Frenzal Rhomb is an Australian punk rock band that formed in 1992, in Sydne… Read Full Bio ↴Frenzal Rhomb is an Australian punk rock band that formed in 1992, in Sydney, Australia. A long-standing institution in Sydney music scene but with a national and international base of fans, Frenzal have consistently nurtured new generations of young fans through endless touring, festival appearances and all ages shows. With a sound that is most often characterized as 'California pop/punk', the band is overtly left-wing political and known for their humorous, savage and insightful lyrics. The band's current lineup is Jason Whalley (vocals), Lindsay McDougall (guitar), Tom Crease (bass) and Gordy Foreman (drums).

For a couple of years, Jay and Lindsay (The Doctor) had a daily show on Australia's Triple J radio station. Although Jay left in 2009, The Doctor continues to have various roles on ABC radio and television.

All original members except Jason have been replaced. Ben, the original guitarist, supposedly left to become an animal rights activist. Nat, the drummer, left to focus on another band, Quadbox. Lex, the bass player left under controversial circumstances. This lead the band to consider changing their name. They even posted a press release suggesting that they would take over the name Shihad, which had been vacated by the New Zealand hard rock band in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Jay also spent time as the bass player for Nancy Vandal under the name Jason Jason Beers, a play on Gary Gary Beers from INXS.

The band famously antagonized Today-FM breakfast show hosts Kyle and Jackie-O, starting at a festival in Darwin and ending in an on-air phone interview with Jay. With the exchange being documented by Media Watch. (see here and here)

Frenzal Rhomb's first EP 'Dick Sandwich' was produced in bassy grunge style and included a cover of the theme to 'Home and Away', a popular but uncool Australian serial drama; as well as a song about Roger Climpson, a TV news presenter. Their seminal album Coughing up a Storm followed. The original version, which included an abusive and threatening voicemail as its secret track, is now out of print.

The band's records have been released through a variety of labels in Australia and most notably Fat Wreck Chords internationally.

You Need A Friend
Frenzal Rhomb Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Black teared desolation with my head held in my hands
Broken heart inside my chest, a sadness in my pants
Calmly contemplating kissing this cruel world goodbye
When I felt a certain reassuring hand upon my thigh
He said "How ya doing mate"
I can tell you're feeling blue
I'm gonna help you out coz I know I was once like you
Said I've suffered bleak emotions friend

You've got nothing to fear
Strapping up my arm as he whispered in my ear
You need some relaxation, some rest and recuperation
For fixing up the aching without love
You need someone to understand,
Touch your heart and hold your hand
You need a friend, and a lot of drugs
"Now you're feeling better,
Could you do something for me?
Tape this package to your leg, make a delivery
Swallow these balloons and get on the next flight
Try not to use the toilet till you reach the other side"
And customs love, for all the things that

I've been dreaming of a friendly hug, and a rubber glove
And a little bit of cash for the Indonesian judge

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Frenzal Rhomb's song You Need A Friend utilize irony and satire to convey a narrative of a person contemplating suicide but then finding solace in the form of an unscrupulous drug dealer. The opening lines of the song describe the singer being overwhelmed with sadness, his heart broken and head in his hands. He is contemplating ending his life and bids farewell to the world. However, he is interrupted by a man who empathizes with him and offers to help. The man is a drug dealer who understands the singer's pain and suggests relaxing and recuperating through drugs. The dealer understands the need for "someone to understand, touch your heart and hold your hand," which leads to the ironic statement that "You need a friend, and a lot of drugs."

The chorus of the song, "You need a friend, and a lot of drugs," is repeated to emphasize the message of the song, which is to highlight the importance of friends or support to help overcome depression and suicidal thoughts. The twist is that the 'friend' in question helps through drug use. The dealer then convinces the singer to help in smuggling drugs. The song concludes with the singer reflecting on his journey, which includes a friendly hug and a rubber glove, and cash for the Indonesian judge.

The song is an ironic representation of how depression and suicidal thoughts can be misinterpreted and glorified, with drugs being the solution. The song brings to light the importance of friendship and support when dealing with depression, as opposed to relying on drugs as a crutch. While the subject matter is heavy, the song presents a unique perspective that blends irony with social commentary on society's attitude toward those who are struggling with mental health issues and how they are treated as a dispensable commodity.

Line by Line Meaning

Black teared desolation with my head held in my hands
Feeling lost and sad, being unable to control emotions and having tears in eyes.

Broken heart inside my chest, a sadness in my pants
Having emotional pain and sadness, and feeling hopeless and depressed.

Calmly contemplating kissing this cruel world goodbye
Thinking of suicide and wanting to escape the pain of life.

When I felt a certain reassuring hand upon my thigh
Someone brought comfort and showed empathy by touching and showing affection.

He said "How ya doing mate"
The person showed care and concern for the artist and asked how they were doing.

I can tell you're feeling blue
The person recognized that the singer was feeling sad and emotional.

I'm gonna help you out coz I know I was once like you
The person offered help and support because they had gone through similar struggles.

Said I've suffered bleak emotions friend
The person acknowledged that they had experienced similar difficult emotions.

You've got nothing to fear
The person reassured the artist that they didn't need to be afraid and that they were there to help.

Strapping up my arm as he whispered in my ear
The person prepared themselves for drug use while whispering to the artist.

You need some relaxation, some rest and recuperation
The person suggested that the singer needed time to relax and recover from their emotional struggles.

For fixing up the aching without love
The person implied that drugs can help relieve emotional pain, even without love or support from others.

You need someone to understand, Touch your heart and hold your hand
The person suggested that the singer needed someone to empathize with them, show affection, and offer support.

You need a friend, and a lot of drugs
The person suggested that the singer needed both friendship and drugs to cope with their emotional pain.

"Now you're feeling better, Could you do something for me?
The person took advantage of the singer's vulnerability and suggested a favor.

Tape this package to your leg, make a delivery
The person asked the artist to transport drugs to another location.

Swallow these balloons and get on the next flight, Try not to use the toilet till you reach the other side"
The person gave specific instructions to the artist to transport drugs in balloons and to avoid using the bathroom until reaching their destination.

And customs love, for all the things that, I've been dreaming of a friendly hug, and a rubber glove, And a little bit of cash for the Indonesian judge
The person sarcastically joked about needing love, hugs, gloves, and money to bribe an Indonesian judge to avoid being caught transporting illegal drugs.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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