Nevil’s beach
Beneath the empty sky
Dies a betrayed paradise
Shelter for fall out
Will not be found
Northern dust, has slowly driven
southbound
There’s little time
To think it all over
Little time
For all silly things to do
Last opportunity
To make dreams come true
No winners, no losers;
No mercy, no grace
No prize for joining
The human race
Mankind will find its last thrill
Swallowing the cyanide pill
That my friend
Is the way it will end
Not with a bang
Not with a bang
But a whimper
Peace at last
2©18 Eduard Meinema
Text completed in Estartit, Spain at June 22, 1987.
Based upon Nevil Shute’s novel ‘On the beach’, copyright 1957.
Read the story about this 'Song without music'.
Read the story about this 'Song without music'.
I received my (paperback) copy of this book from a lady working at the RSNA. I'm not sure about her age, but she must have been in, or almost in, her sixties. She (as I did) was promoting a conference of her organisation at the 'Microbe 1986' congress in Manchester, UK. After the congress she had planned a few days off to enjoy the landscape in a rental car. I asked her if she was used to driving at the left side.
"No," she said. "I'm not even used to this gear-stick-thing, and I could not find any automatic car to rent. So..."
"Yeah, quite exciting," I said. "Write me a postcard to let me know if you survived..." Oh boy; what a sick joke. But, admitted, most of our conversations were rather nice. Mostly about her boss, a younger man in his forties who was very, very busy dating an even younger blond woman at the show. Did you know conferences are often said to be a legal way to cheat on your spouse? Well, let's forget about mister playboy. The lady did see the UK; she did return alive and even send me a copy of Nevil Shute's 'On the Beach'. For some odd reason I felt my holiday in sunny Spain was the best time to read this depressive book. Great reading, but depressive. Once I had finished reading, I wrote these lyrics. Merely a summary of the story.
I know two or even more films have been made, based on this novel. But I never could persuade myself to watch them.