Australia – Page 2

Little River Band | Happy Anniversary

“If you were listening to Top 40 around 1977-78, you know all about ‘Happy Anniversary,’ which narrowly missed the Top 10 at that time,” (Something Else Reviews). “For those of you who weren’t around, ‘Happy Anniversary’ was one of those snappy, mildly country-ish pop tunes laden with rich harmonies that sounded like soft California rock at its finest –except that these blokes were from Down Under. The deal-sealer is that funky undercurrent; the popping bassline not only works with the Nashville elements of the song, it makes the song downright irresistible.

The upbeat tone … belies that fact that it’s about a busted relationship, but hey, it’s got that funky bassline, so everything’s good. In fact, the album from which this ditty came, … Diamantina Cocktail, is arguably the best CSN album that Crosby, Stills and Nash never made.”

After the tune starts in E minor, there’s a shift at 1:15 – 1:36 for the early bridge, which features a lighter feel, agile ornamentation from a (likely real) string section, and a D major tonality. After the bridge, the return to E minor also brings a rock feel driven by an energetic funk-inspired bassline. There are several ingredients here that might suggest yacht rock. Yacht or Nyacht lists several LRB tunes, but they score low on YON’s scale. “Happy Anniversary” doesn’t make the list at all; despite checking a few boxes, it was released a little too early, and was a bit too short on breezy escapism, to have made the cut.

Delta Goodrem | Innocent Eyes

“Innocent Eyes” is the title track on Australian singer/songwriter Delta Goodram’s 2003 debut album. Goodram said the song, which is autobiographical and dedicated to her family, is one of her favorites on the album, and it is one of five #1 singles from the record. Innocent Eyes is the second-best-selling Australian album of all time, and Goodrem has since followed it up with six more.

The track begins in Bb minor before a distinctive downward shift to A minor for the chorus at 0:22. It returns to Bb for the second verse at 1:07, and then remains in A minor from 1:29 to the end.

Olivia Newton-John + Cliff Richard | Suddenly

Olivia Newton-John, a winner of four Grammy awards and an artist who sold upwards of 100 million albums worldwide, passed away today after a multi-year battle with cancer. We’re featuring a tune from one of the many high points of her multi-faceted career.

“Longtime Olivia Newton-John associate John Farrar composed ‘Suddenly’ for the soundtrack to the movie Xanadu in 1980,” (AllMusic). “Recorded in Los Angeles in March 1980, a somewhat slight ballad was transformed into a genuinely heartfelt duet between the Australian and Cliff Richard, with whom she had enjoyed a decade-long association as friend and occasional co-performer (she was a regular guest on his early-’70s TV series). ‘We do have a good relationship and I think it really comes across in the song,’ Richard mused. Indeed, released as Richard’s 79th British single, ‘Suddenly’ reached number 15 in that country, despite the general failure of the accompanying movie. It also became Richard’s fourth U.S. Top 40 hit in a year, when it reached number 20 in October 1980.”

Newton-John was always more than just a pretty face; the same could be said for her UK duet partner! Richard was a massive star in the UK by 1980s, but was beginning to catch on in the US market as well — with plenty of boyish pop cred belying his age (40 vs. Newton-John’s 32). “Suddenly” was a central part of the Xanadu soundtrack, but on the eve of MTV’s appearance in 1981, a promotional video featuring both singers was called for, rather than footage from the fanciful rollerskating-centric movie. If the US Top 40 somehow had a baby with the visual aesthetic of TV soap opera General Hospital, one of the largest media blockbusters of the era, this video would have been the result (move over, Luke ‘n’ Laura … Cliff and Olivia are super cute and have pipes!) The chemistry here might not have been entirely the result of acting: upon her death, Richard said of Newton-John: “‘We hit it off straight away. She was the sort of soulmate that you meet and you know is a friend for life. When I and many of us were in love with Olivia, she was engaged to someone else. I’m afraid I lost the chance,'” (Daily Mail).

After a somewhat aimlessly wandering intro (OMG, we have synths now! Let’s use them a lot!), Richard’s half of the verse begins in Ab major (0:16) but ends in B major; Newton-John’s half begins in Bb major (0:35) but effortlessly glissades into the Eb chorus (0:53). Lots of pivots continue from there.

Bee Gees | Bodyguard

“The Bee Gees made a commercial comeback outside the U.S. with 1987’s E.S.P. and its single, ‘You Win Again,” (AllMusic). One (1989), on the other hand, had an improved chart showing in the U.S., while sales fell off elsewhere. The Bee Gees are remarkable pop craftsmen … say what you will, “One” and “House of Shame” are convincing pop music. ([the single] “One” was a Top Ten comeback hit that topped soft rock radio playlists.) This stuff works as pop for the same reason “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You” and “You Should Be Dancing” did: the melodies are catchy, the hooks are deathless, and the vocals convey emotion over meaning. It may be weightless, but it’s polished.”

“‘I’m the last man standing. I’ll never be able to understand that as I’m the eldest,'” said Barry Gibb (SmoothRadio.com). All three of his brothers (twins Robin and Maurice of the Bee Gees, and much younger brother Andy) passed away between 1988 and 2012. “‘Nobody ever really know what the three of us felt about each other; only the three of us knew … It was such a unifying thing, the three of us became one person. We all had the same dream. That’s what I miss more than anything else.”

