Happy Online: Online Event with Michael Coghlan

Michael Coghlan

HAPPY ONLINE

People say that I've got grey hair
I must say that I don’t care
Everyone strugglin’ to go on line
You might be a friend of mine

Tapping keys there across the world
Perhaps a lost and lonely girl
Who turns to the web to find her heart
With someone who’ll be apart
Far away

Everyone wants their own home page
Aiming to be the next web sage
I tried to find you but your site was down
You must have been out of town

Planning dreams to take me away
It’s time to go I just can’t stay
Email my friends to say goodbye
It’s time to go off line
I’m goin’ away

Then it happened - life fell apart
My friend dear life lost its spark
No url’s ; no send, no reply
Just tropical heat and a whole lotta rain
In my eyes
Something had died
Someone has died

Gee it’s good to be back on line
Where real life can’t touch me and I feel fine
Say hi to my friends who have no face
They got no pain and they got no place

They can’t see that I got grey hair
And that’s why I say that I don’t care
They can’t see the tears in my eyes
I could be laughing and I could be wise
And I’m far away
Happy on line
It’s email time
Happy on line

(I don't mind 404. I don't mind server down. I'm happy online.)

(Copyright Michael Coghlan 1997)

http://users.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/songs.htm#Title:%20Happy%20Online

 


Ideas for discussion

Read the lyrics of "Happy Online". Based on your understanding, what do you think the message of this song is? What is it trying to tell us? Have you ever experienced the same situation or feelings that go with meeting friends online?

You will be meeting the singer and writer of Happy Online, Michael Coghlan, on April 21. He will be sharing with us his thoughts about his composition and his opinions regarding online friendships and more.

You might all be interested to know that Michael and I have known each other for 3 (?) years now but we still haven't met each other (physically or face-to-face, that is). I have met Michael through the English for Internet and Writing for Webheads, an online community of English learners.


Listen to the Online Voice Session

Read the Messages and Comments posted on the Discussion Forum

Go back to Group A's list of projects