Ever since I was a 16 or 17 year old in the back of my dad's car listening to the first guitar notes of "Don't Dream It's Over" and thinking 'I need to hear more music by this band', Crowded House's music has been such a massive part of my life so last night when they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, it brought back the memory of where I heard Crowded House in the back of my dad's car on Wharf Road going past the Big Penis.
It was later in that month, I begged my mother to help me buy "Recurring Dream: The Very Best of Crowded House" from Sanity in the Hunter Street Mall. I played it the minute I got home and recognised so many of the songs that had been on the radio but hadn't realized that they were Crowded House songs, I am talking songs like "Better Be Home Soon", "Weather with you" and "Its Only Natural", I was like "Nobody writes this kind these kind of songs anymore"/
I ended up buying all four studio albums and "Afterglow" and then later on "Tme on Earth" and "Intriguer. Anyway, here are my top 10 favourite Crowded House songs and I am going to go beyond the songs that were released as singles (Keep in mind that these can change)
10. Instinct
There's something in 'Instinct' that sends a warm shiver up my spine constantly when I hear it and heck, singing "Your instinct can't be wrong" at the top of your lungs is always going to attract attention.
Instinct
9. Distant Sun
I believe any good song creates imagery in the mind so when I heard "Distant Sun" and all these images of seven worlds colliding began flowing in my head, it was a total whoa moment and as a writer (a not very good one at that) "Distant Sun" inspired me in ways I couldn't have imagined otherwise.
Distant Sun
8. Fall at Your Feet
I can't explain why but this song manages to make me feel five different emotions all at once. Its just such a beautiful song.
Fall at Your Feet
7. She Goes On
Another song from the Woodface album that just took my breath away from the opening line "Pretty soon you'll be able to remember her". Neil and Tim Finn's harmonies are stunning.
She Goes On
6. In My Command
In My Command feels like the wildest or closest to a pure rock song that I have heard from Crowded House. Especially love the chorus.
In my Command
5. Twice If You're Lucky
I wanted to include a song from the Intriguer album on this list and this song was perfect because of the harmonies, the melody etc, there's just so much to love about it.
Twice If You're Lucky
4. Catherine Wheels
Another song from Together Alone but its one of my favourites as it tells a story and for some reason inspires imagery of people sitting around a campfire guitars abound and singing this song and this story about two people falling out.
Catherine Wheels
3. Love You Til The Day I Die
I remember sitting in the school cafeteria playing this song on a discman on repeat, I didn't care what the in music was and I guessed some of the students thought it was daggy but who cared? Not me, I really was surprised it wasn't a single because it was a killer tune.
Love You Til the Day I Die
2. Whispers and Moans
This song was a slow burner for me, originally I wasn't sure if I liked it or not but after a couple of listens I was hooked. So much wonderful imagery in this song as well.
Whispers and Moans
Honourable mentions
To the obvious hits like Don't Dream its Over", "Better Be Home Soon". "Weather with you" and "Its Only Natural"
One of the songs I struggled in leaving out was from the Temple of Low Men album called "Never Be the Same".
Never Be The Same
1. Now We're Getting Somewhere
I first heard this song on the radio and was instantaneously hooked and I love the last line of it "We can choose what we choose to believe" because it rings so true today. So much of this song rings true for me today.
Now We're Getting Somewhere.
Thursday, 24 November 2016
My top 10 favourite songs of 2016
The year is almost over and I thought it would be fun to look back on some of my favourite songs released in 2016. Plenty of Aussies on this list this year.
10. Wasting Time by Bernard Fanning
This song from the ARIA award winning album Civil Dusk is seriously under rated. Loved this track the moment I heard it. Its such a classic Bernard Fanning song if I am completely honest.
"Wasting Time": - Bernard Fanning
9. Adore by Amy Shark
I cannot wait for an album by this lady. "Adore" has grown on me to the point where its one of my most played tracks of late. Let's hope Australian radio gets behind Amy because she certainly deserves plenty of success if this song is a sign of things to come.
