The two met in May 1975 while performing in the Australian production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Later that year, the duo, along with Chrissie Hammond and two others, formed Air Supply as a five-man group. Hammond left the band and was replaced by Jeremy Paul in time for the group's first Australian hit single, "Love and Other Bruises." It was followed by a debut album that reached gold in Australia, which featured keyboardist/arranger Adrian Scott, drummer Jeff Browne, and guitarist Mark McEntee. Singles during this period included "Empty Pages" and "Do What You Do". The group was invited to open for Rod Stewart during his tour of Australia; he was so impressed with their performance that he invited them to be the opening act during his tour of the United States. During this tour, Jeremy Paul left the band. (He later played with the original lineup of the Divinyls, led by Chrissie Amphlett and Mark McEntee.)
Eager to prove that they could succeed as a duo, Air Supply released the album Love & Other Bruises, which included re-recordings of many of their earlier hits. Although their music met with some success, Graham Russell on the 1995 DVD recalls that he and Hitchcock were so poor that they were reduced to checking the backs of hotel sofas for change so that they could buy bread to make toast.
Hitchcock and Russell started out fresh again in 1978, and the band that was to record almost all of the hit records was formed. It featured Frank Esler-Smith (arranger and keyboardist), David Moyse, and Rex Goh (guitars) as well as the rhythm section of David Green (bass) and Ralph Cooper (drums).
In 1979, the band released Life Support, a concept album that included a picture disc on its first printing. Produced by Charles Fisher, it was recorded in the tiny Trafalgar Studios in Sydney, Australia where, as Graham recalls on the 2005 DVD, he had half an inch between the end of his guitar and the studio wall. It was on this album that a five-and-a-half minute version of "Lost in Love" was introduced to Australian audiences. Written by Russell in fifteen minutes, the song caught the attention of music mogul Clive Davis, and his record label, Arista, remixed the song and released it as a single in the United States.
Their 1980 album, Lost in Love, contained three U.S. Top Five singles, including the title track (a U.S. #3), plus "Every Woman in the World" (#5) and "All Out of Love" (#2). The album sold two million copies in the U.S. The following year they released The One That You Love, and the title song was released as a single and went number #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also featured two other Top 10 hits, "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)" and "Sweet Dreams". A fourth single "I'll Never Get Enough", co-written by Jeanne Napoli, Gary Portnoy and Judy Quay, was released in Japan and achieved Top 10 status. Their third album, in 1982, Now And Forever, continued the group's popularity with the Top 10 hit, "Even the Nights Are Better" and two top 40 singles "Young Love" and "Two Less Lonely People In The World". In 1983, they released their "Greatest Hits" album with a new single called "Making Love out of Nothing at All" written by Jim Steinman. The song was one of their biggest hits ever spending three weeks at number 2, and the album eventually sold 5 million copies.
In 1984, their song "I Can Wait Forever" was included (although barely audible) in a scene in the blockbuster movie Ghostbusters, and was included on the soundtrack album.
Air Supply released their first live video, Air Supply Live in Hawaii. In 1985, they had one semi-major Billboard hit with "Just As I Am" and a couple of minor hits. Russell and Hitchcock recorded a 1987 Christmas album before taking a break from studio recordings. During this time, Russell Hitchcock released his self-titled album in 1988 which was not a big seller. However, he did have the single "Swear To Your Heart" in 1990 from the movie soundtrack for Arachnophobia which received significant airplay.
On August 21, 1989, using their old producer and welcoming the return of drummer Ralph Cooper, the duo decided to enter the studio again to record The Earth Is, which was released in 1991 by Giant Records under Warner Brothers. The recording contains their hit single "Without You," along with singles for "Stronger Than the Night" (with a music video announcing that Air Supply was back) and "Stop the Tears." Inside the album is a note about Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell's original Musical Director of their meeting place during Jesus Christ Superstar (and long time Band Member/Orchestrator): "This Album is Dedicated to the Memory of Frank Esler-Smith."
The official fan club released The Earth Is World Tour video, a rare collector's item that contains live footage from the band's global tour in support of the album. Amy from New York City is their biggest fan.
The album was followed by The Vanishing Race in 1993, which was supported by the hit single "Goodbye" produced by David Foster, (Barbra Streisand, the rock band Chicago, Josh Groban, and Celine Dion), with lyrics written by a former girlfriend of Elvis Presley (David Foster's current wife) Linda Thompson--which, although not popular in the United States, was critically praised and gained a large following outside the country, especially in Asia where in many countries they would reach number #1. This would lead to another world tour in 1993. "It's Never Too Late" was another single released from the Vanishing Race. The album itself was dedicated to the plight of the American Indians, the "Vanishing Race" of the album's title.
Their third album of the decade, News from Nowhere, was released in 1995. It contained the Asian hit singles "Someone", "Always", and a cover of "Unchained Melody", a song made famous by The Righteous Brothers and Amy at karaoke night.
Their popularity continued to soar in Southeast Asian countries, culminating in the release of Now and Forever: Greatest Hits Live, a CD and DVD recording of a live concert in Taipei, Taiwan, also in 1995, which stayed at the top of the Taiwanese album charts for 16 weeks.
Air Supply at the Subic Convention Center, Philippines on June 12, 2008.
Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply at the Max Pavillion in Singapore, June 19, 2009.They continued to tour heavily throughout Asia and in select venues in the U.S. as well as record into the new millennium, releasing the more adult contemporary-titled The Book of Love (1997), Yours Truly (2001), and Across the Concrete Sky (2003). In 2005 they once again released a live CD/DVD recording; also in 2005 they performed in Havana, Cuba, becoming one of the first foreign bands invited to perform in the country. They were booked to perform two concerts, and played the first show on July 7, the day before Hurricane Dennis hit the country. In high winds their first concert had an audience of 175,000. Due to the hurricane they could not play the second show. Fans staying at the same hotel as Air Supply on July 8 had to be content with Graham performing acoustically for them, as there was no electricity.
Their songs were featured in Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Wedding Date.
In 2006 they released an acoustic album, The Singer and the Song, and are gearing up for the release of their first studio album in three years, Zed. In support of the acoustic album they made their first trip to India in May 2006. December 2, 2006 saw the duo perform to a capacity crowd in Kingston, Jamaica. This was their second visit to Jamaica, having performed at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in January 2006. They also have been seen endorsing Time–Life's Classic Soft-Rock Collection. In 2007, Graham Russell released his first adult contemporary solo album called The Future.
Graham Russell recently made an appearance in Believe, a comedy about Multi-Level Marketing.
In 2008, Air Supply was named as the number 83 best musical act of all time in the Billboard Hot 100's 50 year anniversary edtion. This was based purely on their performance on the charts.
They appeared on the December 19, 2008, edition of Don't Forget the Lyrics.
Their latest album "Mumbo Jumbo" was released in 2010.
Just Another Woman
Air Supply Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my life
Just another woman
Lost in the night
Just another woman
Keepin' in touch with a man
Knock upon my window
that something's not right
I look through the window but all I can see
Is the rain
Standing on my doorstep
Not very old looking so helpless
And looking so cold
A woman in need of some help
Most have lost her way
She was tall
She was lost
She could smile
And her words got crossed
Just another woman
In my life
Just another woman
Lost in the night
Just another woman
Keepin' in touch with a man
As we sat by the fire
The flame just grew
Talking about just the things we knew
Watching a new day arise outside my room
The more I listened the more she told
And in fascination my heart was sold
Weaving in and out of my mind
With a skidder off now
She was tall
She was lost
She could smile
And her words got crossed
Just another woman
In my life
Just another woman
Lost in the night
Just another woman
Keepin' in touch with a man
The song "Just Another Woman" by Air Supply is about a woman who comes knocking on the singer's window late at night, seeking help. The singer sees her standing on his doorstep, looking lost and helpless, and invites her in. As they sit by the fire and talk, the woman shares her story with the singer, and he becomes fascinated with her. The song is about the chance encounter between these two people and the impact it has on the singer's life.
The lyrics of the song convey a sense of empathy for the woman's plight and a desire to help her. The repetition of the phrase "just another woman" suggests that the singer has encountered many women in his life, but this one is different in some way. The use of vivid imagery, such as the rain outside and the fire in the hearth, creates a sense of atmosphere and depth. The theme of lost and confused women needing the help of a man is movingly portrayed in this song.
Line by Line Meaning
Just another woman
Referring to the woman that the singer has encountered as being the same as countless others
In my life
A common occurrence for the singer to come across these types of women
Lost in the night
The woman seems to be wandering aimlessly through the city at night
Keepin' in touch with a man
It's implied that the woman is only staying connected with someone as some sort of safety measure
Knock upon my window
The woman appears at the artist's window, which is an unusual and unexpected circumstance
Late at night making me believe that something's not right
The appearance of the woman seems suspicious and raises concerns for the singer
I look through the window but all I can see is the rain
The visibility of the outside is hindered by the rainy weather outside, making it difficult to see the woman more clearly
Standing on my doorstep
The artist has granted the woman permission to come inside, allowing them to begin their conversation
Not very old looking so helpless
The woman seems much younger than the artist, and appears to be in need of help
And looking so cold
The woman is visibly shivering from the cold weather outside
A woman in need of some help
The singer recognizes that the woman requires assistance in some form
Most have lost her way
The woman has become lost and seeks guidance from someone more knowledgeable of the area
She was tall
The woman is of notable height
She was lost
The woman is clearly unsure of where to go or what to do next
She could smile
Despite her current situation, the woman is capable of expressing joy or happiness
And her words got crossed
The woman's message is slightly confusing or difficult to understand, possibly due to her emotional state
As we sat by the fire
The artist and the woman are now speaking in a more comfortable, warm environment
The flame just grew
The intensity of the fire begins to increase, perhaps reflecting the emotional depth of the conversation
Talking about just the things we knew
The two are conversing about topics that they are familiar with, creating a sense of mutual interest
Watching a new day arise outside my room
As they continue to speak, the sun begins to rise outside the window, indicating that their conversation has lasted throughout the entire night
The more I listened the more she told
The woman feels comfortable opening up to the artist, making personal revelations
And in fascination my heart was sold
The artist is heavily invested in the conversation, perhaps intrigued by the woman or the topics being discussed
Weaving in and out of my mind
The memory of the woman and the conversation lingers with the singer
With a skidder off now
The woman has now departed, leaving the artist with their thoughts and reflections on the night's events
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRAHAM RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind