Kath McMillan
Kath McMillan lives and works in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. “My songwriting began as mainly satirical, often rewriting well known songs to make a point. In 1979 I wrote my first heart felt and personal song and when we wrote the Affirmations songs I was happy to find that uplift in myself. My songs have come out as melody and words together- a verse or two and/or a chorus, sometimes on the point of sleep; or while driving or under the influence of unescapable emotion. I catch them on a small tape recorder and later do the work of crafting the whole song.”
Kath is a multi-talented musician. This webpage is divided into three sections: her work as a solo artist and the song “Dreams and Visions”, her work with the duo Kath and Ini in producing the superb Affirmations chants, here exemplified by ” Tower of Strength” and the album Kali, with Lyndall Katz, Ineke Veerkamp and Annie Kia.
Listen to Songs By Kath McMillan
Dreams and Visions
Song Lyrics
Oh , you who follow your dreams and visions, with love in your hearts and courage
You who follow your dreams and visions, I join you now at last.
I will be free, and I will have many with me
I will be free, and I will have many with me
Oh , you who follow your dreams and visions, with love in your hearts and courage
You who follow your dreams and visions, I join you now at last.
Tower of Strength
Performed by Kath and Ini 1985, authorship currently under review
Song Lyrics
I am a tower of strength within and without, I am a tower of strength within
I am a tower of strength within and without, I am a tower of strength within
I let all burdens fall from my shoulders, all anxieties drop from my mind
I let all burdens fall from my shoulders, all anxieties drop from my mind.
I let all fears slip away, slip away, all fears slip from my heart;
I let all fears slip away, slip away, all fears slip from my heart.
I let every shackle be loosened, every shackle be loose
I let every shackle be loosened, every shackle be loose.
About the Song, Tower of Strength.
From Affirmations chants by Kath and Ini
Ineke: “An affirmation poem Kath and I both knew. Whilst driving to what we knew would be a rather challenging situation we started to jam on the words and it became a song in no time that we often sang for strength. This was the first of a series of a total of twelve affirming songs.”
Kath: “We made this up while driving, somewhere in Tasmania. The words had already come as spoken affirmations, taught to us in the context of a spiritual growth group. Every time we shared it with others, they said “I want a recording.” It led to the whole tape and year or two later I get strangers introducing this song to me. I know it’s out doing its work.”
My performing career started to take off with my involvement with Lismore Women’s Music Collective and also after writing the Affirmations with Kath. We performed together as a duo and then as part of the KALI ensemble for about seven years.”
Ineke Veerkamp
For Judy Leng Im
By Annie Kia, harmonies by Kali
