bright as a Spanish sun
We had nothing we could hide

Now my dear we are two golden leaves
Clinging desperately to winter trees
Got up here like a pair of thieves
While the sirens blare outside

What’s left to say when every word’s been spoken?
What’s left to see when our eyes won’t open?
What’s left to do when we’ve lost all hope?
And what’s left to break when our hearts are broken?

But sometimes…

Do you remember how this started out?
So full of hope and now we’re filled with doubt
A dirty joke we used to laugh about
But it’s not funny anymore

I fear I choke unless I spit it out
Still smell of smoke, although the fire’s gone out
Can’t live with you, but I die without

What’s left to say when every word’s been spoken?
What’s left to see when our eyes won’t open?
What’s left to do when we’ve lost all hope?
And what’s left to break when our hearts are broken?

But sometimes…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytmLIv4TrUs