Neil Finn and Paul Hester decided to form a new band during the Split Enz farewell tour 'Enz with a Bang'. Nick Seymour approached Finn during the after party for the Melbourne show and asked if he could try out for this new band. The first incarnation of the band, The Mullanes, formed in Melbourne in 1985 and also included guitarist Craig Hooper, formerly of The Reels. They secured a record contract with Capitol Records and moved to Los Angeles, at which time Hooper left the band. At the label's behest, the band changed its name to "Crowded House," which alluded to the cramped quarters the three members shared at an apartment in North Sycamore Street in West Hollywood during the recording of the album. They also invited former Split Enz keyboard player Eddie Rayner to join, and he produced the track "Can't Carry On" for the debut self-titled album. He initially joined them on tour in 1988 on keyboards, but had to leave for family reasons before he could be made a full member.
Bursting onto the international scene in 1987 with Don't Dream It's Over from the album Crowded House, the band seemed destined for greatness. However, despite eking out one more hit from the album, Something So Strong, the follow up Temple of Low Men failed to repeat its commercial success, despite critical acclaim. Radio had a hard time categorizing them, but within the industry they quickly gained a stellar reputation as "musicians' musicians", and outside the industry as one of the best live acts, featuring mixed setlists and improvisations. A set of three shows at one venue would often feature less than half the the songs being played more than once.
It wasn't until 1991's Woodface that the band hit international success again, specifically with the jointly written Finn brothers track Weather With You.
In fact, the album that emerged wasn't the one originally proposed. Neil had been working on a side project with his brother Tim Finn, a solo artist in his own right and former Split Enz frontman (in fact, several members had a history in Split Enz - Tim formed the band and Neil was responsible for their biggest hit I Got You, while Paul Hester was the drummer during their final days). When the record company rejected the material he'd composed for the third Crowded House album Neil asked his brother if he could use some of their songs in their place. Tim agreed, allegedly joking he would only do so if he could join the band. Whether or not Neil took this literally, Tim did indeed become the fourth member of Crowded House during the Woodface phase.
Whilst Weather With You became an international hit, particularly in the UK (where it was followed by smaller chart successes for Four Seasons in One Day and It's Only Natural), in the US, at least, history didn't repeat - a situation some put down to the choice of Chocolate Cake - a scathing attack on the American lifestyle - as the first single.
During touring in the UK, Tim was asked to leave the band. Mark Hart joined the band for their next album. Together Alone was a similar international success and the band even managed to score a minor hit in the US with Locked Out after it featured on the soundtrack for the Winona Ryder flick Reality Bites.
Shortly after, Paul Hester decided to leave, although he did return to record three new tracks for a Best Of... compilation, Recurring Dream. By 1996, however, Neil decided to fold the band, choosing instead to focus on a solo career. The band's final concert, on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, was an emotional and memorable event, and has been captured on the DVD / CD Farewell to the World.
A B-sides compilation, entitled Afterglow, was released in 1999.
Paul Hester died tragically in 2005 when he committed suicide in Melbourne, Australia.
January 2007 brought a surprise announcement that Crowded House would be re-forming. Frontman Neil Finn once again linked up with Nick Seymour and Mark Hart and, after picking up Beck's drummer Matt Sherrod to replace Paul Hester, produced a new album entitled Time on Earth.
Members of the band include frontman and guitarist Neil Finn, bassist Nick Seymour (brother of Hunters and Collectors frontman Mark Seymour), drummer Paul Hester (1986-1994), Tim Finn (1990-91), multi-instrumentalist and Supertramp recruit Mark Hart (1993-), session drummer Peter Jones (1994-1996) and new drummer Matt Sherrod (2007-).
The Frenz web site launched a new Crowded House portal in 2007 where old and new fans of the band can keep up to date with news of new releases and tour plans.
