Their 1980 debut album The Boys Light Up had a number of hit singles including the title track; "Indisposed"; and "Beautiful People". The Boys Light Up appeared on the Aussie charts for 104 weeks. In 1981 the band released their second album, Sirocco. This album contained the hits "Lakeside", "Things Don't Seem" and "Errol", a song written about the Australian actor Errol Flynn. It was produced by Peter Dawkins in Sydney.
In 1982 they released the Sons of Beaches album. The album was recorded in Hawaii with producer Mike Chapman. The album featured the hit "Shutdown" and it became their third album in a row to reach the top five in the Australian charts.
Soon afterwards Bill McDonough left the band. The remaining members then recorded the EP Semantics. The EP contained what would become possibly their best-known song, "Reckless".
The first of two deaths in the group came in 1984 when Guy McDonough died in Melbourne of viral pneumonia secondary to endocarditis due to intravenous amphetamine use. "From Simon Binks: Incorrect and libellous. You'd better hope Bill doesn't see this. Guy died after receiving intravenous vitamin supplements from a naturopath friend of ours to overcome a curious fatigue".
The band recorded their final studio album, Between A Rock And A Hard Place, in 1985.
Tensions within the band caused them to disband in 1986. Performing a final concert on 27 January 1986, the concert was recorded and released under the title The Final Wave.
In seven years, Australian Crawl sold over a million records in Australia. After the group disbanded, Reyne went on to pursue a successful solo career. Robinson moved into a career in television (with Network Ten's Page One) and documentaries; in the 1990s he became the manager for the Reyne brothers, James and David. (David had been the drummer in Reyne and Binks' first band, Spiff Roach.) "From Simon Binks: No. David never played in Spiff Rouch. Bill filled those shoes. David was the first drummer in Australian Crawl."
After a three-year battle with lymphoma, Robinson died on 13 October 1996. The band was inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1996, just before Robinson's death.
In 2002 EMI released a two-CD Greatest Hits package called Australian Crawl: James Reyne, The Definitive Collection, which contained songs from the band and from James Reyne's solo career.
"All the names on the picture in this forum are wrong. You have me labelled as James Reyne. Simon Binks"
"Thank you for your corrections Mr Binks - I thought I was mistaken but realise I was right.
The Boys Light Up
Australian Crawl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where all the ladies names are Joan
Where husband works back late at night
Hopes are up for trousers down
With hostess on a business flight
Taxi in a Mercedes drive
I hope that driver's coming out alive
The garden it is dorsetted
She's got 15 ways to lead that boy astray
He thinks he's one and only
But that lovely she's so lonely
She pumps him full of breakfast and she sends him on his way
What a sing song dance
What a performance
What a cheap tent show
Oh no no no no no
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Silently she opens the drawer
Mother's little helper is coming out for more
Strategically positioned before the midday show
Her back is arched, those lips are parched
Repeated blow by blow
Later at the party all the MP's rave
About the hummers she's been giving
And the money that they save
To her it is skin lotion
For him promotion to
That flat in surfers paradise with the ocean view
What a sing song dance
What a performance
What a cheap ten show
Oh no no no no no
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up, light up, light up
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up (then the boys light up)
Then the boys light up
The lyrics to "The Boys Light Up" by Australian Crawl are a commentary on the mindless and promiscuous behavior of the upper class, particularly with regard to their sexual exploits. The song opens with mention of the singer's "mountain home," where all the women are named Joan and the husbands work late into the night. The singer describes the wives as being "corseted" and having "15 ways to lead that boy astray," painting a picture of a society that is repressed and hypocritical. Meanwhile, the husbands are hoping for their trousers to come down, and taking taxis to meet their mistresses.
The singer then introduces us to a specific woman who uses "mother's little helper" (a euphemism for prescription amphetamines) to get through the day. She positions herself strategically before the "midday show," presumably a reference to a social event or party, where she provides sexual favors to MPs and other powerful men. The reference to "hummers" is a not-so-subtle double entendre, and the singer notes that she sees it all as "skin lotion" while the men view it as a way to get ahead in their careers.
Ultimately, the song is a critique of the emptiness and moral bankruptcy of the upper class, who engage in these kinds of behaviors both out of boredom and as a means of exerting power over one another. The repeated refrain of "then the boys light up" is a nod to the fact that, in this world, everything seems to revolve around sex and the pursuit of pleasure.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me tell you about my mountain home
I am going to tell you about my hometown
Where all the ladies names are Joan
Where all the women are named Joan
Where husband works back late at night
Where the husband works until late at night
Hopes are up for trousers down
Hoping for sexual activity
With hostess on a business flight
With a female airline attendant out of town for business
Taxi in a Mercedes drive
Riding in a Mercedes taxi
I hope that driver's coming out alive
I hope the driver is safe and unharmed
The garden it is dorsetted
The garden is well kept or in order
That lady she's so corseted
The woman is constricted in her clothing
She's got 15 ways to lead that boy astray
She has many ways to tempt or seduce that boy
He thinks he's one and only
He thinks he is the only one for her
But that lovely she's so lonely
But the woman is actually lonely
She pumps him full of breakfast and she sends him on his way
She gives him breakfast and then sends him off
What a sing song dance
What a fun or exciting dance
What a performance
What a great show or display of talent
What a cheap tent show
What a low-budget or tawdry production
Oh no no no no no
Expressing disbelief or disappointment
Then the boys light up
Then the men start to party or have fun
Silently she opens the drawer
Quietly, she opens a drawer
Mother's little helper is coming out for more
She is taking some kind of drug to cope with stress
Strategically positioned before the midday show
Tactically placed before the noon performance
Her back is arched, those lips are parched
She is excited or in need of something
Repeated blow by blow
Repeated instances of something
Later at the party all the MP's rave
Later at a party, MPs (members of Parliament) express their admiration or enthusiasm
About the hummers she's been giving
About the oral sex she has been performing
And the money that they save
And the money they save from not paying for sexual services
To her it is skin lotion
To her, it is an intimate and sensual activity
For him promotion to
For him, it is a reward or promotion
That flat in surfers paradise with the ocean view
A flat in Surfers Paradise with a view of the ocean
Then the boys light up (repeated multiple times)
Then the men start to party or have fun
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Michael Reyne James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pointbreak8646
Just arrived to my sisters in Sydney from the UK and I'm hearing all these aussie classics. Cool stuff
@chantellekristensen2067
Thats what i love to see....pur music is legendary 🙌
@casadimilano7048
You Brits have a lot of great musicians, so that’s a big compliment for the Aussies.
@downatheel66
So many great Aussie bands just never got the airplay in the UK. Icehouse made the effort to come over ahd were rewarded with a last minute slot on top of the pops with hey lite girl. Men At work, mental as anything, air supply and split Enz had limited success but so many fell by the wayside (the church, sunny boys, mi sex, real life were my favourites) before inxs made the grade after years of struggle.
@patriciamichels1411
A
@vivianchetty7477
The beaches is bloody beautiful in sydiney
@kyliewalker6647
My first job, I babysat James Reynes niece, back in the eighties She lived in Langwarrin. I read her her Rolling Stones mags for several hours. The stax were as tall as me! She had a really Cool old house with a beautiful garden with sculptures. I think he still lives on the peninsula.
@lostinrhodesia2819
Everyone please rise for the Australian national anthem
@gsferrari
😂😂😂 LOL
@Matty21stead
Followed by Bliss, the New Zealand national anthem.