Billy Thorpe
William Richard "Billy" Thorpe, AM (29 March 1946 – 28 February 2007) was a… Read Full Bio ↴William Richard "Billy" Thorpe, AM (29 March 1946 – 28 February 2007) was a renowned English-born Australian rock singer-songwriter and musician. As lead singer of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, he had success in the 1960s with "Blue Day", "Poison Ivy", "Over the Rainbow", "Sick and Tired", and "Mashed Potato"; and in the 1970s with "Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy". Featuring in concerts at Sunbury Pop Festivals and Myer Music Bowl in the early 1970s, the Aztecs also developed the pub rock scene and were one of the loudest groups in Australia.
Thorpe also performed as a solo artist; he relocated to the United States from 1976 to 1996 where he released the space opera Children of the Sun, which peaked in the top 40 of the Billboard Pop Album chart in 1979. He worked with ex-Aztec Tony Barber to form a soft toy company in 1987 and co-wrote stories for The Puggle Tales and Tales from the Lost Forests. Thorpe also worked as a producer and composed music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth.
Thorpe returned to Australia in 1996 and continued as a performer and producer, additionally he authored two autobiographies, Sex and Thugs and Rock 'n' Roll (1996) and Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) (1998). According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, "Thorpie evolved from child star, beat pop sensation and cuddly pop crooner to finally emerge as the country's wildest and heaviest blues rocker [...] Thorpie was the unassailable monarch of Australian rock music". Thorpe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1991. He died of a myocardial infarction in February 2007 and was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.
Thorpe also performed as a solo artist; he relocated to the United States from 1976 to 1996 where he released the space opera Children of the Sun, which peaked in the top 40 of the Billboard Pop Album chart in 1979. He worked with ex-Aztec Tony Barber to form a soft toy company in 1987 and co-wrote stories for The Puggle Tales and Tales from the Lost Forests. Thorpe also worked as a producer and composed music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth.
Thorpe returned to Australia in 1996 and continued as a performer and producer, additionally he authored two autobiographies, Sex and Thugs and Rock 'n' Roll (1996) and Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) (1998). According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, "Thorpie evolved from child star, beat pop sensation and cuddly pop crooner to finally emerge as the country's wildest and heaviest blues rocker [...] Thorpie was the unassailable monarch of Australian rock music". Thorpe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1991. He died of a myocardial infarction in February 2007 and was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.
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Billy Thorpe Lyrics
1991 In 1991, the big war had begun. Too many people lost…
Children Of The Sun People of the earth can you hear me? Came a voice…
Earth Calling Is their anyone out there earth calling Is their anyone out…
East Of Eden Somewhere east of edens gate We ran a light at love…
I Told The Brook I told the brook That runs down through the valley A secret…
It It's almost summer And I can almost feel that sweet sunshine…
Love Letters Love letters straight, from your heart Keep us so near, and…
Mashed Potato What we need are a few good tatters....whats tatters aye?…
Medley: Dance To The Bop Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong, Come and love me…
Most People I Know Most people i know think that im crazy and i…
Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy Most people I know think that I'm crazy and I know…
Over The Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
Poison Ivy She comes on like a roseBut everybody knows She'll get you…
Sick Oh baby, whatcha gonna do Oh baby, whatcha gonna do I'm sick…
Sick N Tired Oh baby, whatcha gonna do Oh baby, whatcha gonna do I'm si…
Since You've Been Gone Forget your dogmas, your religions and your creeds Forget yo…
Solar Dawn Now as our solar dawn is breaking, across our universe of…
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
We Welcome You We welcome you We welcome you The journey has begun We'…
We Were Watching You We were watching you. Stepped into our crystal ships, not k…
We're Leaving Wake up, get out of bed Said the voice in their…
What I Say There's four words On the tip of my tongue That I couldn't…