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)
The Mountain
Hoodoo Gurus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The choices are few.
Where is the magic?
(wave your wand 'til your dreams come true)
I'm high on illusion
Like a fool who is truly in love
Whose act of suspension
Only proves there are wires above.
Now you can see the ways things are
You can't pretend you're blind.
Without a change of mind.
You can't have a change of heart
Give me a reason
Or give me a rhyme,
One man's high treason
Is another's victimless crime.
We say we want justice
To blind and binding on all
But nobody wants it (to be)
On their heads where the sword must fall.
Why is everybody laughing at me?
Why is everybody happy but me?
I wait for a mountain
That won't ever come,
I feel just like Mohammed
(and perhaps a little bit dumb).
Others go climb it-
Ask them why, they reply "'cause it's there!"
But me and my mountain
We're not getting, getting nowhere.
Why is everybody laughing at me?
Why is everybody happy but me?
While I was standing here
I got this wild idea.
I thought everyone was laughing at me.
Now you see the way things are
You can't pretend you're blind
You can't have a change of heart
Without a change of mind.
Now you see the way things are
You can't pretend,
Pretend that you're blind.
Stop talking, start walking!
Do something more than moving your mouth.
In Hoodoo Gurus' song "The Mountain," the lyrics discuss the struggles of finding true happiness and success in life. The song starts by highlighting the limited choices one has in life, either love it or leave it. The singer questions where the magic is in life and encourages listeners to continue to pursue their dreams, even if it means suspended reality, as it is necessary to realize that there are wires above. The next verse is about the desire for justice to be blind and binding on all, but nobody wants it to fall on themselves.
The chorus questions why the singer is the only one not happy or laughing. The last two verses circle back to the idea of the mountain, likening it to the pursuit of success and happiness. The singer waits for it to come but realizes it won't ever happen. Others climb it because it's there, but he is not getting anywhere. The song concludes by encouraging listeners to stop talking and start doing, pointing out that it takes both a change of heart and a change of mind to achieve true happiness and success.
Overall, "The Mountain" is a song about the struggles of finding true happiness and success in life. It highlights the difficulty of pursuing dreams and the challenges that often come with it, such as the fear of failure or the limitations one may face in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Love it or leave it,
Accept the way things are or leave them.
The choices are few.
There aren't many options.
Where is the magic?
Where is the solution?
(wave your wand 'til your dreams come true)
(keep searching for the solution until you find it)
I'm high on illusion
I'm hopeful and optimistic.
Like a fool who is truly in love
Like someone who is deeply invested in their beliefs.
Whose act of suspension
Whose faith and hope.
Only proves there are wires above.
Only to be disappointed.
Now you can see the ways things are
Now you understand the situation.
You can't pretend you're blind.
You can't ignore the truth.
Without a change of mind.
Without changing your perspective.
You can't have a change of heart
Without changing your actions.
Give me a reason
Explain yourself.
Or give me a rhyme,
Or provide a clever answer.
One man's high treason
One person's betrayal.
Is another's victimless crime.
Is seen as harmless by another.
We say we want justice
We claim to seek fairness.
To blind and binding on all
To be enforced universally.
But nobody wants it (to be)
But no one wants it to affect them.
On their heads where the sword must fall.
They don't want to be responsible for the outcome.
Why is everybody laughing at me?
Why is everyone mocking me?
Why is everybody happy but me?
Why am I the only one who isn't satisfied?
I wait for a mountain
I seek a challenge.
That won't ever come,
That is unattainable.
I feel just like Mohammed
I feel rejected and alone.
(and perhaps a little bit dumb).
(and maybe foolish).
Others go climb it-
Others accept the challenge.
Ask them why, they reply "'cause it's there!"
They do it because they can.
But me and my mountain
But I still seek my own challenge.
We're not getting, getting nowhere.
We aren't making progress.
While I was standing here
As I was reflecting on my situation.
I got this wild idea.
I had an unexpected realization.
I thought everyone was laughing at me.
I believed people were mocking me.
Stop talking, start walking!
Take action instead of just talking.
Do something more than moving your mouth.
Take substantial action instead of just talking.
Contributed by Matthew E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.