This might shock you but… I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. And no offence to anybody who does. But I wasn’t born in America, I can go out for a fancy dinner every other night of the year and pink is just not my colour (although this post’s imagery might suggest otherwise).
All that doesn’t mean, however, that I don’t appreciate me a good love song. And because 14 February is in a couple of days, let’s pretend you are my Sweet Valentine 🙂
PART 30 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE
I’ve had this idea for quite some time now to compile a list of my fave Aussie tracks about this thing called “love” that manifests itself in so many different ways. But I really wanted those songs to be some less obvious choices, so that you wouldn’t think at first that they cover topics of relationships, break-ups, infatuation or butterflies in the stomach. And I found some, fourteen to be exact 🙂
None of them has the usual romantic words in their title, like “love”, “you”, “kiss”, “miss”, “my baby” or “heart”. Instead, you might associate them with things unrelated or loosely related to love. And to make things a bit more entertaining, I’m giving you my thoughts on the songs’ content when I first heard their titles.
I need to add a disclaimer here. Song lyrics, just like poetry, are open to interpretation. And only their authors know what they had in mind when they wrote them. Which is why some of the below tunes refer to love in more direct ways than others. And maybe some of them don’t refer to it at all and it’s just my own understanding. Also, some of their videos can totally throw you off. The director’s artistic vision doesn’t always reflect the meaning of the story. That’s why when you listen to them, concentrate on the words first and foremost, draw your own conclusions and then watch the clips. To make it easy for you, I included the lyrics as well.
Two more things. 14 February is associated with celebrating romantic relationships between people (plural). But let’s not forget that self-love and self-acceptance are equally important to lead a happy and healthy life. That topic is present in my selection below as well. And the fact that there are more male acts on the playlist is totally random. Women are equally talented love song writers but in this case I was looking more into the song substance rather than artists themselves and that, incidentally, produced more male results.
So here are 14 Aussie love songs whose titles might confuse the hell out of you, with the link to Spotify playlist at the end.
TOTALLY THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT PLANNING HOLIDAYS
Image: Adelaide Now
We made plans to kiss the sun at night
Hopeless dreamers, hopeless types
Shedding skin you show your beauty scars
Don’t forget me or who you are
You know this don’t feel right
Who knows what we feel?
I just met you I can read your thoughts
What they tell me is what I want
I’ll keep you guessing keep you wanting more
‘Cause where we’re going no one knows
You know this don’t feel right
Who knows this could feel right
I just met you, I swear I read your thoughts
So don’t forget me or what you want
Light up the stage, make your move, give me something
So I can dance in your light and to your rhythm
Soon it unfolds who we are in this masquerade of stars
Tear off the mask, the face you hide is what I’m missing
We made plans to kiss the sun at night
Hopeless dreamers, hopeless types
One was turning, one was standing still
I won’t forget what was promised hereYou know this don’t feel right
Who knows what we feel?
Source: LyricFind
ACTUALLY NOT ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO KILL TIME
Image: Tone Deaf
Baby
Baby
Baby I’m all alone
Baby
Baby
Baby I’m all alone, alone, alone
His charms came and took me by surprise
The intensity of my love and I ain’t denying it
We’re fenced off but it’s not goodbye
There’s no wall they can put between us that’s too high
I’ve never known a rush like that
Dragged my whole heart into this plan he hatched
And though he’s a career crim, I wanna be near him
I don’t fear a thing when he calls and he sings
And he says
I got no one else to turn to
And I really don’t wanna burn you
But you’re all I have, will you set me free?
I got no one else to turn to
And this old fool, he don’t deserve you
But you’re all I have, you can set me free
Baby rescue me
He said that I could bust him out the prison bars
You could fly a chopper straight into the yard ‘Fore you know it, it could be like we not been apart
And I believed him but it’s hard cause I’m scared and I’m scarred
All of those locks and those guards and that barbed wire
None of it could stop our escape, I hugged him till I hurt
And the tears weighed heavy on my tired eyes
Then broken and fell free, Jesus Christ the plan worked
And they shot at us, all the while inmates cheered on
Little fragments of reality no match for my adrenaline
And when it all may have erupted he said ‘fear not’
I felt safe like everything else around me was irrelevant
Tightly your hands gripped the steering wheel
Tuned into the news, your eyes glued to the road
And I realised the fear that I’m feeling is real
Cause I don’t know how to run and you don’t know where to go
I got no one else to turn to
And I really don’t wanna burn you
But you’re all I have, will you set me free?
I got no one else to turn to
And this old fool, he don’t deserve you
But you’re all I have, you can set me free
Baby rescue me
Baby rescue me
Baby rescue me
Baby rescue me
And it feels so good to have got you back in my arms
But we don’t have time to fuck around
No time to fuck around
And it feels so good to have got you back in my arms
But we don’t have time to fuck around
No time to fuck around
I got no one else to turn to
And I really don’t wanna burn you
But you’re all I have
Will you set me free?
