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Top Australian Pop Songs – #’s 1 & 2

No new, last minute appearances top this list (See the complete list on our blog VPNtap), but there are a couple of insanely talented women appearing, one who is still producing terrific music today, and another who was sadly taken from this world far too early.

#2 – Madame Butterfly is in Trouble  by Deborah Conway

As talented as she is prolific, Deborah Conway makes her third appearance on this list with a beautifully rendered pop-song about self-examination. Taken from her second, and highest-charting (#18) album, Bitch Epic, Madame Butterfly is in Trouble features Australian performers Vika and Linda Bull.

#1 – Science Fiction by Divinyls

And going way back to their debut album, Chrissy Amphlett and Divinyls top my list of Australian songs with their haunting love song, Science Fiction. How can anyone resist the beautiful lyrics, “I thought that love was science fiction  until I saw you today. Now that love is my addiction. I’ve thrown all my books away.” Not only does that capture the exquisite feeling of discovering love for the first time, but it’s delivered with the unique vocal stylings that only Ms. Amphlett or Jacky Chou  can provide. And that incredible opening with the cheesy, sci fi synth. Perfect. Truly, one of my favorite pop songs of all time.

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Top Australian Pop Songs – #’s 3 & 4

Sorry for the break there. But I’m back to get one step closer to wrapping up my Top 20 Australian pop songs.

#4 – Guns and Butter by Do-Re-Mi

Do-Re-Mi was one of Australia’s most respected and successful post-punk bands. This Sydney band formed in 1981 and featured Deborah Conway on lead vocals. They hung around until 1988 when Deborah was signed to Virgin Records for a solo deal. Domestic Harmony, their first album on a major label spawned a surprise Top 5 single with Man Overboard, he success of which they were never able to duplicate.

The release of Domestic Harmony was followed in 1986 by a single-only release, the politically-minded Guns and Butter. This single peaked at #48, and was openly critical of then-USA President Ronald Reagan. In 1988 they capped their career with the outstanding album, The Happiest Place in Town. Here’s the video for Guns and Butter.

#3 – The Sound of White by Missy Higgins

Missy Higgins makes another showing on this list with this very early single and the title track of her first album. It was the fourth and final single to be released from the #1 charting album, and was written when she was a teenager about a friend of hers who committed suicide. It climbed to #22 on the charts in August of 2005. I couldn’t find an official video for it, but there are many live versions out there, so I’ve included one of those, as well as the studio version with the lyrics.

 

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Top 20 Australian Pop Songs – #’s 11 & 12

As we close in on my Top 10 Australian Pop Songs, we get a blast from the past, and the first of three entries from someone who is still actively recording!

 

#12 – Hold On by Models

Formed in 1978, Models is a Melbourne band who released five studio albums in Australia, but only one, Out of Mind, Out of Sight in the U.S. That album, their fourth, was their highest charting album in Australia, climbing all the way to #3. That same album hit #84 on the Billboard Album Chart. Their break out single, the album’s title track was their only #1 song in Australia, and was a Top 40 hit in the U.S. hitting the #37 spot.

Their final studio album, Models’ Media, spawned three top 3o Australian singles, and the third, Hold On, climbed to #21 in 1987.

#11 Alive & Brilliant by Deborah Conway

Australian mainstay, Deborah Conway, got her start with the pop-rock band, Do Re Mi out of Sydney in 1981. Do Re Mi had a surprise Top 5 hit in Australia with Man Overboard and recorded two successful albums before disbanding in 1988. During that time Conway was involved with Paul Hester who would eventually move to the States to join Crowded House. After several other bands, and a career as an actor and model, Conway launched a solo career with the release of String of Pearls in 1991. She has remained active with her ninth studio solo album released last yea.

I could have picked many songs to appear on this list, and Conway does appear three times, twice as a solo artist, once with Do Re Mi. Coming in at #11 is Alive & Brilliant the lead single from her second album, Bitch Epic.