The disco grooves that propelled the Bee Gees to international superstardom were long gone by the time of this 1989 release, but “Bodyguard” features the fraternal vocal trio still firing on all cylinders. At 3:09, a whole-step modulation leads into a short guitar feature before the vocals return. Many thanks to Brazilian contributor Julianna for this submission!

Architecture in Helsinki | Contact High

Architecture in Helsinki was an indie pop band based in Australia, active from 2000 to 2018. “Contact High” is featured on their 2011 album, Moment Bends, which was nominated for Australian album of the year. Reviewing the album for the online music publication Pitchfork, critic Eric Grande wrote of the tune, “[lead singer Cameron] Bird’s breathy falsetto verses sound normal enough, but they turn into that odd, otherly voice of the Auto-Tuned on the chorus, singing, ‘I’ve got nothing to hide,’ with what might be the slightest smirk, sometimes tripled by an octave-lowered bass voice, sounding in the main like nothing so much as Owl City. And yet, it’s a terrific pop song, and the chorus, for all its strange sheen, is an undeniable pleasure.”

The track begins in Gb major, and modulates up a third to A at 2:56.

Matt Corby | Knife Edge

“Knife Edge” is featured on Telluric, the 2016 debut album of Australian singer/songwriter Matt Corby. The title, which translates to “of the earth,” informed Corby’s songs. “It’s the concept that runs through the record,” Corby said in an interview. “The idea that through nature and human activity we are all connected.”

Reviewing the album for Paste magazine, critic Saby Reyes-Kulkarni wrote “Corby, Hume and the band (whose contributions here cannot be overstated) have come up with a fresh, resplendent take on soul music. Spiked with muted touches of rock and other intangibles, Telluric establishes Corby as far more than a genre stylist and even stamps him as a visionary to watch right out of the gate.”

The track begins in D minor and shifts downwards to B minor in the third verse at 2:44.

Bee Gees | Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)

Released in 1975, “Fanny (Be Tender With My Love”) peaked at #12 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 in Canada. “According to Maurice Gibb, producer Quincy Jones called “Fanny” one of his favorite R&B songs of all time.” (SteveHoffman forums) Written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb and produced by Arif Mardin, the tune was recorded on the same day as “Jive Talkin’,” according to a 2001 interview in Billboard. Blue Weaver, keyboardist for the Bee Gees during this period, was influenced by Hall & Oates’ 1973 LP Abandoned Luncheonette: “The key change in ‘Fanny (Be Tender)’ was a complete rip-off from Abandoned Luncheonette (from ‘She’s Gone,’ which was also produced by Mardin). I only had it on tape, and I didn’t know that Arif produced it”.

The group did not perform “Fanny” live because of the layers of harmonies used to create the studio recording. In the same Billboard interview, Maurice Gibb explained: “We all love that one, but it’s just a bitch to sing.”

After starting with an intro and verse in E major, the tune shifts to its relative minor (C# minor) for the pre-chorus and chorus at 0:24. The pattern holds through verse 2 and chorus, followed by a bridge built around A major at 1:55 and another verse at 2:16. 3:00 and 3:05 bring two half-step modulatons.

Many thanks to our Brazilian follower (and first-time contributor) @julianna_arai for this submission!

Little River Band | Help Is On Its Way

On its website, Little River Band provides this overview: “The Eagles’ founding member, the late Glenn Frey, knew what he was saying when he dubbed Little River Band ‘the best singing band in the world.’ The current lineup of LRB takes that accolade to heart each and every time they perform. Through the ‘70s and ‘80s, LRB enjoyed huge chart success with multi-platinum albums and chart topping hits.”

“One of the first Australian bands to find widespread commercial success in America, Little River Band brought a polished, vocal-heavy pop sound to the late-’70s airwaves, melding the rich harmonies of the Eagles and Crosby, Stills & Nash with a bit of AOR drive and soft rock melodicism.” (AllMusic).

1977’s “Help is On Its Way” hit #1 in Australia and #14 in the US. The tune starts in B major, shifts to C major for the first chorus at 0:41, and then returns to B major for verse 2 at 0:59. There’s an early bridge at 1:35, suddenly diminished to only piano and few touches of percussion. The full groove is back at 2:06 with a brief guitar feature in G major; 2:25 brings us back to a verse in B major, with another shift to an C major chorus and then an extended B major outro.

Many thanks to first-time contributor Ziyad for this submission!

Sia | Free Me

Australian singer/songwriter Sia released “Free Me” as a single and music video in July 2017. The video, narrated by Julianne Moore, depicts an expecting mother (played by Zoe Saldana) who is told she is HIV-positive after going in for a routine check-up. The mother’s emotional journey is communicated through choreography, set by Ryan Heffington. “The HIV/AIDS epidemic is one that can affect anyone, particularly child-bearing women around the globe,” Sia said upon the song’s release.

“I’ve proudly joined forces with the Abzyme Research Foundation and the #endHIV Campaign for the release of my song, ‘Free Me,’ to help raise funds and awareness for a potential breakthrough cure of the epidemic.” All proceeds of the song support efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS. A half-step modulation from Eb to E occurs at 4:02.

Bee Gees | Too Much Heaven

Originally written to be the Bee Gees‘ contribution to the “Music for UNICEF” concert in 1979, “Too Much Heaven” became one of the band’s most popular songs, the fourth of six consecutive #1 hits for the group in three years. Featuring the distinctive, high falsetto timbre the Bee Gees are known for, the track includes nine layers of three-part harmony, as well as a guest appearance by the horn players of the American rock band Chicago. Key change at 3:30.