Reasons #198 & #197: Business As Usual and Cargo
From the “Weird and Poppy” files comes this double shot from Australia. The ’80’s was a bizarre and wonderful time for pop music; a time when songs about Vegemite sandwiches sung by a cock-eyed Aussie could reach #1 all over the world and nobody blinked an eye. Here, take a peek at some couplets from Down Under:
Traveling in a fried-out combie
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscles
I said, “Do you speak-a my language?”
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
He was six-foot-four and full of muscles
I said, “Do you speak-a my language?”
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Where beer does flow and men chunder
The music is perfect, though, truly a great pop song. Others are just as worthy, too: Be Good Johnny and Who Can It Be Now with an indelible sax riff that will stay in your head for weeks. Cool cover, too.
The follow up, Cargo, was always going to pale in comparison, and it does, but only slightly. It’s A Mistake was the really big hit, and it’s a doozy, a really terrific little earworm. Overkill and opener Dr Heckyll and Mr Jive are the other two that I remember the most, and listening again I have to say I might even prefer this album overall to the debut. It’s a tad more eclectic (which is really saying something with these guys), and maybe even a little more…serious?Anyway, the world was a better place with Men At Work in it, and it still is.
I like my pop with a dash of weirdness!
Great post, Ian. I couldn’t agree more with your last sentence. I’m actually partial to “Cargo” since there are a couple more clunkers for me on the debut…and I never fully embraced “Be Good Johnny.” I think it’s a good thing that they recorded “Cargo” prior to “Business As Usual” becoming a worldwide smash so, instead of trying to live up to the hype, they just carried on doing what they did best.
’80s singles don’t get much better than “Down Under” and “Overkill.” Actually, they hold up against the best songs of any decade.
Touching the Untouchables
No Sign Of Yesterday
Down By the Sea
Underground
I Can See It In Your Eyes
High Wire
etc
If they were new now this would all be one album.
Great stuff
Good post. My dad played their first couple of LPs to death. I remember every word of ‘Dr Heckle and Mr Jive’ despite the fact I probably haven’t heard it in 30 years!
Yes. I still enjoy listening to the Men at Work every once in while…