Source: Genius Lyrics
NOT A RELIGIOUS TUNE, STRICTLY SPEAKING
Image: London In Stereo
O Lord, don’t turn your back on me
O Lord, I need you here with me
O Lord, don’t turn your back on me
O Lord, I need you here with me
O Lord, don’t turn your back on me
O Lord, I need you here with me
O Lord, don’t turn your back on me
O Lord, I need you here with me
There’s a sadness in my eyes
Cos there’s an anchor in my heart
In the ways we turn inside
And it’s holding back my heart
And I know you’ll say that it’s alright
And you’ll be here through the dark of the night
But theres something in this saying you’ll leave
And I’m terrified
The feelings right
O Lord, don’t turn your back on me
O Lord, I need you here with me
O Lord, don’t turn your back on me
O Lord, I need you here with me
My love, don’t turn your back on me
My love, I need you here with me
My love, don’t turn your back on me
My love, I need you here with me
Source: Musixmatch
MY MATHS SCORE FROM HIGH SCHOOL WAS HIGHER
Image: FBi Radio
Swim out to me
I sink everyone that feels close
I swim out to sea
I feel so lost, I can’t breathe
We’re made of sixty percent
Water
And the rest I’m not sure
How much more can I take?
The blue of your eyes
And the blue of your face
Heart’s beating waves
And my mind overflows
Swim out to sea
I’m left out here with my thoughts
So swim out to me
I’ll sink if I don’t have you close
We’re made of sixty percent
Water
And the rest I’m not sure
How much more can you take?
The blue of your eyes
And the blue of your face
Heart’s beating waves
And my mind overflows
Ooohhh, ahhhhh
Swim out to me
I drown everyone that feels close
Please swim out to me
I’ll sink if I don’t have you close
Lyrics: Me
NOPE, NOT AN ANATOMY LESSON
Image: EDM Wiki – Fandom
If I give into you
I know that I will never see my life in my hands again
If I give into you
I know that I will never see my life in my hands again
I’m not here to love you
And to make you feel sane, so what’s the use?
If I should try to love you
No I can’t stay sane, so what’s the use?
My hands, my hands weren’t made to love you
My hands, my hands weren’t made to love you
If I give into you
I know that I will never see my life in my hands again
If I give into you
I know that I will never see my life in my hands again
I was there to love you
But only for the night, that you knew
I’ve got no-one to run to
That’s why it felt right, that you knew
My hands, my hands weren’t made to love you
My hands, my hands weren’t made to love you
I can’t just learn to love, understand
I know I woke you up, that one night we had my baby
I can’t just learn to love, understand
I know we move so well, it was just one night my baby
My hands, my hands weren’t made to love you
My hands, my hands weren’t made to love you
But I want that touch
The one he’s missing
He’s not enough
Won’t you listen, right
Won’t you listen, right
But I want that touch
The one he’s missing
He’s not enough
Won’t you listen, right
Won’t you listen, right
Source: Musixmatch
DON’T THINK “JURASSIC PARK”
Image: Merch Now
Put that song you like in my ear
Push my eyelids back, keep me moving
On the tracks, shifting gears
I need you by my side
By my side
By my side
By my side
Fall in love with me, hate my guts
Wrap your arms around the idea of
Getting up again, and getting better
I need you by my side
By my side
By my side
By my side
Source: Musixmatch
SAN FRANCISCO – THE TESKEY BROTHERS
COULD BE ANY OTHER CITY, REALLY
Image: Domain
I’ve been waiting in San Francisco
To know you still care
Don’t let that white bird fly
Then I know you won’t be there
I’ll be sitting by my phone
Waiting for you to call
But I feel those winds have stopped now
‘Round our words we built a wall
I hope one day the wind will blow
Warm on my face
And you ride down upon it
With steel wings and open lace
I just hope one day you will land
Back on that doldrums shore in love I stand
We can break down that yellow stonewall
And let our words sail on the wind again
I’ve been waiting in San Francisco
To know you still care
Don’t let that white bird fly
Then I know you won’t be there
I won’t ask for your forgiveness
As it floats in the wind
I’ll let the light bring it
As it shines down on me
But before…
Source: LyricFind
THIS ONE TOOK ME BY SURPRISE
Image: The Melbourne Sessions
Out of the blue it all changed in an instant
He was nineteen when she told him she was pregnant
Barely out of high school, living in a small town
Neither of ’em had a job or money in the bank
He got work on the factory floor
Struggling to make ends meet but she adored him
Always in his corner when her parents started on her like
“He won’t ever amount to that much”
The baby arrived, really they tried
She said “let’s do the best we can a day at a time”
He started staying out all night getting drunk
Convinced he couldn’t deal with what he had, what he’s done
He lost his job and that was no surprise
