CH Song Associations

Distant Sun is the one that brings back a lot of memories. I was in a Theatre Group for a while and was getting a lot of flack of someone there. She was a crazy woman and caused general chaos but then turned on me saying I was after her fiance which was soooooo not true. It was 'seven worlds will collide, whenever I'm by your side' I went back again and again (hoping for the thrill to return).

The thing was I loved the group and had so many good friends there, including the fiance who ran the group. Distant Sun was his fave Crowdies track and I sent the lyrics to him as a sad goodbye and hoped and prayed he would somehow come to his senses and see how much damage she was doing.....after all he was old enough to know who he was and old enough to carry the scars

A year on we are back to being friends and he is a much happier person. She is no longer part of the picture.

Hi, tonguetied. Glad it worked out for you, though it sounds like you never did go back to the theater group, which would be sad. Bonus points for working all those lyrics into your post!

Evvie

Unfortunately I don't have any CH associations because I was not aware of CH while they were a unit. Strangely enough, I do have Split Enz associations--mostly History Never Repeats reminds me of my first apartment......as does I Hope I Never and Iris.....I Got You and What's the Matter with You?! reminds me of going out dancing with my friends on the weekend in my early twenties.....

So, it's joyful music that reminds me of when I was young(er) And now I hope to have associations with CH songs going forward!

quote:

Originally posted by Evvie:
[qb] Hi, tonguetied. Glad it worked out for you, though it sounds like you never did go back to the theater group, which would be sad. Bonus points for working all those lyrics into your post!

Evvie [/qb]

I am still toying with the idea of going back!
Thanks x

You're right, awamutu--that's a hard association to top! That faint sound coming from your speakers is me sighing with envy.

Martine, I remember hearing about Split Enz in the early MTV days and seeing at least part of the "One Step Ahead" video. I was interested by the band and charmed that they were from oh-so-exotic New Zealand. Then they abruptly disappeared from MTV, at least as I recall things, and that was that. My attention returned to matters like upholding the honor of Rush in the face of my classmates' scorn. I once had a girl put her hands around my throat and shake me because I dared to say that Geddy Lee was better looking than Adam Ant.

Evvie

Well Evvie,
Had my brother gone to your school, he would have defended your right to think Geddy Lee is more good looking than Adam Ant (...well....at least Geddy never wore lip gloss) (or wore pirate shirts)

I don't recall ever seeing ANY Split Enz videos during the time period ('79-83) but their records were played frequently at places (ahem) I frequented and when my interest in Neil developed, I was sort of pleased with my younger self as I was sure I had bought at least one Split Enz record--I actually bought 3!

I also remember mainly skipping over most songs Tim sang lead on (sorry Tim) except I Hope I Never and make straight for Neil's songs...it's sort of like coming full circle in a way, except now I can totally handle Tim now (??) whereas before I just couldn't for some reason. I guess, for me---Tim must have been an acquired taste whereas Neil clicked with me all those many many years ago--and like you say, Split Enz seemed to fall off the radar and I don't know how many people clicked onto the fact that some members of Crowded House had been a part of Split Enz. Probably die-hard Split Enz fans knew that Neil had a new project but to those of us who were casual fans, (like me) you wouldn't necessarily connect the vocalists

Ah well! Better late than never!!

And yes, I knew Mona has had the chance to perform with Neil and I agree that there can't be a better association! Don't worry Evvie--you may get the chance during the next tour!! Start learning all the words to all the obscurities NOW!

Sure, awamutu, anybody can screw up, but people indulgently ignore it when the person flubbing is one who wrote the words. The rest of us get no such mercy.

Martine, at the risk of dragging this TOTALLY off topic, I'd actually say now that Adam Ant *was* better looking than Geddy Lee. I might even have noticed that if I hadn't been blinded by mad infatuation.

Scuttling back to topic: For me, too, Tim Finn's musical style is an acquired taste. But then, so was Neil's, in a different way. When I read people's posts on how they "found Neil," I was surprised to see that I wasn't the only one who took a long time to warm up to his music. I never would have become a CH fan if my boyfriend hadn't played their music over and over; after a while I became a fan, but a pretty laid-back fan. I didn't pay much attention to Neil's solo work when I first heard it, either. Then this spring the music seemed to grab me and clobber me over the head. (Ending a 16-year relationship may have had something to do with it.) I've found myself reacting to Crowded House songs as if I'd never really heard them before. When I introduce someone to CH for the first time, I don't look for a response; I feel more like I'm planting a time bomb.

Evvie

When I introduce someone to CH for the first time, I don't look for a response; I feel more like I'm planting a time bomb

My goodness, that is sooo true. It's the tenth time you hear Distant Sun that's the kicker....

Although, I have found that certain songs hit me on the very first playing but to some degree, I would be acclimatized to it, this may not be the reaction of a 'new fan'

And Evvie, if I had to choose, I'm afraid I would've had to have gone with Adam Ant too shallow cow that I am. I just didn't want you to have to strangle me...

I'll never forget when I was in 7th grade, the girl who sat behind me in algebra learned that I was a Hall & Oates freak and brought me a magazine she had. "Here," she said, "isn't this Daryl Hall?" and there on the cover of the mag was Geddy Lee! I was like, "Good God, no!!" She was pretty much a rock & roll virgin... no worries though, she is completely corrupted now....

I was never a big Enz fan, I think mainly because they did not get much exposure down here (and I lived my youth without Mtv, sadly) though I was familiar with IGY and MTMG, thanks to a local tv station. I fell in love with MTMG and recognized Neil's vocals when DDIO came out, but couldn't place him. Snatched up all the CH but don't know why I never went searching for Enz...?

BBHS always makes me think of how my hubby (fiance at the time) was gone away for six weeks and I thought I would die without him. I sent him a tape of "message" songs of how I was feeling, and BBHS was one of the songs I put on there. So... kinda mkes me a little sad.

But isn't Daryl the tall blonde one?? (cringes as her lack of knowledge re Hall & Oates is exposed for all to see) If true, how did she get a tall thin blonde guy mixed up with a thin shortish dark hair parted in the middle down to his knees fellow with a nose that Ringo would've been proud of?

But that's sweet in a way, that she went to the effort...isn't it?

Better Be Home Soon would definitely be a poignant reminder of a missed loved one.

locked out reminds me of being locked out of my house for 4 hours in the blazing sun

Rain00, your story gave me a much-needed laugh. Reminds me of a time when my friend and I were looking at posters in the local record store. She pointed at one photo and asked, "But which one of them is Led Zeppelin?"

Hey, Martine, no fear--I was the strangle-ee, not the strangler! As for the nose, well, er, yes. I've never had a thought like, "Gee, a big nose, how hot!" Yet somehow I have a history of crushes on musicians (and others) with good-sized schnozzes. Go figure.

You say that "Better Be Home Soon" would be a poignant reminder of someone away from home. The song has never hit me that way. It was actually one of the few CH tunes that made me sit up and take notice right away. The heart of the song for me is "And I know I'm right / For the first time in my life." It perfectly evokes the moment when a confused and frightened person first believes in himself--the wobbly but powerful feeling of realizing, "No matter what anyone else thinks, I know this is true." It still gives me shivers.

Evvie

I invited my two best friends, Bec and Mick, to a camping spot that my family has been visiting for around 22 years. During their visit my Crowded House CD's were our soundtracks, and when Better Be Home Soon began all three of us would pause in our card games and BBQ for a singalong. Well, we sang to every song, but this song sticks out in my mind. Then Bec died earlier this year, so now I also associate the song with her wake. It was a very sad day for everybody who knew her, and during the evening (after many comfort drinks) I started a circle singalong with her uncle, who is a musician. After Time Of Your Life and Hey Jude, I asked if he knew Better Be Home Soon. He started playing it, everybody in the room burst into song and the amount of love shared amongst the gathering was overwhelming. United in grief and tribute.

Now every time I hear this song I smile and become teary at once.

Wow... what a deeply touching association!

