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)
Dig It Up
Hoodoo Gurus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My friends ask why she's not around,
She won't come home.
I'm so alone (you'll never know!).
You can't bury love,
You've gotta dig it up.
Yeah, you've gotta live it up.
I place them over her grave.
I want her back
Because I look so bad, so bad in black
(Like a maniac)
You can't bury love,
You've gotta dig it up,
Yeah, you've gotta live it up.
Please, darling, come home to me.
Well, I'll make you so happy, you will see!
I'll paint your room
In pink and blue
(I'll even choose the color scheme for you!).
You can't take away my love
I'll never give it up!
Yeah, I'm gonna dig it up.
(Don't!)
(Don't! I Don't want to know!)
My girlfriend lives in the ground.
My friends, you ask me why she's six feet down,
I can't tell you why Å?cos if I even try
I'd fall down flat on my face
And I'd cry, "you can't take away my love"
I'm gonna dig it up!
I'm gonna live it up, yeah,
I'm gonna dig it up, dig it up.
I'm never gonna stop
With that loving cup.
Gotta fill it up.
The lyrics of Hoodoo Gurus' "Dig It Up" are about a man who has lost his girlfriend, who has passed away and is buried in the ground. The man visits her grave every day, bringing flowers to place on it. He wants her to come back and thinks that if he can make her happy, she will return. He promises to paint her room in pink and blue and choose decorations for her, promising to make her happy if she comes back to him. The man believes that burying love isn't enough, you have to dig it up and live it up, to keep it going.
The lyrics of "Dig It Up" are quite dark, as they deal with death and mourning, but Hoodoo Gurus has managed to make the song sound catchy and upbeat. The use of repetition in the chorus, "You can't bury love, you've gotta dig it up," emphasizes the message of the song. The lyrics might also be interpreted as a commentary on the importance of facing one's emotions and dealing with grief instead of burying it.
Line by Line Meaning
My girlfriend lives in the ground.
The singer's girlfriend has passed away and is buried in the ground.
My friends ask why she's not around,
The singer's friends are questioning why his girlfriend is no longer with him.
She won't come home.
The singer's girlfriend is unable to come back to life.
I'm so alone (you'll never know!).
The singer is feeling incredibly lonely without his girlfriend, and it's hard for anyone else to understand his pain.
You can't bury love,
Love can't be buried or forgotten.
You've gotta dig it up.
To find love again, you have to search for it within yourself and others.
Yeah, you've gotta live it up.
You have to embrace life and make the most of it while you can.
I take her flowers each day.
The singer visits his girlfriend's grave regularly, leaving flowers as a sign of his love and devotion.
I place them over her grave.
The singer covers his girlfriend's grave with fresh flowers, perhaps to signify hope and renewal.
I want her back
The singer is grieving his loss and wishes he could have his girlfriend back.
Because I look so bad, so bad in black
The singer may feel depressed and hopeless in his mourning.
(Like a maniac)
The singer might be feeling extreme emotions, perhaps even a little crazed, due to his loss.
Please, darling, come home to me.
The singer is addressing his girlfriend, begging for her to come back to him.
Well, I'll make you so happy, you will see!
The singer is confident that he can make his girlfriend happy if she were to come back to him.
I'll paint your room
The singer is planning for his girlfriend's return and wants to prepare a space for her.
In pink and blue
The singer wants to choose cheerful and bright colors for the room.
(I'll even choose the color scheme for you!).
The singer wants to make every effort to show his love for his girlfriend and make her feel at home.
You can't take away my love
The singer's love for his girlfriend is strong, and no amount of distance or loss can take it away.
I'll never give it up!
The singer is determined to hold onto his love and never surrender it.
Yeah, I'm gonna dig it up.
The singer is going to search deep within himself to find that love again and bring it back to the surface.
(Don't!)
Someone is telling the singer to stop, perhaps because they don't think he should be so fixated on his lost love.
(Don't! I Don't want to know!)
The person may be trying to urge the singer to forget and move on with his life, but he is not ready to do so.
I can't tell you why Å?cos if I even try
The singer is struggling to explain in words how much he is suffering without his girlfriend, and he may not be able to put it into words.
I'd fall down flat on my face
The singer's emotions are so intense that he feels like he might collapse or break down entirely.
And I'd cry, 'you can't take away my love'
The singer's love for his girlfriend is so strong that it can't be taken away, even though she is no longer with him.
I'm gonna dig it up!
The singer is going to do everything he can to find love again and bring it to the surface.
I'm gonna live it up, yeah,
The singer is determined to enjoy his life and make the most of it, even though his girlfriend is no longer with him.
I'm gonna dig it up, dig it up.
The singer is going to keep searching for love and hope, no matter how hard it might be.
I'm never gonna stop
The singer is committed to finding happiness and love again in his life, and he won't give up until he does.
With that loving cup.
The singer is envisioning a future where he has found love again and is able to enjoy life to the fullest.
Gotta fill it up.
The singer is eager to fill his life with love, happiness, and hope, and is determined to do everything he can to make it happen.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE FAULKNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave Hall
Ah, those 1st 2 albums were AMAZING. Thanx Hoodoos!!!!!!!
LGH764
I want this played at my funeral, guests dressing as the grim reaper will be optional.
Tamara Peterson
LGH764 I have a funeral mix and this is definitely on it!
Guyvermectin
I'm glad someone got it. ;^) Love the Hoodoo Gurus. ...Reminds me of when my bones didn't creak.
Patrick S Holmes
Well the highlight of my life was seeing them perform this....live, THe tVillage Green.Snuck in the back when a roadie came out of the door and we were in........and my God looking up at Brad as he was standing on top of a speaker ,with the fog rolling all around him.... doing the solos to this song. Fkn epic1985. Never ever forget it.
Jane Doe
Such a good song - Many thanks - Perfect for the movie 'Pet Cemetary'
Greg Death
Great stuff - still have the record, perfect for Halloween!
John Rebstock
this is one of my favorite GURU songs.....other favorites include: MY GIRL and WHATS MY SCENE and ARTHUR and TOJO and LIKE WOW WIPEOUT and LEILANI and DEATH DEFYING and BITTERSWEET and I WANT YOU BACK and LETS ALL TURN ON and SHADOW ME
Lisal Grochmal
I love when I remember bands my old bf and I had. This awesome. I've also been listening to Yes and ELP, DeepPurple, King Crimson. Oh yes. IRON Butterfly. If you are old? Some of this stuff came pit when I was 4 or 5. I'm 56
Patrick S Holmes
well matey I saw the GUru's at the Village Green in 1985 when I was 17. Aweeeeesome show,i'll remember it forever...and I'm 53 now...they release4d this when I wasd 14. They played the SEnior Social at Melbourne HIgh School.....my brother turned me on to them.