The original lineup was notable for having three guitars and no bass player, creating a distinctive, layered sound. Kimble Rendall left in 1982 before the release of their first single, Leilani, and went on to become a noted music video director. He was effectively replaced by bassist Clyde Bramley. Radalj was not happy with Rendall's departure or Faulkner's increasing influence, and left the band himself, to be replaced by one-time Fun Things guitarist Brad Shepherd. This line-up released the band's break-through first album, Stoneage Romeos, in 1984.
In 1998, the band officially split but reformed for occasional concerts in subsequent years. A full-fledged reunion came in 2004, when they released Mach Schau and began touring again. The band received another boost when Come Anytime (from 1989's Magnum Cum Louder) was used as the theme song to the Australian TV show Thank God You're Here.
Discography:
Stoneage Romeos (1984), Mars Needs Guitars! (1985), Blow Your Cool! (1987), Magnum Cum Louder (1989), Kinky (1991), Crank (1994), Blue Cave (1996), Mach Schau (2004), Purity of Essence (2010)
Compilations:
Electric Soup (1992), Gorilla Biscuit (1992), Electric Chair (1998), Armchair Gurus (1998), Bite The Bullet (1998), Ampology (2000)
Castles in the Air
Hoodoo Gurus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A home for you and I-
In a blue, blue sky.
We'd leave behind the weight of worldly care,
I thought we could fly
We only had to try.
Ah, I had to learn fast, (For your own good)
And when I knew at last (You understood)
I knew at last
Hell and heaven can be one and the same,
If you don't know how
You should know by now,
Every pleasure always holds an equal amount of pain
But it all works out,
I have no doubt.
Ah, we had to learn fast, (For our own good)
We had to barn fast.
And when we knew at last (When we understood)
We knew at last
Every kite has got to have a string for it to fly
Up to who knows where ?
Castles in the air.
So there are strings attached to you and I
Though they hold us tight
We can take flight.
The Hoodoo Gurus' "Castles in the Air" is a song that explores the idea of building a perfect life with someone else. The song opens with the line "Once I built a castle in the air," which represents the dream of creating a life together with someone else. The lyrics continue to describe this dream as a place in the sky where they could leave behind the weight of worldly care and just be together. The singer of the song hopes for a life where they can fly and explore the possibilities of this imaginary world they've created together.
However, the song takes a turn when the lyrics recognize the hardships that come with building a life with someone else. The line "Hell and heaven can be one and the same" highlights the idea that building a life with someone else is a journey filled with both joy and pain. The lyrics also emphasize that every pleasure has an equal amount of pain, but ultimately, everything works out if they try hard enough.
The repetition of the line "We had to learn fast" reinforces the idea that building a life with someone else requires hard work, dedication, and learning from one's mistakes. Despite the challenges, the chorus highlights the importance of having something to hold onto, represented by the kite string that holds them tight while they take flight towards their castles in the air. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the idea that even though there are strings attached to them, the singer and their loved one can still take flight and make their dreams come true.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I built a castle in the air,
I once dreamed of a perfect life and future for us, which seemed possible at the time.
A home for you and I-
A place in our hearts and minds where we could live together in happiness.
In a blue, blue sky.
In a beautiful, clear and limitless world with endless possibilities.
We'd leave behind the weight of worldly care,
We'd let go of all the worries, responsibilities and burdens of everyday life.
I thought we could fly
I truly believed we could achieve anything we wanted and soar above it all.
We only had to try.
All we needed was to have faith and put in the effort to make our dreams come true.
Ah, I had to learn fast,
Unfortunately, I quickly realized that things would not be as easy as I imagined.
I had to learn fast
I had to face and overcome many obstacles and challenges along the way.
And when I knew at last
When I finally understood the realities of life and love,
I knew at last
I came to accept and appreciate the beauty and complexities of everything around me.
Hell and heaven can be one and the same,
Sometimes the things we desire most can also bring us the greatest pain, but it's all part of the journey.
If you don't know how
If you lack the wisdom and experience to handle it all,
You should know by now,
You will eventually learn, through trial and error and the passage of time.
Every pleasure always holds an equal amount of pain
For every up, there is a down; for every joy, there is a sorrow. Nothing in life is perfect, but everything has its purpose.
But it all works out,
Despite the hardships and setbacks, everything ultimately falls into place, one way or another.
I have no doubt.
I have faith that everything will work out for the best, in its own time and way.
Ah, we had to learn fast,
Together, we had to quickly adapt to the realities of life and love.
We had to barn fast.
We had to overcome many challenges and difficult times, but we did it together and became stronger for it.
And when we knew at last
Together, we finally understood what it takes to make a relationship work and thrive.
When we understood)
When we had gained the necessary experience, wisdom and insights to handle anything that came our way.
Every kite has got to have a string for it to fly
We need boundaries and commitments in order to thrive and achieve our goals, just like a kite needs a string to stay airborne.
Up to who knows where ?
To whatever heights and destinations we desire, as long as we stay grounded and focused.
Castles in the air.
The dreams and aspirations that keep us going and pushing forward, even when things seem impossible.
So there are strings attached to you and I
There are strings and commitments that bind us together, even when things get tough.
Though they hold us tight
Despite the challenges and hardships, we are held together by the bonds of love and commitment.
We can take flight.
Together, we can overcome anything and achieve our dreams and goals, as long as we have each other.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE FAULKNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind