Since 1980, Icehouse has released seven albums, several compilations, and music from collaborations with other artists including dance companies. Their 1987 album 'Man of Colours' was released at the apex of their fame and international success. It is considered by many to be the band's magnum opus.
As 'Flowers', Icehouse built up a strong following as a live act around Sydney, Australia, noted for their distinctive cover versions of songs by a wide range of acts including T-Rex and Brian Eno. After signing to the independent Regular Festival Records label, they released their debut single, "Can't Help Myself", which hit the Australian Top 10 in June 1980. This was followed by their first album 'Icehouse', which also made the Top 10 and became one of year's biggest selling albums in Australia. The album made use of synthesisers, especially the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5.
Further singles "We Can Get Together" and "Walls" both hit the Top 20. A European single from this album, "Icehouse", created some interest in the U.K., partly because of a memorable music video. Sensing the possibility of international success, the band decided to change their name in early 1981 to avoid confusion with Scottish group The Flowers. As Icehouse, they spent most of 1981 touring the UK, Canada and US, where "We Can Get Together" hit #62. A single release, "Love In Motion", recorded by Davies alone but the first to be credited to the band's new name, duly hit the Australian Top 10 in November 1981.
In January 1982, the band's original line up split, resulting in Davies recording Icehouse's much-anticipated second album, 'Primitive Man', on his own, with assistance from Keith Forsey, who later worked with Simple Minds. Released in August 1982, Primitive Man was another huge Australian hit and became Icehouse's international breakthrough. The hit single "Hey Little Girl" reached the UK Top 20 and has remained their most regularly played song. Another strong track from this album was "Great Southern Land", which made the Australian Top 5 and was later featured in the late 1980s film 'Young Einstein'.
In 1985, Davies' musical standing was further enhanced when he was commissioned to compose and record the score for the acclaimed Sydney Dance Company production of Graeme Murphy's dance work 'Boxes'. Icehouse's third album, 'Sidewalk', was far more sombre and reflective, featuring the tracks "I Don't Believe Anymore" and "Someone Like You". After this album the band made further inroads into the U.S. market with their 1986 release 'Measure for Measure', which featured none other than Brian Eno as a listed band member.
Icehouse's next work, 'Man of Colours', was their best-selling album. It contained the hit singles "Crazy" and "Electric Blue" (a song co-written by John Oates from the band Hall and Oates). Both singles reached the US Top 20, with "Electric Blue" hitting the #7 slot. With this album, the band reached an international zenith, never surpassing this level of popularity and exposure again.
In 1995, Davies was again involved with the Sydney Dance Company's production of Berlin. The musical score is a collection of cover versions of songs by David Bowie, Brian Eno, Simple Minds, The Psychedelic Furs, Frank Sinatra, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, XTC, Talking Heads, The Velvet Underground, PiL, The Cure and Killing Joke, which saw him collaborating with pianist Max Lambert in the development of the music.
As well as recording the score to the ballet, Davies performed these songs live with Icehouse at each show. He was an intrinsic part of the ballet, in a role similar to the one in Boxes. Iva was extremely successful in creating a translation from the dancers to the audience. Berlin was an instant success and ran for two seasons. Both shows were the most commercially successful that The Sydney Dance Company have had to date.
On 16 August 2006, Icehouse were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame along side acts such as Midnight Oil, Divinyls and Rose Tattoo. Also in 2006, Icehouse featured prominently on the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown with 14 songs selected including:
*"Man Of Colours"
*"Electric Blue"
*"We Can Get Together"
*"Don't Believe Any More"
*"Great Southern Land" (which came in at number 12)
Electric Blue
Icehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A chance with someone like you
Are you gonna break his heart?
Let him cry for the moon?
Are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?
I just freeze (I just freeze)
Every time you see through me (see through)
And it's all over you
Electric blue
On my knees (on my knees)
Help me, baby (help me)
Tell me, what can I do?
Electric blue
Oh, I had a dream
For a moment I believed it was true
Oh, I'd have given anything
Just to be there with you
Are you hiding
Somewhere behind those eyes?
I just freeze (I just freeze)
Every time you see through me (see through)
And it's all over you
Electric blue
In too deep (in too deep)
Standing here waiting
As I'm breaking into (ooh)
Electric blue
I can see (I can see)
Can see that it may be just a vision for you
Electric blue
On my knees (on my knees)
Help me, baby (help me)
Tell me what can I do?
Electric blue
Help me baby
Yeah, yeah
Are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes? (behind those eyes)
I just freeze every time you see through me (see through)
And it's all over you
Electric blue
In too deep (in too deep)
Standing here waiting as I'm breaking in two (in two)
Electric blue
I can see (I can see)
Can see that it may be just a vision of you (of you)
Electric blue
On my knees (on my knees) (what can)
Help me baby tell me what can I do? (I do)
Electric blue (behind those eyes)
I just freeze every time you see through me
And it's all over you
Electric blue
In too deep (in too deep) (I'm)
Standing here waiting as I'm breaking in two (in two)
Electric blue
I can see (I can see)
Can see that it may be just a vision of you
Electric blue
On my knees (on my knees) (what can)
Help me baby tell me what can I do? (I do)
Electric blue
Electric blue
Electric blue
Electric blue
The lyrics to Icehouse's song "Electric Blue" tell the story of a man who is hopelessly in love with a woman who may not reciprocate his feelings. He asks if she will break his heart or let him yearn for her from afar, all while feeling insecure and vulnerable around her. He describes being frozen in her presence, unable to express his feelings, and feeling like his dream of being with her is too good to be true.
The repeated phrase "Electric blue" suggests that the woman he loves possesses a certain inexplicable magic or power that he finds both alluring and intimidating. The chorus describes him being on his knees and asking her for help, indicating his desperation for her attention and affection. The song is ultimately a tale of unrequited love, with the singer left yearning for a woman who may never reciprocate his feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
If a boy had a chance
What if a boy had an opportunity?
A chance with someone like you
An opportunity with your kind
Are you gonna break his heart?
Will you shatter his emotions?
Let him cry for the moon?
Would you be okay with him wanting unattainable things?
Are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?
Are you concealing something behind your eyes?
I just freeze (I just freeze)
I become immobile and motionless (I become immobile and motionless)
Every time you see through me (see through)
Whenever you see right through me
And it's all over you
And it all revolves around you
Electric blue
The color of lightning
On my knees (on my knees)
I'm kneeling (I'm kneeling)
Help me, baby (help me)
Assist me, my love (Assist me, my love)
Tell me, what can I do?
What options are available to me?
Oh, I had a dream
I once had a dream
For a moment I believed it was true
For a short while, I thought it was real
Oh, I'd have given anything
I would've given anything
Just to be there with you
Just to be with you
In too deep (in too deep)
Too far gone (too far gone)
Standing here waiting
Standing here, anticipating
As I'm breaking into (ooh)
As I'm falling apart (ooh)
I can see (I can see)
I can perceive (I can perceive)
Can see that it may be just a vision for you
It's possible that this is only a figment for you
Help me, baby (help me)
Assist me, my love (Assist me, my love)
Yeah, yeah
Yes, yes
Electric blue (behind those eyes)
The color of lightning (behind those eyes)
On my knees (on my knees) (what can)
I'm kneeling (I'm kneeling) (what can)
Help me baby tell me what can I do? (I do)
Assist me, my love. What are my options? (I do)
Electric blue
The color of lightning
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ivor Arthur Davies, John William Oates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind