Down By The Sea

Men at Work

Yesterday’s Camper Van Beethoven diversion got me thinking about my favorite bands over the years. The first one without exception was MEN AT WORK as a school kid. I can’t recall his name, but I remember another kid who had the tour T-shirt and smoked cigarettes 😂 but after a short quiz, I knew he was a fraud. I had the tapes and the 45’s. I knew the b-sides and read the liner notes and wondered if Ron Strykyrt and Greg Ham got along with Colin Hay.

After they broke up, I bought Hay’s solo record LOOKING FOR JACK on vinyl the day it was released. I finally saw Colin play many years later at a club in Santa Barbara and talked to him after the show. I could barely form a sentence — but he was kind and is still writing great songs after all these years.

I could’ve chosen many tracks from this band — who only blessed us with 3 albums. This is the last track on their debut BUSINESS AS USUAL and for some reason it’s the one I put on my playlists most often. I love how it takes it’s time with a slow groove. It wasn’t built for radio. I don’t know if this is a love song for a person — but I’ve always seen this as a love song to the ocean. Just being seaside for a day all by yourself.

Climbing up the cliffs
You can see for miles far
The boat that ran adrift
Is sitting on the sandbar

Laughing at the waves
That storm the river mouth
The ice is on the move now
Creeping north and south

Down by the sea
I found your hidden treasure
Just you and me
We over-dosed on pleasure

Listen to your heart
Screamin' at the sky
Can't you feel it tremble?
Don't you wonder why?