She said “I can’t go on watching you destroy your life
You need to get it together or I’m leaving with our kid”
He said “It’s probably best that you left”, so she did
So when you gonna learn
It’ll hit you hard
Even if it hurts
And it always does
So when you gonna learn
Let it in your heart
We come together and fall apart
Out of the blue my love
Five years later and she’s living in the city
And she’s severed all contact with her old life
Her little girl’s at school, she was working days
Staying up late and studying through the night
Out of the blue he called up and they talked
He said he’s got a job up north on fishing trawlers
He hadn’t touched a drink for two years, he’d been clean
Plus he saved some money on the side inbetween
He cleared his throat, made an awkward joke
And asked “maybe I could come visit you both
But only if you think it’s alright I mean”
She said she’d think about it, the next day she agreed
So when you gonna learn
It’ll hit you hard
Even if it hurts
And it always does
So when you gonna learn
Let it in your heart
We come together and fall apart
Out of the blue my loveOut of the blue
Out of the blue
Out of the blue my love
Source: Musixmatch
MY LEAST FAVOURITE CHORE
Image: Conversations About Her
Real sorry about your broken heart
I’m trying to walk on broken glass
Do it all again for art
Like had to write a song about it
I’ll go if you go, if you’re cool with that
I’ll go if you go, I have hope that you know that
I’ll go if you go, if you’re cool with that
I’ll go if you go, I have hope that you know that
I just wanna get groceries
I’ll pray you wanna get close to me
I’ll give it some, give it some, give it some time
But I think we’re supposed to be
And if you wanna get groceries
And if you wanna get close to me
Just gimme some, gimme some, gimme some sign
I think that we’re supposed to be
I wish that I could let it pass
I don’t mind that you put it last
I made it worse, I put you first
We’re laughing like it didn’t hurt
I’m in the dirt, I’ll make it…
Source: LyricFind
SOUNDS LIKE A VIRTUAL GAMER CHECKING ON THEIR SANITY
Image: FBi Radio
Two trains and a bus to get home
Sleeping on each other’s shoulders
Three clicks and the magic is gone
Our big dreams have turned us into
Hopeless romantics
Anxiety magnets
These streets are pulling at my memories
Pulling out my teeth
Don’t it ever make you feel sad?
Ooh, is this the real thing?
Are you like me?
Do you lie awake thinking
Ooh, is this the real thing?
Ah, ooh, ah, ooh
It’s the job of the young to collect ours
Afraid of our parents
And preparing to freak them out
You were my lifetime lover-ghost back then
Don’t it ever make you feel sad?
Ooh, is this the real thing?
Are you like me?
Do you lie awake thinking
Ooh, is this the real thing?
Ah, ooh, ah, ooh
You said you were fine
You said you were fine
You said you were fine
You…
Source: LyricFind
JUST PICK A NAME
Image: ABC
Everybody knows that Sally can’t dance
But damn she’s so fine that nobody’s gon’ tell her
Two left feet, one beautiful smile
Hot damn she’s so fly whenever we’re together
And here we go yo, I think it was a Friday night
I was kicking it at my place, aight…
I could feel my thigh vibrate, Sally’s on my cell phone
She was at a club but she was by her self though
Sipping on a Bombay, telling me to drop by
I could be her hot date, Jiggy in the spot light
Karaoke contest, she was gonna rock mics
We could sing Beyoncé songs till the clock chimes
One in the morning and the party was boring
When I walked in Sally must have caught me yawning
She said “Quit stalling boy meet me on the dance floor
I’ma cut a couple shapes up like a band saw”
So under the disco ball we all
Shake it like a Polaroid singing la-di-da
Down and dirty yo, Sally ain’t no Barbie doll
Goofy as hell but who cares, blasé blah
Everybody knows that Sally can’t dance
But damn she’s so fine that nobody’s gon’ tell her
Two left feet, one beautiful smile
Hot damn she’s so fly whenever we’re together
Once upon a time in my neighbourhood
Me and all of my next-door neighbours would
Get the whole block jumping to the latest jams
Rocking out to the sound of our favourite bands
I remember one summer on a Friday night
We had Morg dog spinning so the party’s hype
I saw my home girl Sally from across the way
An intelligent lady with a lot to say
She had a shimmer in her eyes and a smile to match
Skinny waist line but the style is fat
Just a glimpse of her face it could brighten the mood
Any place that she went she would light up the room
I was like let’s bust a groove, she said “cool”
But she moves like she’s rocking two busted shoes
She got two left feet and can’t work the beat
She can’t dance but Sally’s still perfect to me
I don’t wanna hurt nobody, I just wanna move my body
She’s sweet like marmalade, and tastes like oooh la-la-la
La—la—la-la-la-la—la—la
A-la-di-da, a-la-di-da-di-da, ayy
A-la-di-da, a-la-di-da-di-da
