After recording their first album, which featured the single Talking to a Stranger, the band traveled to Germany to record with famed producer Conny Plank. In 1984, the band reorganized, adding a three-piece horn section and losing the second guitarist. By 1986, the band's style was moving away from the sweat-drenched rhythmic jams of their early days to a more song-centered aproach centered on Seymour (whose younger brother Nick was a member of Crowded House). Throw Your Arms Around Me was a successful single in many countries.
The band was never able to match the worldwide attention they reached in 1986, though they continued to record with considerable success in Australia, and maintained a loyal fanbase elsewhere.
They broke up in 1998, but returned to play one concert on 14 March 2009 for "Sound Relief" at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis.
Courtship Of America
Hunters & Collectors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Showered you with admiration
Now the glass is cracked but you can't turn back
Don't let it break your concentration
Scratched your name on the dotted line
For romance any risk is worth taking
"Don't worry" they say "you'll be rich one day"
Won't you take a chance my friend
You've got nothing to lose in the end
Come on scratch my back and I'll see you in America
Now when the piper calls the tune
Songs of joy and desperation
If you're flat on your face just keep your hair in place
There'll be no lack of cheap conversation
So when you're wandering the streets
At four o'clock in the morning
There's only you and some stray sniffin' around Times Square'
Way over there
So if you've got a message to send
And it's driving you round the bend
Come on scratch my back
And I'll see you in America
They bought Manhattan for a song
A few fishhooks for a nation
At the scene of the crime what's yours will be mine
If you give me the right combination
It's amazing who you meet
When you're on your last legs and fading
Merry go round again yeah I'll see you then
But it'll take some heavy persuasion
Won't you take a chance my friend
You got nothing to lose in the end
Just swallow the bait before it's too late
Come on I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine
We'll schmooze each other 'til the end of time
Into the heavens everlasting
I'll see you in America
Come on and scratch my back
When you're stuck in the track
Take a chance my friend
The lyrics of Courtship Of America by Hunters & Collectors portray a warning about the illusion of the American Dream, where people are often lured into taking risks and making deals that lead them to sacrifice their core values and beliefs. The song highlights the allure of America's promises, where fair-weather friends showered the singer with admiration and urged him to take risks for the sake of romance and greater fortunes. These friends assured him that his hard work would yield success, but ten years down the line, he is still struggling to find his feet.
The lyrics also feature imagery of the darker aspects of the American Dream, where people are willing to do anything to get ahead, and there is no lack of cheap conversation. It portrays the seedy side of Times square, a place where one can wander the streets at four in the morning and encounter only stray dogs, and drug addicts. The lyrics also point to the irony of America's origins, where the nation was famously bought for the price of fish hooks, a clear statement that nothing comes without a price.
Overall, the song highlights the necessity of staying true to one's values and beliefs in a world that is so often defined by compromise and deals. The singer is sent a clear warning not to put all his eggs in one basket, take the bait before it's too late, and not to let the illusion of America break his concentration.
Line by Line Meaning
Fair weather friends they wished you well
People who were only friends with you for good times wanted good things for you
Showered you with admiration
They praised you a lot
Now the glass is cracked but you can't turn back
Now things are not going so well, but it's too late to change it
Don't let it break your concentration
Don't let it distract you from your goals
Scratched your name on the dotted line
You made a commitment by signing a contract
For romance any risk is worth taking
Love is worth taking a risk for
"Don't worry" they say "you'll be rich one day"
They promised you a lot of good things
Ten years later your hand is still shaking
You haven't achieved what you hoped for and it's still making you nervous
Won't you take a chance my friend
Why don't you take a risk?
You've got nothing to lose in the end
There's no harm in trying
Come on scratch my back and I'll see you in America
Help me, and I'll help you get to America
Now when the piper calls the tune
When times get tough
Songs of joy and desperation
People sing both happy and sad songs
If you're flat on your face just keep your hair in place
Even if you're in a bad situation, keep your cool
There'll be no lack of cheap conversation
People will always be talking, even if it's not worth listening to
So when you're wandering the streets
When you're lost
At four o'clock in the morning
Really late at night
There's only you and some stray sniffin' around Times Square'
It's just you and maybe some sketchy people around
Way over there
Far away
So if you've got a message to send
If you have something to say
And it's driving you round the bend
If it's making you crazy
Come on scratch my back
Help me out
And I'll see you in America
I'll repay the favor by helping you get to America
They bought Manhattan for a song
They got a good deal on a valuable thing
A few fishhooks for a nation
They got something very valuable for something very cheap
At the scene of the crime what's yours will be mine
If it's worth a lot, someone else will take it
If you give me the right combination
If you give me what I want
It's amazing who you meet
You'll be surprised at who you run into
When you're on your last legs and fading
When you're not doing well
Merry go round again yeah I'll see you then
Things will repeat themselves, and they'll see you again in a similar situation
But it'll take some heavy persuasion
But they'll need a lot of convincing
Just swallow the bait before it's too late
Take the opportunity while you still can
We'll schmooze each other 'til the end of time
We'll flatter each other for as long as it takes
Into the heavens everlasting
Forever and ever
Come on and scratch my back
Help me out
When you're stuck in the track
When you can't seem to progress
Take a chance my friend
Risk it
Contributed by Austin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.