Yes, Daryl is the tall blonde one (don't worry; lots of people get them confused, even the press! My mom used to aggravate me and say "Daryl Oates and John Hall") and I have no idea how my friend could have possibly mistaken Geddy for Daryl. I rightly set her straight! She became my best friend, actually, and I introduced her to lots of great music, and I have her to thank for recording a good portion of the mtv music videos that I have!

LOL, that's kinda like the old "Which one's Pink Floyd?"

WOW.....good topic!! Actually, my best association is with Split Enz!! I was in 8th grade, and had scheduled attending a slumber party and going to the mountains to play in the snow with another friend on the SAME weekend! Now, we ALL know that in 8th grade one does not SLEEP at slumber parties, so my friend Jennifer and I made a pact to stay up ALL night since that would be easier than waking up at 7am! Well, Jen didn't hold up her end of the bargain, and after everyone else had crashed, the only thing for me to do was listen to my FAV tape: side 1 was Time and Tide, side 2 was Conflicting Emotions. I listened to every note, every word, straight through...TWICE. That was the night that I decided that MTMG was THE most romantic song ever, and that I would play it at my wedding. So guess what song was the first to play at my wedding reception 3 months ago?? Yup. 20 years later. It made me cry! (again)

Gen

What a great story. I remember many a sleepover where my best friend and I would be talking at 3 a.m., and the sentences would get slower and the pauses longer as we dozed off in between. The best part of your story, though, is the fact that you actually did play MTMG at your wedding. Not many eighth-grade resolutions get kept...

Evvie

The Geddy Lee/Adam Ant/Hall and Oates stories have brought to mind a CH-related tale of mine, which is along the same lines...

My first year of university (1991), I was taking a fairly specialised course, so most of us in the course knew each other fairly well. I was the one known for wearing CH and Enz tour t-shirts about four days out of five... anyway, a group of us were studying one day, and one of the girls piped up, "Oh, Fiona. Did you know Ross Wilson has joined Crowded House?"

I burst out laughing. She'd mistaken Ross Wilson, lead singer of 80's band Mondo Rock, for Tim Finn (pedigree not unknown to current audience ) ... and actually, to a casual observer, the physical similarities WERE quite striking (both dark-haired fellows who had affected dreadful perms...)

Okay enough of the off-topicness... song associations? I have so many! The album "Woodface" is literally littered with the ghosts of Melbourne, for me. I still can't hear "Four Seasons In One Day" without choking up a little in happy reminiscence of the town I called home for almost 20 years (and yet haven't visited for the last seven years - yes, folks, ambivalence is my middle name).

"Even when you're feeling warm, the temperature could drop away, like four seasons in one day. Smiling as the sh*t comes down, you can tell a man from what he has to say; everything gets turned around..."

I love reading all of your stories - I can't help smiling, whether they're happy or sad. I love watching people connect with something as passionate as music.

More associations:

All I Ask reminds me of when I went to Melbourne for the first time, to visit my close friend Stef. She took me up to a lookout where we could watch the sun setting over the city. It was a glorious sight and as the sky turned orange All I Ask began to play on Stef's CD player in her car. If I want to return to that spot, all I have to do is put this song on and close my eyes, and i'm there.

As for Split Enz, I associate Dirty Creature with a turbulent and destructive period that ended earlier this year. At the time, I likened my difficulties to being watched, hunted down and ultimately destroyed by something I didn't think I had any control over. Clearly I tamed my inner Dirty Creature, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here. But the song reminds me of a period that I never want to return to.

Hmm...that's two people in a row associating Woodface with Melbourne. Maybe someday I'll be fortunate enough to go there myself and see if there's anything specifically Woodface-esque about the place. All I Ask certainly seems a natural sunset song--that's a pretty cool association. (Can't say I actually like the song, alas.)

I enjoyed your Ross Wilson story, kia kaha. For some reason, I can picture the bad perm without having seen the guy; I think once you've *had* a bad perm you get a sixth sense about them. And, oh, did I have some bad perms in high school.

Your mentioning Four Seasons reminded me of how I used to mishear the lyrics. It took a while before I found out that the line was "Blood dries up," not "Love dries up." Now I think the actual words are better, but I was somewhat disappointed at the time.