Everybody knows that Sally can’t dance
But damn she’s so fine that nobody’s gon’ tell her
Two left feet, one beautiful smile
Hot damn she’s so fly whenever we’re together
She don’t foxtrot, two-step or minuet but
She’s so fresh I don’t interject
There’s no skip to her lou or the do–si–do
But that’s cool I could still be her Romeo
You know
I don’t wanna hurt nobody, I just wanna move my body
She’s sweet like marmalade, and tastes like oooh la-la-la
La—la—la-la-la-la—la—la
A-la-di-da, a-la-di-da-di-da, ayy
A-la-di-da, a-la-di-da-di-da
Everybody knows that Sally can’t dance
But damn she’s so fine that nobody’s gon’ tell her
Two left feet, one beautiful smile
Hot damn she’s so fly whenever we’re together
Everybody knows that Sally can’t dance
But damn she’s so fine that nobody’s gon’ tell her
Two left feet, one beautiful smile
Hot damn she’s so fly whenever we’re together
Source: Genius Lyrics
I NORMALLY HOLD MY NERVE IN OTHER KINDS OF SITUATION
Image: ABC
It fell apart just as it began
In a flash of defiance
You won’t take the initiative
But the rest was mine
On demand I will understand
What a freefall could feel like
You became but a fabled dream
That would blur in time
But a restless heart
‘Cause sometimes the spark you know
How sweet the glow
That kicks you off your line
Hold your nerve
I was not right
I was bent out
And still left unshown
Weighing on that
Time in anguish
Now it left me broke
Is this the sound of a moving ground
Or the echoes of self-doubt?
I found the way to some peace of mind
That I still can’t use
To meditate on a shifting sand
Takes steadfast and sure feet
You became but a fabled dream
That would stir in time
But a restless heart
‘Cause sometimes the spark you know
How sweet the glow
That kicks you off your line
Hold your nerve
I was not right
I was bent out
And still left unsure
Weighing on that
Time in anguish
Now it left me broke
When you called me
I was anxious
And I felt exposed
But if all this
Might be worth it
Then I had to know
I’m not angry
For the time lost
That’s the turning wheel
When I knew then
When I know now
It was justified
Baby, all that
Sweet connection
Sometimes takes its time
Source: Musixmatch
WINDOW TO THE SKY – KIM CHURCHILL
WOULD MAKE GREAT ADVERTISING IF IT WAS ABOUT SELLING WINDOWS
Image: Vernon Morning Star
I was running for the hills, I knew no more about today
We came back with sinking froth, lead the way not much to say
My selections crawled away, to deal with this mess
Falling at my feet, I knew my time was going down, wasn’t long
Sinking into me, what can I do for you and what do you want?
What do you love?
To my window to the sky
To my window to the sky
Falling down, I thought I had it all wrapped up inside my head
But I was rearranging thoughts for other’s eyes instead
Falling at my feet, I knew my time was going down, wasn’t long
Sinking into me, what can I do for you and what do you want?
What do you love?
To my window to the sky
To my window to the sky
To my window to the sky
And there were times when I thought I could hold somebody’s hand,
That I deserved it and someone would understand
But I just seem to break the people that I find
To my window to the sky and I’m thankful for you today
To my window to the sky and you’re right, I feel okay
A pair of diamonds in her eyes, will be so sure to walk away
To my window to the sky
To my window to the sky
Falling at my feet, I knew my time was going down, wasn’t long
Source: LyricFind
NOT LIKE THE “I’M GONNA QUIT SMOKING IN 2020” THING AT ALL
Image: GQ Australia
Do you wanna get through?
You better believe
That I think, that I think, that I think of you
But I’m hearing no sound
You better believe
That I call, yeah, I call just to figure it out
Still I think about you
Under the moonlight
The reminiscing holds me back
And on a cold night
I hear your voice glide through the cracks
So if it’s alright
I need to learn to let you go
Are you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
Are you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
And in every thought
That I’d sink, that I’d sink, that I’d sink into
And through every door
I would think, I would think, I would think of you
And I was broken
I put the pieces back by hand
Whatever hope went
To knowing you would understand
Under the moonlight
I never thought I’d let you go
Are you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
Are you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
Are you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
Are you giving me a resolution?
I won’t think like thatAre you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
Are you giving me a resolution?
‘Cause I won’t think like that
Source: Musixmatch
No matter what your take on Valentine’s Day is, have a good one!
And definitely listen to some cheesy (or not) love songs 🙂
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