I'VE GOT A LOT OF FAITH IN YOU
On this record, I was trying to get a more band approach to my music. We'd had
the same line-up for a year or so and tried to take that cohesive sound to
record. Shane O'Mara played guitar, Peter Luscombe drums, Bill McDonald bass,
Rebecca Barnard handled the harmonies and Chris Abrahams played keyboards.
Shane, Peter and Rebecca went on to establish Rebecca's Empire and play with
Paul Kelly. Bill now plays with Frente and with me in Four Hours Sleep.
TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Written by Steve Kilbey and his sometime partner Karin Jannsen. She recorded it
under the name Curious Yellow. It was a favourite record of mine. I played 12
string guitar and Kilbey played everything else I think.
KEEP THE BALL ROLLING
From the Unguided Tour album. Shane O'Mara played a great guitar riff. The lyric
refrain "Three little girls playing dress-up, they all want to be queen" comes
from a Spanish proverb.
I FELL FROM A GREAT HEIGHT
Recorded in Sydney at Steve Kilbey's old studio in Surry Hills. When I think of
this song the image that comes to mind is the old ICI Building in Melbourne. It
was the first skyscraper that I can remember. Steve Kilbey played bass, Chris
Abrahams played piano and Grant McClennan played the simple guitar. Like most of
the songs on Falling Swinger it was recorded in two or three takes.
SHE SET FIRE TO THE HOUSE [BAND VERSION]
This is from the Lovetown album. Recorded this at John Rees's house in Hawthorn
with Andrew Pendlebury and Mark Ferry, Peter Lindon and Peter Jones. John was
the old bass player from Men At Work and set up a small eight-track studio in a
spare room. It was a very relaxed recording. Has been a song that I can sing
over and over and still enjoy. Many people have offered different
interpretations of its lyric. I can't recall why I wrote it. Many of my songs
deal with a character getting themselves in and out of a chaotic situation.
YOU'RE A DREAM
This song comes from Escapist. It was recorded with Bill McDonald on bass and
Michael Sheridan on guitars, drums were played by John Murphy. These three last
played together in the legendary? Max Q. Another positive love song. I think
I'd just read a self-help book or something.
SEPTEMBER 13
On the first day of recording Falling Swinger, Kilbey and I discovered we shared
the same birthday. I immediately fell in love with the song. It didn't have a
title, so I suggested our shared birth date. Boris played the trumpet.
SOMETIMES
This song was created in the studio by Kilbey and myself. He had a tape loop of
Karin Jannsen singing over a drum beat and we basically used this as a
foundation that we constructed the song over. Kilbey played most everything. Tim
Powell played the drums.
YOU JANE
Part one of the Jane Saga. A guy goes into a bar and chats up the waitress.
Wrote this after watching Alan Rudolph film, "Trouble In Mind". Bill McDonald
once dragged me across Brisbane to show me the best waitress in the world. She
worked at a Greek restaurant in a mall. She was beautiful in a melancholy,
Juliet Binoche, kind of way. The best waitresses are dedicated to waiting as a
higher pursuit, they're not part-time artists or hoping to break into movies,
advertising, etcetera.
MELANCHOLY HOUR
Part two of the Jane Saga. The same guy goes back to the bar and finds that his
best friend has slept with the waitress too. Much gnashing of teeth etc.
WALK SOFTLY BUT CARRY A BIG STICK
Part three of the Jane Saga... Years later. It's Christmas Eve and the same guy
has taken a few wrong turns in life. He can't sleep and visits the local
convenience store. It's here, he runs into that same waitress from years before.
She works behind the counter. They get together for one more shot at making it
work.
THE BLUE HOUR
I get confused at the blurring between light and dark. Hate going to
intermediate sessions at movies. Don't like going into the theatre in sunshine
and coming out and it's night. This is the first song I wrote with Sydney
pianist Chris Abrahams and the tune was covered by Vika and Linda Bull.
WHEN LOVE COMES BACK TO HAUNT YOU
The path of true love doesn't always run smoothly. Sometimes it doesn't run at
all.
SOMEWHERE [NEW]
Recorded with the Four Hours Sleep group at Tim Finn's Periscope Studio. Another
chance for me to do a jingle-jangle rock tune. Written with Bill McDonald. Dan
Luscombe from the Black Eyed Susan's sings a joint lead vocal with me throughout
the song.
THE BIG ROOM
This is my musical interpretation of Michael Herr's fantastic book on Las Vegas
and those that have performed in its hallowed big rooms and lounges. It was the
final song recorded for Falling Swinger. Kilbey played most everything. Simon
Polinski created the drum loop and Boris played the trumpet again.
WHATEVER LOVE IS
This is me striving to be Fleetwood Mac. Video Smash Hits loved it. Bruce Haymes
plays the Hammond solo and the part of Christine McVie, Robert Goodge pretends
he's Lindsey Buckingham and Rebecca Barnard and Nick Smith play the challenging
impersonation of Stevie Nicks.
WAITING FOR A TRAIN [NEW]
This song was a hit in Germany in 1982 for Flash and the Pan. It was written by
Vanda & Young. I've always been a bit of an admirer of Vanda & Young's pulp-pop
sensibility. It's a drug song. It could be about Stevie Wright?