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Top Australian Pop Songs – #’s 9 & 10

As we enter the Top 10, we get an 80’s classic and the first appearance of a more recent musical find.

#10 – Shark Fin Blues by Missy Higgins

Born in Melbourne, Missy Higgins’ first full-length studio album was released when she was only 21 years old. Since that time she has released four albums, the first three of which have all climbed to the #1 spot on the Australian album charts. Something of a child prodigy when it came to music, she learned classical piano at age 6. She wrote her first song, All for Believing which was recorded on her first album, at the age of 15. Eight years ago, Missy performed alongside best-selling novelist Harlan Coben, at the Boston Public Library. It was delightful to meet such a down-to-earth young woman who learned of her second albums’ Australian gold status while I was chatting with her.

Missy appears twice on this list, both times in the Top 10. This first entry, Shark Fin Blues was lifted off her last full-length album, Oz, an album of covers originally written by Australian artists. Shark Fin Blues was originally recorded by the Drones, and released in 2005. Higgins offers a gorgeous and haunting rendition, accompanied by a stunning video.

#9 – Bitter Sweet by Hoodoo Gurus

Formed in Sydney in 1981, Hoodoo Gurus gained popularity in the States as a alternative/college act. A successful co-headlining tour with the Bangles in the late 80’s was well-received in the States as well. They have released 9 studio albums, their most recent in 2010.

Released as the first single in 1985 off their second album, Mars Needs Guitars, Bittersweet was something of a departure for the Gurus. Lead singer/songwriter Dave Faulkner was quoted as saying, “… I vowed to myself that I would write less comic narratives and try to express my sentiments in a more forthright way. I feel I succeeded with Bittersweet though at the time I didn’t think that a) the band would want to play it and b) our audience would want to hear it. I was happily wrong on both counts.” It climbed to #10 on the Melbourne Record Charts.

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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.

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Top 20 Australian Pop Songs, #’s 15 & 16 – Here Come the Ladies!

#16 – Coma by Max Sharam

Were you thinking my Top 20 was awfully male-heavy up to this point? Well, don’t you worry, here come the ladies! Max Sharam was born in Australia, and began her recording career out of Sydney, but has lived and performed extensively all around the world. She released her first EP in 1984, and her second ten years later. Her sole full length album was released in 1995, and she followed up with a third EP nineteen years later in 2014! She toured for that EP opening for Cyndi Lauper on her She’s So Unusual 30th Annivesary tour!

Max’s first and highest charting single remains the eclectic number, Coma, which combines her rock & roll sensibilities with her classical voice training. The song reached #14 on the Australian charts in 1994.

https://youtu.be/z8NOqVuUaiE

#15 – Dive by Christine Anu

Born in Cairns, Australis, Christine Anu is a singer and actor who has one many awards in her homeland. Her first and biggest hit, My Island Home, was released in 1995. The song was originally sung by The Warumpi Band, and reflected songwriter Neil Murray’s life moving from an island to the desert. Anu changed the lyrics to reflect her own life moving from her island home of Saibai to the city. Anu released nine albums from 1995 to 2015, and appeared in 15 films and/or television shows.

Dive is the third song to appear on this list with a David Bridie connection. Bridie wrote Dive and sand it on his debut solo album. Christine gives Dive a little more spirit, lifting it out of its ambient sounds, and infuses it with the soul of her island upbringing.

But upon further persual of Anu’s catalog, I decided that a better representation on this list would be her song, Coz I’m Free taken from her 2000 album, Come My Way. Either way, Anu is a singular talent and deserves her spot on this list.

 

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Top 20 Australian Pop Songs, #’s 17 & 18

#18 – Take Me Back by Noiseworks

Formed in Sydney in 1986, Noiseworks was a hard rock band with a melodic edge in the Honeymoon Suite/Bon Jovi mold. They produced four Top 10 albums in Australia, along with three Top 10 singles. Although their first two albums were released in the U.S. they failed to chart at all. New Zealand-born lead singer Jon Freeman, was of M?ori descent, and became the lead vocalist for Inxs in 2000 for three years after Michael Hutchence’s death. Take Me Back was their first and highest-charting Australia single reaching the #7 spot.

https://youtu.be/MQveDjot__g

#17 – Breath by David Bridie

As mentioned in yesterday’s entry, David Bridie first rose to prominence in the band Not Drowning, Waving, which was active through the early 1980’s through the early 1990’s and released six albums. As that band was nearing the end of its run, Bridie started a second band in the early 90’s called My Friend the Chocolate Cake which also released 6 studio albums. In 2000, Bridie released the first of four solo albums, his latest as recently as 2013. Breath  is an atmospheric track taken from his first solo album, Act of Free Choice.

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Top 20 Australian Pop Songs, #’s 19 & 20

A friend of mine asked if I would send him my Top 10 Australian pop songs for an article he was writing on books about the music industry, and I jumped at the chance. I was a huge fan of Australian music in the 80’s and it was quite easy for me to come up with a lot of great songs for this list. In fact, I couldn’t stop at just 10, and ended up with a list of my top 20 Australian pop songs. I’m not sure if my friend was able to use my list for his article, but I thought I could definitely share it here.

So here they are, #20 and #19 of my Top 20 Australian pop songs!

#20 – Back on the Breadline by Hunters & Collectors

Formed in 1981, Hunters & Collectors was fronted by singer-songwriter/guitarist Mark Seymour. The band’s signature sound was their three piece horn section including a trumpet, trombone and french horn, and muscular blend of rock and funk. Seymour’s gruff, masculine presentation was underscored by a lyrical sensitivity that really elevated their music to something unique and special. I had the opportunity to meet Seymour backstage at the Channel in Boston, and he’s always been someone I’ve admired as a performer.

Back on the Breadline was one of three songs added to the U.S. version of their fifth studio album, What’s a Few Men? It peaked at #6 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks. Funny story: the first time I heard it on the radio, I thought it was a new track by Joan Armatrading.

#19 – Spark by Not Drowning, Waving

Melbourne Australia band, not drowning, waving, was formed in 1983 by keyboard player/vocalist, David Bridie and guitaris, John Phillips. Their musical style combined rock, ambient sounds, and world music, and they released nine studio albums. David Bridie also released solo albums, and he appears three times on this list, once here, once as a solo artist, and once as songwriter for another musician. A couple of interesting side notes, Bridie and fellow members of not drowning, waving, formed a side-project, My Friend The Chocolate Cake to play more acoustic-based material. They also scored the film Proof starring Russell Crowe and Hugo Weaving in 1991.

Spark was a cut off their 1993 album, Circus.