Formed by singer-songwriter Shane Howard in the late 1970s, they produced three full albums, and a very rare four song EP. The original name of the band was "The Goanna Band", which was the name used on the EP release in 1979. However, the original name was soon shortened to "Goanna" by the time that the album Spirit of Place was released in the early 1980s.
Goanna's debut album Spirit of Place won the ARIA Best Album of the Year for 1982, with their first major hit, "Solid Rock", winning Best Single of the Year. This song touched on the displacement of aboriginal tribes by the encroaching European settlers. It became a worldwide hit, and was the first rock record to feature extensive use of an Australian didgeridoo, one of the world's oldest wood instruments. Goanna also recorded "Let the Franklin Flow", a song about the ecological damage caused by damming Tasmania's Franklin River for hydroelectricity, and "Sorry", a song about Australia's stolen generation of aborigines.
Shane Howard and his bandmates, including sister Marcia Howard and friend Rose Bygrave, have all recorded solo projects in addition to their time in Goanna.
The members of the group do not rule out future Goanna recordings and have never officially disbanded. The 1998 album "Spirit Returns" is reportedly a result of the group's members desire to "get together" again and make a musical statement.
In October 2006, a number of Goanna's songs have been featured in the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown of songs (which was voted and chosen by the listeners).
Shadow Of Your Love
Goanna Lyrics
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Full of darkness from the night
Full of doubt and disbelieving in the fight
If I weaken from the distance
Help me run the extra mile
Cause I'm living in the shadow of your love
When my friends are full of doubting
Give me strenth to face them squarely
And not be swayed
Cause on a journey to the centre
You can easily lose your way
Gone tomorrow, everything you had today
The lyrics to Goanna's "Shadow of Your Love" is a song about looking for strength and reassurance in love. The writer seems to be feeling low and unsure of himself, but he turns to his love as a source of perseverance. He sings, "If the morning light should find me full of darkness from the night," suggesting that he might be feeling lost after a night of personal struggle, but he's seeking solace in the person he loves. He asks for help, saying, "If I weaken from the distance, help me run the extra mile," underscoring his notion that his love is his rock and guide.
When his friends begin to doubt him and tell him he's lost his way, the singer turns again to his love for support. He acknowledges that "on a journey to the centre, you can easily lose your way," suggesting that he might feel alienated or distanced from his friends, but he finds strength in his own devotion to his love. He implores his love to "give me strength to face them squarely and not be swayed," emphasizing his reliance on his love's reinforcement in the face of external hardship. The lyrics convey an ongoing battle, yet his love is the constant which he has faith in.
Line by Line Meaning
If the morning light should find me
If after a night of darkness, the morning light reveals my doubts and lack of faith
Full of darkness from the night
Feeling uncertain and hopeless due to the previous night's struggles
Full of doubt and disbelieving in the fight
Feeling doubtful and disbelieving about the fight I am in
If I weaken from the distance
In case I become weak while dealing with the distance of my journey
Help me run the extra mile
Please help me find the motivation to go beyond my limits and succeed
Cause I'm living in the shadow of your love
Because I am living under the influence of love and support from someone special
When my friends are full of doubting
When people around me doubt and oppose me
Telling me I've lost my way
Accusing me of being lost and misguided
Give me strength to face them squarely
Help me gather the courage to confront them head-on
And not be swayed
So that I do not get influenced or misled by their negativity
Cause on a journey to the center
Because on the journey to find oneself
You can easily lose your way
It is very easy to lose direction and purpose
Gone tomorrow, everything you had today
It is possible that everything I possess today could be lost tomorrow
Contributed by William N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.