BTW, what's the source of your tagline quote? It keeps catching my eye.

Evvie

quote:

Originally posted by Evvie:
[qb] Hmm...that's two people in a row associating Woodface with Melbourne. Maybe someday I'll be fortunate enough to go there myself and see if there's anything specifically Woodface-esque about the place.[/qb]

Funny how the one song that I felt didn't really "belong" on that album, "Chocolate Cake" dealt with the excesses of the United States... - Not that I have anything especially against the USA, mind you. (I can even forgive that great country for giving me my ex-husband... )
Speaking of that song, though, brings to mind yet another association. Driving into New York City on a chilly evening this last January, suddenly the opening words of "Chocolate Cake" sprang to mind:
"Not everyone in New York would pay to see Andrew Lloyd Webber" (... and indeed we didn't. We were paying to see one Mr Neil Finn. )

quote:

[qb]BTW, what's the source of your tagline quote? It keeps catching my eye.
[/qb]

Mine, you mean? (I wouldn't mind hearing where skippy's comes from, myself...) It's a line from a Tori Amos song, specifically "Leather" off the Little Earthquakes CD. I not only love the song, but that line has taken on special personal significance in the past few months of my life. 'Nuff said here, methinks. Back on topic...

I've been reading this thread for a while, but have yet to post...while many CH songs make me feel lovely and think of lovely times of high school and college, one song in particular literally trasports me to a place and time.

"Love You 'til The Day I Die" was on a mix tape my high school boyfriend Spencer Skelley made for me. He knew I liked a strange group called Split Enz (many people have mentioned SE disappearing from MTV after "I Got You," but I remember "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" playing constantly - it made me buy my first SE album ever - Time and Tide and I listened to it constantly). He thought he would impress me by including a Crowded House song on the mix tape and in his liner notes, he cryptically wrote that "Love You 'til The Day I Die" was a song that captured how he felt about our relationship.

While I knew the song pretty well before the mix tape, I remember thinking "what in the hell does he mean by his liner notes???" To this day when I hear that song, I still wonder in the hell he meant...did he think he was being romantic? I had always thought the song a might bit creepy....

Needless to say, we broke up my senior year of high school when he started college.

annefrancis

Hi, annefrancis! Good story. I guess the most charitable interpretation of your boyfriend's "liner notes" would be that he didn't pay much attention to the lyrics. People seem to do that an awful lot--otherwise, why would so many people have called the DJs to dedicate "Every Breath You Take" to their sweethearts? I assume there aren't that many stalkers out there, or at least that many cheerfully obvious stalkers... I do have to admit that if I'd gotten those liner notes I'd have been creeped out too.

You mention seeing "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" a lot on MTV. I wonder whether I missed it or just tuned it out mentally. I have a hard time believing it wouldn't have caught my attention, even considering how different I was 20-odd years ago. I've wondered more than once how my life might've been different if I'd gotten attached to Split Enz back then.

I'd love to see those Split Enz videos today. I see that a VHS, but not a DVD, is available on Amazon. Anyone know if a DVD version is out or forthcoming?

Evvie

The DVD should be availible from hmv.com.au - and What a DVD it is too!

I have one or two associations -
Six Months in A Leaky Boat reminds me of moving house, after excitedly walking 3 miles home from the post office with my copy of Spellbound, having arrived in the post, and being unable to wait for the postman. I was 15, and that's where my first *real* taste (If you don't count Enzso) of Split Enz came from. Don't even get me started on when I got the box sets

I have lots of CH associations, mostly just putting on the CDs when I came home from another crap or boring day at school. When I was 14, That Recurring Dream CD was my saviour! I remember each of the times I heard the albums the first times. I remember not having a discman, and spending all day one day looking forward to getting home to listen to Woodface again. I remember excitedly coming home from town with my copy of Temple Of Low Men. I've lots of memories of listening to TOLM. I remember my sister bringing me home a tape of the debut album from america, that she found in a bargain bin. But mostly listening to the RD Cd after school.