Falling Dove
Crowded House Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blown by wildfire
Like a spark
Cause and effect
One loose word
Revolution
One kind act
Whole armies give thanks
Falling dove
Born of ocean
Found by man
Lived on his own
Lift a sail
Tighten the knots
Lift him up
Barely breathing
Falling dove
Do you believe in us
Like I believe in us
Is the outcome ever
Strange enough
You keep defending me
When I'm behaving badly
Cause you love me
Cause you love me too much
May the best of fortune bless you
Could any creature be unmoved
The humble nature of redemption
The simple act of finding a use
Hoping and almost praying
Believing for a moment it's true
I make a rendezvous
In Moscow station
A midnight passenger
The cafe is closed
In St. Petersburg
The door slides open
And I'm a dead man
'Til I see her walk through
Falling dove
Oh oh oh
The lyrics of Crowded House's song Falling Dove speaks to the complexities of human nature and the need for redemption. The song begins by talking about how one person's actions, whether it's a single word or act of kindness, can have a significant impact on the world. The idea of cause and effect is further explored in the chorus, which describes the falling dove, a symbol of innocence and purity, being found and saved by humans who have the power to lift and breathe new life into it. However, the question remains whether the dove believes in humanity as much as humanity believes in itself. The song's bridge speaks to the possibility of transformation and the power of love to motivate change. The singer also acknowledges that their own actions can be problematic, but the love of another person can serve as a guide towards redemption.
The song's lyrics might be interpreted in a political context, speaking to the need for human connection and empathy in a world where freedom and democracy are not always guaranteed. The idea of revolution, as mentioned in the opening verse, could be seen as a call to action for people to come together and make positive changes. The falling dove could represent the oppressed, and the humans who save it could be seen as allies. The love mentioned in the chorus and bridge could be seen as the love of community, and the power of that love to drive individuals to make positive changes in themselves and the world.
Line by Line Meaning
All his life
Throughout his entire existence
Blown by wildfire
Subject to the chaos of the world around him
Like a spark
Starting something great but transient
Cause and effect
The natural order of things and their consequences
One loose word
The potential damage of careless language
Revolution
The power of a radical shift in thinking or action
One kind act
The value of small gestures and compassion
Whole armies give thanks
The cumulative impact of positive actions
Falling dove
A metaphor for vulnerability and fragility
Born of ocean
Emerging from the depths of emotions
Found by man
Discovered by someone else
Lived on his own
Navigated through life independently
Lift a sail
Prepare to embark on a journey
Tighten the knots
Ensure security and stability
Lift him up
Provide hope and encouragement
Barely breathing
Struggling to survive
Do you believe in us
Questioning the strength of a relationship
Like I believe in us
Expressing an unwavering faith in a relationship
Is the outcome ever
Wondering if a happy ending is possible
Strange enough
If it would be surprising if things worked out
You keep defending me
Being loyal and protecting a loved one
When I'm behaving badly
During times of poor behavior or decision-making
Cause you love me
A reason for the other person's actions
Cause you love me too much
Addressing the intensity of someone's feelings
May the best of fortune bless you
Wishing someone well
Could any creature be unmoved
Being unable to avoid feeling something
The humble nature of redemption
The simplicity of finding forgiveness or a second chance
The simple act of finding a use
The value of repurposing something unimportant to make it useful
Hoping and almost praying
Desperately wanting something to happen
Believing for a moment it's true
Holding on to the possibility of something being real
I make a rendezvous
Planning to meet someone
In Moscow station
At a particular location
A midnight passenger
Traveling late into the night
The cafe is closed
Encountering an unexpected obstacle
In St. Petersburg
At another location
The door slides open
Finding a way through an obstacle
And I'm a dead man
Fearing the worst
'Til I see her walk through
Being relieved once seeing someone familiar
Oh oh oh
A vocalization conveying extra emotion and emphasis
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: NEIL MULLANE FINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bree walden; womanizer
Great song. House is a great show.
Rusty
Heard it on the House TV show knew exactly who it was!!!!
Great way they used it in show...
missmina
Thank you HOUSE MD. Love this song so much
Okay Dokay
Woah!!! You got to it seven earlier!!
Okay Dokay
Woah you got to it 7 years early!
truemansparks
I found this because i love Crowded house and bought all their albums
Kymmberliestarr
One of my favorite bands from the 80's that never got that much air play but that was just fine with me.
Rosa Rubiginosa
Oh this is fantastic! I love it! Sounds like Dear Prudence
kd
@nick edwards reminds me of Blackbird. It's definitely very White Album.
nick edwards
Exactly what i thought.