From the recording Brave (EP)
After an exhausting 2019, Taiwanese-Australian singer-songwriter Kim Yang was looking forward to a well-earned holiday on the South Coast. But mother nature had other plans. Kim became one of the many people trapped in Eden on New Year’s Eve. Garden of Eden is about Kim’s experience of that night. The song is focused on the invisible damage caused by the bushfires. Kim’s words highlight the trauma and anxiety caused by the oppressive smoke and uncertainty. This experience was shared with hundreds of thousands of people from Mallacoota, to Canberra, to the Blue Mountains, and beyond.
This song was written as part of Kim’s healing process. She wanted to put her anxiety into words and let others who felt the same know they are not alone. The impact of the bushfires on the mental health of Australians was truly horrific. By sharing her story, Kim hopes to highlight the importance of talking about trauma and supporting each other.
CREDITS
Vocals and guitar by Kim Yang (Yu-Ching Yang)
Cello by Tabitha Hart
Piano by Guy Lilleyman
Recorded and Produced by Guy Lilleyman, Amberly Studio
Mastered by Dax Liniere, Puzzle Factory Sound Studios
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Red smoky sky
On New Year’s Eve
In the Town of Eden
Panic in the air
Empty shelves
Queues with the desperate people
[Chorus]
Once it was the
Garden of Eden
Now it is a living hell
I just want to
Flee this place
But the roads are burnt
Nowhere to go
Nowhere to go
[Verse 2]
Asylum seekers
Drifting in a haze
Eyeing the last bread
People overflow
In the shelter
anxious parents and crying children
[Chorus]
Once it was the
Garden of Eden
Now it is a living hell
I just want to
Flee this place but
the roads are burnt
Nowhere to go
Nowhere to go
[Bridge]
Reckless youth
This night drags on and on
Waiting for midnight
how do they still smile?
[Chorus]
Once it was the
Garden of Eden
Now it is a living hell
I just want to
Flee this place but
the roads are burnt
Nowhere to go
Nowhere to go