Crowded House released “Better Be Home Soon”

Better Be Home Soon Crowded House

Writer(s): Neil Finn (see lyrics here) Released: June 12, 1988 Peak: 42 US, 30 GR, 26 AC, 18 AR, 4 CO, 29 MR, 8 CN, 2 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 6.98 video, 39.74 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: After the new wave band Split Enz split up in 1984, Neil Finn formed Crowded House. The group found success with their debut album, which produced the “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and“Something So Strong,” #2 and #7 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 respectively. When it came time to record their second album, the band jokingly said it would be called Mediocre Follow-Up. While the collection proved quite worthy, it didn’t measure up to its predecessor commercially. The lead single, “Better Be Home Soon,” just missed the top 40. It did, however, get to #2 in Australia and New Zealand. It also won Song of the Year at the 1989 ARIA Music Awards (the Australian equivalent of the Grammys). The song’s lyrics are open to different interpretations. When asked specifically about the video for the song, Nick Seymour said it was “about being home, how it’s better being home.” WK In a StereoStories.com article, David Oke suggested it could “be about a relationship where the partner is ‘absent,’ but possibly, not physically. It seems to be a cry out for restoring a relationship and for partners being honest with one another.” DO Oke also floats the idea that Neil wrote the song about Hester and his struggles and his need “to be in the security of being safe at home.” DO This takes on even greater weight in the context of Hester’s suicide in 2005 and Finn’s subsequent performance of “Better Be Home Soon” at the 2005 ARIA Awards as a tribute to Hester. DO Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Neil Finn DO StereoStories.com (3/25/2018). “Better Be Home Soon by Neil Finn” by David Oke WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 10/25/2020; last updated 12/26/2022.

INXS top the chart with “Need You Tonight”

Need You Tonight INXS

Writer(s): Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence (see lyrics here) Released: September 23, 1987 First Charted: October 24, 1987 Peak: 11 US, 11 CB, 11 RR, 73 RB, 12 AR, 1 CO, 2 UK, 1 CN, 3 AU, 5 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.4 UK, 0.44 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 45.4 video, 282.19 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: INXS had been around for a decade when “Need You Tonight” became their one and only U.S. chart-topper. In the early ‘80s, they started gaining attention on college rock with songs like “Don’t Change” and “Original Sin.” They landed squarely in the pop arena with the #5 hit “What You Need” in 1985, which set them up for their 1987 Kick album to be the biggest of their career. In addition to the success of “Need You Tonight,” the album generated three more top-10 hits in America. While it has “arguably become the band’s signature song,” WK it didn’t reach #1 in INXS’s native Australia where their only #1 was “Original Sin.” In the UK, the song climbed to #2, but only after the release of a remix a year later. In its original run, it stalled at #58. The lyrics, written by Michael Hutchence in one night, were “basically a musical booty call.” SF The song’s famous riff also came quickly. Andrew Farris was about to catch a taxi to the airport when it came to him. He asked the cabbie to wait while he recorded the riff. The driver was not happy when it took an hour. WK The video combined “Need You Tonight” with “Mediate;” the first segued into the other on the album. It combined different forms of animation with live action with visual effects creating by cutting up 35mm film and relayering photcopied images over the original footage. The video portion for “Mediate” is an homage to “Subterranean Homesick Blues” by Bob Dylan, in which the artist flips cards showing the song’s lyrics. At the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards, the video took home Video of the Year and four other awards. Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 10/23/2020; last updated 9/25/2022.

 

Crowded House released “Don’t Dream It’s Over”

Don’t Dream It’s Over Crowded House

Writer(s): Neil Finn (see lyrics here) Released: October 20, 1986 Peak: 2 US, 3 CB, 3 GR, 3 RR, 9 AC, 11 AR, 1 CO, 25 UK, 1 CN, 8 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.4 UK, 0.4 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 211.3 video, 252.92 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: New Zealand-born singer/songwriter Neil Finn got his big break in the late ‘70s when older brother Tim invited him to join his band Split Enz. Over the next few years, Neil assumed co-frontman duties (most notably on 1980’s “I Got You”) and even led the band briefly before its demise when Tim left for a solo career. Neil and the drummer from Split Enz then formed the Mullanes in 1984, which later became Crowded House rounded out by bassist Nick Seymour, whose older brother was Mark, leader of Hunters & Collectors. The trio released their self-titled debut in August 1986. It was preceded by singles “Mean to Me” and “World Where You Live,” which were minor hits in Australia. Third single “Now We’re Getting Somewhere,” sadly, went nowhere and it looked like Crowded House might be nothing more than an afterthought to the more successful Split Enz. However, the fourth single from the album was a hit. “Don’t Dream It’s Over” reached #2 in the U.S. in April 1987. It also went to #1 in New Zealand and Canada. It was a top-10 hit in Australia, Norway, and the Netherlands. Finn said he wrote the “majestic ballad” WK on his brother’s piano and that it was “about, on the one hand feeling kind of lost, and on the other sort of urging myself on.” SF In 2016, he said “I’m super pleased and proud that the song that is almost the most identiable for us is, I think, one of my best songs.” SF Seymour said it was “about not giving up hope and succumbing to the effects of the mass media and consumerism.” WK Naturally it was used in commercials for the New Zealand Tourism Commission. SF The video featured surreal images of household objects floating in the air. Finn plays guitar and walks through the house while his bandmates are doing chores or playing background instruments. At the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards, it earned the group a Best New Artist award. It was also nominated for Best Group Video and Best Direction. Resources: DMDB encyclopepedia entry for Neil Finn SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 10/23/2020; last updated 12/23/2022.

 

AC/DC chart with “Back in Black” single

Back in Black AC/DC

Writer(s): Brian Johnson, Angus Young, Malcolm Young (see lyrics here) First Charted: December 13, 1980 Peak: 37 US, 39 CB, 35 GR, 54 HR, 1 CL, 51 AR, 27 UK, 65 AU, 4 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.6 UK, 4.05 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 612.0 video, 1293.42 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: After five successful albums in their native Australia, AC/DC were finally being embraced by an international market with 1979’s Highway to Hell, an album which went top 10 in the UK and top 20 in the U.S. Then tragedy struck. Rock singer Bon Scott died on February 19, 1980. On his death certificate, the official cause was listed as acute alcohol poisoning. The group considered disbanding, but on the advice of their producer, Mutt Lange, brought in Brian Johnson for an audition. Scott himself had seen him perform with his former band Geordie back in 1973 and talked up the singer to the rest of the band. SF By the end of March, he had the job as the new singer for AC/DC. Among the new songs recorded by the group was a song called “Back in Black,” which was a tribute to Scott. Guitarist Malcolm Young already had the main guitar riff down and the group already had the idea for the title before it had any words. SF Johnson recalled that the band asked him to write the lyrics, saying “it can’t be morbid – it has to be for Bon and it has to be a celebration.” WK Johnson responded with words such as “Forget the hearse, ‘cause I never die” and what he considered “mumbo jumbo” lines like “Nine lives. Cats’ eyes. Abusing every one of them and running wild.” The band, however, told Johnson “they saw Bon’s life in that lyric.” WK While the song wasn’t a big hit from a chart standpoint, its iconic opening guitar riff made it into what The Guardian called “a classic metal anthem.” WK Metal Hammer magazine said, “There are rock songs that appeal to metal fans. And there are metal songs that appeal to rock fans. Then there is ‘Back in Black’ – a rock song and metal song that appeals to everyone…and it all hangs on that monumental, no-nonsense, three-chord monster of a riff.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Robert John “Mutt” Lange SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 10/24/2020; last updated 7/23/2023.