While fronted by singer John Farnham from 1982–1986, the band's original members were Glenn Shorrock (vocals), Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Ric Formosa (guitars and vocals), Roger McLachlan (bass) and Derek Pellicci (drums).
The group evolved from the harmony-rock group Mississippi in 1975. Prior to that, Birtles had been the bassist in 1960s pop band Zoot (which also included singer-guitarist Rick Springfield), and Shorrock had been the lead singer of leading Australian 60s pop band The Twilights and early 1970s country rock band Axiom.
They found immediate success in Australia, but individual members had greater ambitions. Like many other Australasian groups of the period, both Axiom and Mississippi had tried to break into the UK record market without success. Remembering the indifferent reaction they had received in the UK, they decided the new band would focus on establishing themselves in the United States.
A key factor in their eventual success was their manager Glenn Wheatley, who had been the bassist in the highly-regarded Australian rock band The Masters Apprentices. Wheatley's first-hand experiences of the rip-offs in the 1960s music scene, combined with his subsequent experience working in music management in Britain and the United States in the early 1970s, enabled him to help LRB become the first Australian group to enjoy sustained commercial and chart success in the United States.
Fuelled by a very successful Australian hit single "Curiosity Killed The Cat", the band began making promotional visits to the US in 1976. This resulted in a hit single, "It's A Long Way There", which broke into the Top 30 and galvanised the commitment of the band members. More concert performances in the US followed, and in 1977 "Help Is On Its Way" (an Australian number one single) and "Happy Anniversary"[4] both narrowly missed the US Top 10. During this period McLachlan left the group and was replaced by George McArdle while lead guitarist Formosa was replaced by David Briggs.
From 1978 until 1981, Little River Band achieved six consecutive US Top 10 singles with "Reminiscing", "Lady", "Lonesome Loser", "Cool Change", "The Night Owls" and "Take It Easy On Me". During their career the band have sold more than 25 million records and scored 13 American Top 40 hits.
Bassist/vocalist Wayne Nelson joined in 1980 and is currently the lead singer. In 1981 he sang lead vocals on their top ten US hit "Night Owls". Guitarist Stephen Housden joined the band in 1981 replacing David Briggs. Housden owns the rights to the name Little River Band. He co-wrote the band's last hit in Australia "Love is a Bridge".
In 1982 Shorrock was forced out of the band and went on to pursue a solo career. He failed to make an impression in the U.S., but he had a substantial hit in Australia with a cover version of Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover".
The pressures of success and constant touring gradually took their toll on LRB and members gradually left. John Farnham replaced Shorrock in 1982 and the first single with Farnham, "The Other Guy" reached #11 in the US. Subsequent singles were only minor hits. In Australia the band continued to be popular and songs such as "Down On The Border", "Playing To Win" and "Love is a Bridge" were major hits. Farnham's popularity in Australia was increasing at this time, and he left the band to return to his solo career, achieving huge success in Australia (he was also managed by Wheatley).
Birtles left in 1983 because he did not like the direction the band was taking and he was not a fan of Farnham's onstage performance. Farnham left in 1986 to be replaced by the returning Shorrock. Goble left the group in 1990. Shorrock left again in 1996; he was offered the option to buy out the remaining members but he decided instead to take a payment. Derek Pellicci left the band in 1999.
Little River Band are considered to be among Australia's most significant bands. The "classic lineup" of the band (Birtles, Shorrock, Goble, Pellicci, Briggs and McArdle) were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual ARIA Music Awards of 2004. They performed "Help Is On Its Way" that night.
Three founding members, Birtles, Shorrock and Goble, continue to perform reunion concerts but due to the fact they lost the rights to the name Little River Band, they appear under the name Birtles Shorrock Goble: The Original Voices of Little River Band.
"Reminiscing", written by Goble, was recognised by BMI as one of the most frequently played songs in the history of American radio, with more than four million plays to its credit. "Lady" has also accumulated more than three million plays, and Goble is the first and only Australian songwriter ever to win a Four "Million Air" award from BMI. According to Albert Goldman's biography, John Lennon named "Reminiscing" as one of his favorite songs.
Little River Band continues to work in the US and performs around 100 shows every year.
Reminiscing
Little River Band Lyrics
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We got down to the gate, I was dreaming of the night
Would it turn out right?
How to tell you girl, I want to build my world around you
Wanna tell you that it's true
I wanna make you understand I'm talking about a lifetime plan
Well that's the way it began, we were hand-in-hand
Glen Miller's band was better than before
We yelled and screamed for more
And those Porter's tunes made us dance across the room
It ended all too soon
On the way back home I promised you'd never be alone
Hurry, don't be late
I can't hardly wait
I said to myself when we're old
We'll go dancing in the dark, walking through the park
And reminiscing
Friday night it was late, I was walking you home
We got down to the gate, I was dreaming of the night
Would it turn out right?
Now as the years roll on, each time we hear our favorite song
The memories come along
Older times we're missing, spending the hours reminiscing
Hurry, don't be late
I can't hardly wait
I said to myself when we're old
We'll go dancing in the dark, walking through the park
And reminiscing
The lyrics to Little River Band's song "Reminiscing" paint a vivid picture of a young love on a Friday night. The singer is walking his love interest home and dreaming about the future they might share together. He wants to make her understand that he is in for the long haul and wants to build his world around her.
The song is a testament to the power of music to evoke memories and emotions. As the years go by, the couple hears their favorite song and the memories flood back. They reminisce about dancing in the dark and walking through the park.
In "Reminiscing," the singer is nostalgic for a time when he was young and in love. He longs to relive those moments and to hold on to them forever. The song is a tribute to the power of love and the importance of cherishing the moments we have with the people who matter most to us.
Line by Line Meaning
Friday night it was late, I was walking you home
It was a Friday night, we were returning home, and I was walking you back to your house
We got down to the gate, I was dreaming of the night, would it turn out right?
As we reached the gate, I was hoping that the night had gone well and everything was alright
How to tell you girl, I want to build my world around you, Wanna tell you that it's true, I wanna make you understand, I'm talking about a lifetime plan
I struggle to put into words how much I care about you and how I want to spend the rest of my life with you
Well that's the way it began, we were hand-in-hand, Glen Miller's band was better than before, we yelled and screamed for more
That's how our relationship started, holding hands and enjoying the music of Glen Miller's band, which was playing better than ever before, and we were having a great time
And those Porter's tunes made us dance across the room, it ended all too soon
We danced to the tunes of Porter and had so much fun, but it felt like it all ended too soon
On the way back home I promised you'd never be alone
As we walked back home, I promised that you'd never be alone, and I'll always be there for you
Hurry, don't be late, I can't hardly wait, I said to myself when we're old, we'll go dancing in the dark, walking through the park and reminiscing
I'm eagerly waiting to start our life together and grow old with you, and I hope that we'll continue to dance, walk, and reminisce our memories when we're old
Now as the years roll on, each time we hear our favorite song, the memories come along, older times we're missing, spending the hours reminiscing
As time passes, every time we hear our favorite song, it brings back memories, and we start to miss the old times, and spend time reminiscing about it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRAEHAM GEORGE GOBLE, GRAHAM GEORGE GOBLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind