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).
Introduction
Harry James Angus Lyrics
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The spirit of an eagle could just be detected
On her shoulder in the light that comes before the dawn of sunrise
She kept a box behind the television screen
Filled with rocks and sticks and bugs and things
She said "There hasn't been electricity here since 1985"
She said "This house is filled with ghosts, Jim"
And sometimes I think they're calling my name
And would you like another glass of wine
And we talked and we talked and we talked
It was so good to talk, her heart was a leopard, her tongue was a fork
The words were like leaves, all scattered and green
And we lay on the floor
(La la la...)
She was more magical than I had expected
The spirit of a lion could just be detected
By her side when you stood behind her and looked in the mirror
She had just been in an African dream
And I couldn't believe all the things she had seen
She said "Why do people always speak of the horror?"
And she handed me a tissue as the lights went dim
She said "Your eyes are filled with tears, Jim"
I cried for the sick and the restless
And I drank some wine and looked over my meadows
The millions, the silent, the simmering, the angry, the righteous
The manic fanatics with semi-automatic rifles
I'll give you a hundred dollars to tell me what life is
I'll go to the gym, I'll read you the bible
(La la la...)
And so here we all are together again
I hope that you get your money's worth my friends
And if you came to laugh, I hope that you laugh
And if you came to cry, well here are some onions
La la la la, it's just me and my guitar
I'll sing you a sad song, a song from the heart
About the little things that make us smile and forget
Our troubles at least for a while
And we all are more magical than we could have expected
The lights of the future can just be detected in the distance
We strain our eyes to see further
The song "Introduction" by Harry James Angus tells a story of a magical encounter with a woman. The singer is in awe of the woman's spirit and the odd things she keeps in a box behind her TV. The woman claims that her house is filled with ghosts, and sometimes believes they are calling her name. Throughout the encounter, they conversed on the floor while drinking wine. The woman confides in the singer about her experiences in Africa and her thoughts on humanity. The song concludes by expressing the hope that the audience gets their money's worth and ends on a positive note about the magic within us all and the potential of the future.
Line by Line Meaning
She was more magical than I had expected
The singer was surprised by how enchanting the woman was
The spirit of an eagle could just be detected
On her shoulder in the light that comes before the dawn of sunrise
The woman exuded strength and freedom, like an eagle, in the early morning light
She kept a box behind the television screen
Filled with rocks and sticks and bugs and things
She said "There hasn't been electricity here since 1985"
The woman had a quirky and unconventional living situation, with no electricity and a collection of natural objects
And she handed me a candle when the lights went dim
She said "This house is filled with ghosts, Jim"
And sometimes I think they're calling my name
And would you like another glass of wine
The woman was comfortable with the supernatural and had a sense of humor about it, while also offering hospitality to the artist
And we talked and we talked and we talked
It was so good to talk, her heart was a leopard, her tongue was a fork
The words were like leaves, all scattered and green
And we lay on the floor
The two conversed with ease and depth, enjoying each other's company, and the woman's personality had a wild and sharp quality
She was more magical than I had expected
The spirit of a lion could just be detected
By her side when you stood behind her and looked in the mirror
Again, the woman had a presence about her that evoked strength and bravery, even when looking at her from behind
She had just been in an African dream
And I couldn't believe all the things she had seen
She said "Why do people always speak of the horror?"
The woman had recently had a dream about Africa and its struggles, and was tired of the focus on negative aspects rather than positive ones
And she handed me a tissue as the lights went dim
She said "Your eyes are filled with tears, Jim"
I cried for the sick and the restless
And I drank some wine and looked over my meadows
The artist was moved and emotional about the state of the world, and the woman was empathetic and accompanying, while also offering a tranquil surroundings
The millions, the silent, the simmering, the angry, the righteous
The manic fanatics with semi-automatic rifles
I'll give you a hundred dollars to tell me what life is
I'll go to the gym, I'll read you the bible
The artist reflects on the diversity and complexity of humanity, and expresses a willingness to seek answers and find meaning in different ways
And so here we all are together again
I hope that you get your money's worth my friends
And if you came to laugh, I hope that you laugh
And if you came to cry, well here are some onions
The artist addresses his audience, hoping to provide an experience or connection for them, regardless of what they are seeking
La la la la, it's just me and my guitar
I'll sing you a sad song, a song from the heart
About the little things that make us smile and forget
Our troubles at least for a while
The singer finds solace and expression in music, and seeks to share with others the way it can lift us out of difficult emotions
And we all are more magical than we could have expected
The lights of the future can just be detected in the distance
We strain our eyes to see further
The artist ends on a note of optimism and wonder, recognizing the potential for greatness within us all and the hope that lies ahead
Writer(s): Benny Latimore, Jean Claude Olivier, Fred Brooks, Samuel J. Barnes, Otis Jackson, Richard Jackson, Jermaine Baxter
Contributed by Connor J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.