Angus was born on the 11th June 1982 in Melbourne, Victoria. he started playing trumpet at the age of twelve, and learnt to scat from listening to jazz recordings. He went to Malvern Primary School, where he often sang at school assemblies. He then went to McKinnon Secondary College and was taught by Ian Orr in Melbourne before studying at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2006 he appeared twice as a panellist on the ABC Australian Music Quiz show Spicks and Specks. Angus is also part of The Conglomerate, a four-piece Melbourne jazz band. He also played basketball for the Malvern Tigers Basketball Club, and used to wear the club's black and yellow singlet while performing at gigs. He is married to Emily Lubitz, the lead singer of Tinpan Orange.
His side project, Jackson Jackson, is a partnership with producer and film composer Jan Skubiszewski (Two Hands, The Rage in Placid Lake, Last Man Standing). "Jackson Jackson and the New Apocalypso Beat" features Melbourne trio The Genie (composed of Ollie McGill on keyboards and keytar, Ryan Monro on bass, and Will Hull-Brown on drums). His backing singers are known as "The Jackson Jackson 5" (made up of Elana Stone, Karishma Sadhai, Bec Ari, Chantal Mitvalsky, and Rory Osman). Jackson Jackson are signed to EMI, and their debut album The Fire Is on ohe Bird was released in 2007. In 2008 they released their second album. Tools for Survival.
Angus is a member of The Conglomerate, and plays trumpet on four tracks of the debut album Aroona Palace by Tinpan Orange, which also features Ollie McGill.
He has also released two folk/acoustic solo albums: Live at the Famous Spiegeltent (2008) and Little Stories (2011).
Breakup Song
Harry James Angus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You used to hold yourself against me
Any man, any man, any man would be broken
By the words that you have spoken
It's nothing much, everybody does it
There's a hater in every lover
It's just that breaking up is hard to do
And the next time that I see you
I'll say "Hi, how have you been?"
And then I'll turn around and leave you, "well, I guess I'll see you"
We used to stay up all night talking about all our hopes and dreams
And it's nothing much, everybody does it
There's a hater in every lover
It's just that breaking up is hard to do
And Should she wait another day now
Before she says what she's been thinking?
She thinks you're weak and you're lazy, man you used to be amazing
I guess I must admit that I have changed
And it's nothing much, everybody does it
There's a hater in every lover
It's just that breaking up is hard to do
It's nothing much, everybody does it
There's a hater in every lover
It's just that breaking up is hard to do
The song "Breakup Song" by Harry James Angus is a ballad about the emotional turmoil of a relationship coming to an end. The lyrics are reflective and melancholic, describing the pain and confusion that comes with a breakup. The opening lines, "Why would you raise a hand against me? / You used to hold yourself against me" suggest a change in the dynamics of the relationship, where the singer is now being hurt by their partner. The second stanza acknowledges that the end of the relationship is a common experience, with the uncomfortable realization that "There's a hater in every lover". The repetition of the line "It's just that breaking up is hard to do" highlights the difficulty of moving on and accepting the loss of a relationship.
The bridge of the song shifts to a contemplation of the future and the possibility of running into the ex-partner. The singer describes a superficial conversation, where they will ask how their former partner is doing, but ultimately walk away. The final stanza suggests that the relationship may have ended due to a change in the qualities of the partner ("She thinks you're weak and you're lazy, man you used to be amazing / I guess I must admit that I have changed"), but ultimately reaffirms that the pain of a breakup is something that everyone must experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Why would you raise a hand against me?
Why would you hurt me, when I always stood by your side
You used to hold yourself against me
You used to be my support, and now you are my enemy
Any man, any man, any man would be broken
Anyone would be hurt or shattered by the cruel words you have spoken
By the words that you have spoken
Your harsh words have caused too much pain and left me broken
It's nothing much, everybody does it
Breaking up may be common, but it still hurts too much to admit
There's a hater in every lover
Even in the sweetest love, there is an ability to hate and hurt one another
And the next time that I see you
The next moment we meet, I will put on a brave face, pretending to be with you
I'll say "Hi, how have you been?"
I will be polite and ask about your life, to not create a scene
And then I'll turn around and leave you, "well, I guess I'll see you"
After a short conversation, I'll leave, pretending that we will soon meet again
We used to stay up all night talking about all our hopes and dreams
We used to share our deepest thoughts and desires, that now only seem like they were just dreams
And Should she wait another day now
Should she delay her confession, trying her best to eliminate her doubts once and for all
Before she says what she's been thinking?
Before saying what she had been holding back for long
She thinks you're weak and you're lazy, man you used to be amazing
She thinks you have become directionless and lacking your previous impressive quality
I guess I must admit that I have changed
I must say that after a breakup, life seems different and nothing remains the same
It's nothing much, everybody does it
Breaking up is a universal experience, and it happens to everyone because of compatibility issues and differences
There's a hater in every lover
True passion can turn into fierce hatred if we do not understand or adjust to each other's differences
It's just that breaking up is hard to do
The song is all about how heart-wrenching it is to let go of someone who was once an essential part of our life.
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.