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)
Head In the Sand
Hoodoo Gurus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Might as well it be me.
You've been fooling no-one,
If you only could see.
Do you understand?
You've got quite a problem,
Lost your job you know why
But you can't admit,
Do you understand?
Just keep your head in the sand.
Teenage alcoholic
Grew too old to be fun.
Just another loser
Ain't no use to no-one.
You can't understand.
Give yourself excuses,
Just as boozers all do.
Why invent a reason ?
No-one sees it like you
Do you understand?
You've got your head in the sand
(Have another. And another, and another)
Everything is hopeless,
Drink to cope - it don't help.
What's it take to make you
Wide awake to yourself ?
Your head's in the
(Buried deep below)
Your head's in the
(You don't wanna know)
Your head's in the
(You've got feet of clay)
Your head's in the
(Drink your tears away)
The Hoodoo Gurus' song "Head In The Sand" is a poignant commentary on denial and delusion. The lyrics describe a person who refuses to acknowledge their problems, even to the point of losing their job. The singer of the song takes it upon themselves to confront this individual and implore them to face reality. The opening line, "Someone had to tell you, might as well it be me," sets the tone for the rest of the song - the singer is delivering an uncomfortable truth that needs to be heard.
The chorus of the song serves as a refrain, reminding the listener of the danger of burying their head in the sand. The imagery of an ostrich hiding from danger by hiding their head in the sand is a powerful metaphor for the human tendency to avoid uncomfortable truths. The second verse describes a "teenage alcoholic" who "grew too old to be fun," underscoring the idea that denial can be a destructive force in a person's life.
The final verse is perhaps the most haunting, describing how the individual has become so trapped in their own lies that they no longer recognize reality. The repeated refrain, "Your head's in the," followed by a series of dark phrases, drives home the message that denial and dependency are self-destructive behaviors. Overall, the song is a powerful reminder of the importance of facing reality and confronting our problems directly.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone had to tell you,
You were unaware of your problems, so I had to enlighten you.
Might as well it be me.
I was the best person to tell you the truth about your problem.
You've been fooling no-one,
Your attempt to hide your problem has not been successful.
If you only could see.
If only you could be self-aware about your problem.
Do you understand?
Are you aware of the gravity of your situation?
You've got quite a problem,
You have a severe problem that needs to be addressed.
Lost your job you know why
You lost your job due to your problem.
But you can't admit,
You refuse to acknowledge that your problem is the cause of your job loss.
So full of it you might die.
You are so unwilling to accept the truth that it could harm you.
Just keep your head in the sand.
You continue to refuse to acknowledge your problem, so you are burying your head in the sand.
Teenage alcoholic
You started drinking at an early age.
Grew too old to be fun.
Your alcohol consumption has progressed past the point of being enjoyable.
Just another loser
You have become a disappointment to those around you.
Ain't no use to no-one.
You are of no use to anyone due to your problem.
You can't understand.
You are unable to accept the repercussions of your actions.
Give yourself excuses,
You create reasons to justify your actions.
Just as boozers all do.
Alcoholics commonly justify their alcohol consumption.
Why invent a reason ?
You are wasting your time trying to find a reason to justify your behavior.
No-one sees it like you
You are the only one that perceives your behavior to be acceptable.
You've got your head in the sand
You are still not accepting the truth.
(Have another. And another, and another)
You are using alcohol to distract yourself from your problem.
Everything is hopeless,
You see no solution to your problem.
Drink to cope - it don't help.
Your drinking is not helping you to deal with your problem.
What's it take to make you
What needs to happen for you to realize the gravity of your situation?
Wide awake to yourself ?
Become aware of your problem and its impact on your life.
Your head's in the
Your mind is focused on your problem.
(Buried deep below)
You are intentionally ignoring your problem.
(You don't wanna know)
You are actively avoiding the truth.
(You've got feet of clay)
You have flaws that are now impossible to hide.
(Drink your tears away)
You are using alcohol as a coping mechanism instead of addressing your problem.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE FAULKNER, RICK GROSSMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind