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.
Watcher
Hunters & Collectors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He thinks that he will enjoy it here
And in this place, this place of comfort
Are the things that he likes the nearer
And how can he break from this eternal habit
He looks for a witness to this outrage
And the doors fall shut and he is caught like a rabbit
He looks for a face to hide his age
Say hello Watcher, come meet the Watcher
Say hello Watcher, smile at his face
Say hello Watcher, come meet the Watcher
Say hello Watcher, come see his place
The lyrics of Hunter & Collectors' "Watcher" describe a man who has found a place of comfort, surrounded by the things he likes. However, he is trapped in an eternal habit and becomes desperate for a witness to his outrage. As the doors fall shut, he feels trapped like a rabbit and seeks a face to hide his aging. The chorus introduces the Watcher, and the lyrics implore the listener to meet and smile at the Watcher.
The Watcher in the song appears to be a metaphorical figure watching over the man, perhaps representing a higher power or authority figure. The man feels observed and judged by the Watcher, who might be omnipotent, always present and always watching. The Watcher is also a witness, observing the man's desperation and outrage. The chorus invites the listener to acknowledge the Watcher, suggesting that we all have someone or something that watches over us.
"Watcher" is an enigmatic song, with lyrics that are open to interpretation. It can be read as a metaphor for personal struggles and the need for external validation, or as a commentary on the surveillance society and the loss of privacy in modern times. Regardless of its meaning, it is a powerful and evocative song, with lyrics that stay with the listener long after the song is over.
Line by Line Meaning
In this place, this place of comfort
He has found a place to settle and feel at ease
He thinks that he will enjoy it here
He believes that his decision was correct
And in this place, this place of comfort
The place has all the things that he loves
Are the things that he likes the nearer
All the things he enjoys are very closeby
And how can he break from this eternal habit
He's struggling to break free from his unchanging ways
He looks for a witness to this outrage
He wants somebody else to see how trapped he feels
And the doors fall shut and he is caught like a rabbit
He feels trapped, unable to escape
He looks for a face to hide his age
He looks for someone to help him hide his vulnerability
Hello, I want you to meet the Watcher
He wants to introduce you to the one who watches him
Say hello Watcher, come meet the Watcher
He wants you to greet and meet the watcher, who's watching him.
Say hello Watcher, smile at his face
He wants you to smile at the face of Watcher
Say hello Watcher, come meet the Watcher
He insists that Watcher can only be truly understood by meeting him in person.
Say hello Watcher, come see his place
He urges you to see where the Watcher lives.
Contributed by Amelia A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.