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 Other Side Of Paradise
Hoodoo Gurus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The time had come when we should talk things out again
(Where did you go?) I can't recall,
(What did you do?) Not much at all,
The other side of paradise
If we were perfect we would know a perfect love
But we're so different we can't go like a hand fits in a glove
(What did you do?) Not much at all,
The other side of paradise
The other side, the other side of your love
I'll cross that line, but that's not enough
It's too much
And in the end it will depend on you and me,
And if you still call yourself my friend you soon will see
It's in the way we treat ourselves and those all around
We must believe that we can help if we can
Fight against our prejudice and try to straighten out this mess
(What did you do?) I cannot recall,
(Where did you go?) Not far at all
The other side of paradise
The Hoodoo Gurus’ song “The Other Side Of Paradise” is a track that presents the complexity of relationships and the distance that sometimes exists between people, even when they love each other. The beginning of the song describes a situation in which the singer took his love for a walk in the rain to talk things out. The lyrics “(Where did you go?) I can't recall, (What did you do?) Not much at all” suggest that the conversation that occurred on that walk didn’t yield many concrete results, and the two lovers are still struggling to understand each other. Moreover, the chorus states that both the singer and his love are far from reaching the “other side of paradise,” which is likely a metaphor for a perfect love, possibly an unattainable one.
The middle of the song emphasizes the contrast between perfect love and the reality of human relationships. The lyrics suggest that if people were perfect, they would have perfect love. However, because everyone is different, it's tough to find a true match, and sometimes people can't fit in like a "hand fits in a glove." In the end, the song implies that to reach the other side of paradise, the lovers need to work on themselves and improve their relationship regardless of their differences. The ideas portrayed in the lyrics suggest that relationships are never easy, and although there might be love present, finding harmony is an ongoing process that requires effort from both parties involved.
Line by Line Meaning
I took my love out for a walk into the rain
I brought my significant other out into a difficult situation
The time had come when we should talk things out again
It was time for us to have a discussion about our relationship
(Where did you go?) I can't recall,
I don't remember where I went
(What did you do?) Not much at all,
I didn't do anything of note
The other side of paradise
A place that seems great, but has hidden difficulties
If we were perfect we would know a perfect love
If we were flawless, we would have an ideal relationship
But we're so different we can't go like a hand fits in a glove
Our differences make it difficult for us to have a perfect relationship
(Where did you go?)I can't recall,
I can't remember where I went
(What did you do?) Not much at all,
I didn't do anything significant
The other side of paradise
A challenging situation hidden behind a facade of perfection
The other side, the other side of your love
The difficult part of being in a relationship with you
I'll cross that line, but that's not enough
I'm willing to face the difficulties, but that alone won't solve our problems
It's too much
The problems are overwhelming
And in the end it will depend on you and me,
The outcome of our relationship is based on both of our actions
And if you still call yourself my friend you soon will see
If you truly care about me, you will understand the importance of fixing our relationship
It's in the way we treat ourselves and those all around
The key to fixing our relationship is treating ourselves and others with respect
We must believe that we can help if we can
We need to have faith in our ability to fix the relationship if we work together
Fight against our prejudice and try to straighten out this mess
We must actively work to overcome our biases and fix the problems in our relationship
(What did you do?) I cannot recall,
I don't remember what I did
(Where did you go?) Not far at all
I didn't go very far
The other side of paradise
A difficult situation hidden under a facade of perfection
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE FAULKNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bob gauvin
Loved this album back in the day....hoodoo gurus = summer fun....
Greg Smith
Great album.....great band....underrated song
aloisio dornellas
ASP World Tour década de 90
Luciano Oliveira
aloisio dornellas muito bom ,me lembro da Rádio Fluminense fm.