"Adore" by Amy Shark
8. "Magnetic" by Dan Sultan
I must confess I have grown to adore Dan Sultan's music in recent years so was excited to hear "Magnetic" off his forthcoming new album and wasn't disappointed. "Magnetic" is a fascinating and dramatic track with a quite brilliant film clip to match.
"Magnetic" by Dan Sultan
7. 7 Years by Lukas Graham
Lukas Graham ends the run of Aussies with one of the longest chart toppers in Australia this year. 7 Years is a highly emotional track for me which is probably what attracted me to it when I first heard it, the messages in the song are quite powerful. Lukas Graham one of my favourite artist finds of the year.
"7 Years" by Lukas Graham
6. "Gimme the Love" by Jake Bugg
British artist Jake Bugg's distinctive voice is something that has struck me since I first heard him on BBC Radio 1 a couple of years ago and got to say when he went down the rock path with "Gimme The Love" I was a little worried but as it turned out I had nothing to worry about. "Gimme the Love" is a fantastic song.
"Gimme The Love" by Jake Bugg
5. "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
Played this song to death when I heard it on Spotify almost to the point where everyone I knew was sick of it. Ordinarily I am not a huge fan of Justin Timberlake's music but "Can't Stop the Feeling" has this amazing feel good vibe that modern music has missed in so many ways.
"Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
4. This Town by Niall Horan
I absolutely cannot stand One Direction, I just find One Direction's kind of music to be absolutely plastic and I genuinely don't think the boys believe what they are singing especially on the first album (just look at what Zayn Malik had to say) so when Niall released "This Town" I was pleasantly surprised, it was a real departure from the pre packaged plastic pop of One Direction and went down the path of an Ed Sheeran or even now James Arthur.
"This Town" by Niall Horan
3. One Strike by All Saints
You may remember All Saints for their 90s chart topper "Never Ever" but Shaznay, Melanie, Nicole and Natalie reunited this year to release the album Red Flag with the first single being "One Strike", song which in a sense is about Nicole's marriage bust up . The themes in this track about life changing in a split second just hit me hard. While "One Strike" wasn't a hit in Australia, it was a song that struck me as amazing.
"One Strike" by All Saints
2. Take Me Down by The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless sophmore album "Going to Hell" was huge and I did wonder how they were going to top it, they did with the first single of their latest album "Who You Selling for" entitled "Take Me Down". A song essentially about selling yourself to the devil among the themes. Take Me Down went number 1 on the rock charts in the US. I love the guitar in this song!
Take Me Down by The Pretty Reckless
Honourable Mentions
- Brace by Birds of Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkjvv4edFEQ
- What's the Pressure? by Laura Tesoro (Yes I know its a Eurovision song but I love it)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP3USrYpr5w
1. Dirty Laundry by Carrie Underwood
Country music is full of songs about getting revenge on those pesky cheating partners and Carrie Underwood is no exception, just look at her hit"Before he cheats" but on her latest album Storyteller, her fourth single "Dirty Laundry" has the killer lyrics "All the Ajax in the world ain't gonna clean your dirty laundry". Underwood is better known in Australia for her duet with Keith Urban and is due to bring her Storyteller tour to Australia. I just love "Dirty Laundry" for the absolute sass of the song and how obvious the guy in the song has made it that he has been doing it with somebody else.
Dirty Laundry by Carrie Underwood
10. Wasting Time by Bernard Fanning
This song from the ARIA award winning album Civil Dusk is seriously under rated. Loved this track the moment I heard it. Its such a classic Bernard Fanning song if I am completely honest.
"Wasting Time": - Bernard Fanning
9. Adore by Amy Shark
I cannot wait for an album by this lady. "Adore" has grown on me to the point where its one of my most played tracks of late. Let's hope Australian radio gets behind Amy because she certainly deserves plenty of success if this song is a sign of things to come.
"Adore" by Amy Shark
8. "Magnetic" by Dan Sultan
I must confess I have grown to adore Dan Sultan's music in recent years so was excited to hear "Magnetic" off his forthcoming new album and wasn't disappointed. "Magnetic" is a fascinating and dramatic track with a quite brilliant film clip to match.
"Magnetic" by Dan Sultan
7. 7 Years by Lukas Graham
Lukas Graham ends the run of Aussies with one of the longest chart toppers in Australia this year. 7 Years is a highly emotional track for me which is probably what attracted me to it when I first heard it, the messages in the song are quite powerful. Lukas Graham one of my favourite artist finds of the year.
"7 Years" by Lukas Graham
6. "Gimme the Love" by Jake Bugg
British artist Jake Bugg's distinctive voice is something that has struck me since I first heard him on BBC Radio 1 a couple of years ago and got to say when he went down the rock path with "Gimme The Love" I was a little worried but as it turned out I had nothing to worry about. "Gimme the Love" is a fantastic song.
"Gimme The Love" by Jake Bugg
5. "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
Played this song to death when I heard it on Spotify almost to the point where everyone I knew was sick of it. Ordinarily I am not a huge fan of Justin Timberlake's music but "Can't Stop the Feeling" has this amazing feel good vibe that modern music has missed in so many ways.
"Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
4. This Town by Niall Horan
I absolutely cannot stand One Direction, I just find One Direction's kind of music to be absolutely plastic and I genuinely don't think the boys believe what they are singing especially on the first album (just look at what Zayn Malik had to say) so when Niall released "This Town" I was pleasantly surprised, it was a real departure from the pre packaged plastic pop of One Direction and went down the path of an Ed Sheeran or even now James Arthur.
"This Town" by Niall Horan
3. One Strike by All Saints
You may remember All Saints for their 90s chart topper "Never Ever" but Shaznay, Melanie, Nicole and Natalie reunited this year to release the album Red Flag with the first single being "One Strike", song which in a sense is about Nicole's marriage bust up . The themes in this track about life changing in a split second just hit me hard. While "One Strike" wasn't a hit in Australia, it was a song that struck me as amazing.
"One Strike" by All Saints
2. Take Me Down by The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless sophmore album "Going to Hell" was huge and I did wonder how they were going to top it, they did with the first single of their latest album "Who You Selling for" entitled "Take Me Down". A song essentially about selling yourself to the devil among the themes. Take Me Down went number 1 on the rock charts in the US. I love the guitar in this song!
Take Me Down by The Pretty Reckless
Honourable Mentions
- Brace by Birds of Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkjvv4edFEQ
- What's the Pressure? by Laura Tesoro (Yes I know its a Eurovision song but I love it)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP3USrYpr5w
- Warts by Hinds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLygTTOpE5w1. Dirty Laundry by Carrie Underwood
Country music is full of songs about getting revenge on those pesky cheating partners and Carrie Underwood is no exception, just look at her hit"Before he cheats" but on her latest album Storyteller, her fourth single "Dirty Laundry" has the killer lyrics "All the Ajax in the world ain't gonna clean your dirty laundry". Underwood is better known in Australia for her duet with Keith Urban and is due to bring her Storyteller tour to Australia. I just love "Dirty Laundry" for the absolute sass of the song and how obvious the guy in the song has made it that he has been doing it with somebody else.
Dirty Laundry by Carrie Underwood
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Lyrics: Waiting
Actually really proud of this one, Wrote the lyrics about ten or more years ago. Its really the only one I've ever felt mildly good about after I finished it.
Waiting
Fell into an ocean of confusion
I got swept out with the tide
Doesn't seem to matter what I do
Try to escape the feeling of the current
Holding and pushing me back
Smashing my tired body to the bone
Spent part of my life just waiting on the shore
Now here I am with a sea of fools
Who don't know what to do
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Losing this long battle
I should be winning
Wish I was on the shore now
Try to fight the ocean
But it keeps pushing me down
Pushing me toward the floor
Spent part of my life just waiting on the shore
Now here I am with a sea of fools
Who don't know what to do
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Tonight seems so far away
I just want you to rescue me
Keep my dreams alive.
Spent part of my life just waiting on the shore
Now here I am with a sea of fools
Who don't know what to do
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Waiting
Fell into an ocean of confusion
I got swept out with the tide
Doesn't seem to matter what I do
Try to escape the feeling of the current
Holding and pushing me back
Smashing my tired body to the bone
Spent part of my life just waiting on the shore
Now here I am with a sea of fools
Who don't know what to do
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Losing this long battle
I should be winning
Wish I was on the shore now
Try to fight the ocean
But it keeps pushing me down
Pushing me toward the floor
Spent part of my life just waiting on the shore
Now here I am with a sea of fools
Who don't know what to do
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Tonight seems so far away
I just want you to rescue me
Keep my dreams alive.
Spent part of my life just waiting on the shore
Now here I am with a sea of fools
Who don't know what to do
Waiting for someone to come and rescur me
Waiting for something the probably won't arrive
In time
Waiting for someone to save me from dying here
Before all my dreams come to nothing
Now I am just waiting for you tonight
Sunday, 6 November 2016
Lyrics: Satan is A Prostitute
WARNING: The following lyrics are highly offensive so if you are likely to be offended do not read on. If you read on and wish to complain you only have yourself to blame for reading content you were warned was offensive. This could so easily have been "Jesus is A Prostitute" but instead of offending the son of God therefore the Westboro Baptist Church, I chose to offend members of Satan's Brides - The Australian chapter.
Satan’s a
Prostitute
Did you ever see such a sight?
Wearing your mother’s fishnet tights.
Out working the streets of your town
Could he land a man tonight?
I just saw him get in an old car
He’ll get paid $500 for a blowie
Fair chance he could go real far
Getting around this town tonight
The advertising’s
gone up
Sweet Satan’s a
prostitute
The devil is one
son of a gun
Does fifty men
before a rising sun
Sweet Satan’s a prostitute
He stands on
street corners
Selling his magic
wonder stick
Wants you to give
it a red hot lick
Plain to see for our eyes only
The devil has landed on our streets
To unleash his magic box of toys
For all the adult girls and boys
Graffiti on the wall says he was here
He has always been here, honey
Lurking at every street corner
In his Dorothy like high heels
The advertising’s
gone up
Sweet Satan is a
prostitute
The devil is one
son of a gun
Does fifty women
before a rising sun
Sweet Satan’s a prostitute
He stands on
street corners
Selling his magic
wonder stick
Wants you to give
it a red hot lick
The devil was here
The devil was always here
At street corners with a sign
Clad in fishnet tights and red high heels
Satan’s a prostitute, baby
Don’t sell your soul to him
It’s the same he pays you
For his good loving during the night
The advertising’s
gone up
Sweet Satan is a
prostitute
The devil is one
son of a gun
Does fifty people before a rising sun
Sweet Satan’s a
prostitute
He stands on
street corners
Selling his magic
wonder stick
Wants you to give
it a red hot lick
Friday, 4 November 2016
Lyrics: What the Priest did
Wanted to write lyrics that told a story as I have been inspired by Carrie Underwood's "Storyteller" album and I guess I got kind of topical. This isn't based on anything in my life just stuff I have observed in recent times.
What the Priest did
Girl only sixteen in third row
Blonde hair, brown innocent eyes
Wearing that blue dress to church
Popular priest standing at the altar
Telling the gathered to believe in
Jesus, God and the holy ghost
If only the people knew
If only the believers knew
If only God was watching
What the priest did
next
After the believers
left
When the girl was
alone
What the priest did
to that girl
Left her violated,
without any dignity
Yet the priest can’t
utter the word “Sorry”
Girl cried all the way home
Told her horror story to her mum
Mum said it was all a lie.
The Priest told his colleagues
What he had done to that sweet girl
They said “Never mind, we’ll move you on”
If only the whole city knew
If only the whole country knew
If only the Lord was watching.
What the priest did
next
After the believers
left
When the girl was
alone
What the priest did
to that girl
Left her violated,
without any dignity
The church still won’t
say the word “sorry
The girl had never felt so lonely
She felt so ashamed and worried
While the priest got away scot free
If only her parents knew
If only the police knew
If only God watched this mess
What the priest did
next
After the believers
left
When the girl was
alone
What the priest did
to that girl
Left her violated,
without any dignity
Why can’t the church
say “sorry”?
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