Since 1980, Icehouse has released seven albums, several compilations, and music from collaborations with other artists including dance companies. Their 1987 album 'Man of Colours' was released at the apex of their fame and international success. It is considered by many to be the band's magnum opus.
As 'Flowers', Icehouse built up a strong following as a live act around Sydney, Australia, noted for their distinctive cover versions of songs by a wide range of acts including T-Rex and Brian Eno. After signing to the independent Regular Festival Records label, they released their debut single, "Can't Help Myself", which hit the Australian Top 10 in June 1980. This was followed by their first album 'Icehouse', which also made the Top 10 and became one of year's biggest selling albums in Australia. The album made use of synthesisers, especially the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5.
Further singles "We Can Get Together" and "Walls" both hit the Top 20. A European single from this album, "Icehouse", created some interest in the U.K., partly because of a memorable music video. Sensing the possibility of international success, the band decided to change their name in early 1981 to avoid confusion with Scottish group The Flowers. As Icehouse, they spent most of 1981 touring the UK, Canada and US, where "We Can Get Together" hit #62. A single release, "Love In Motion", recorded by Davies alone but the first to be credited to the band's new name, duly hit the Australian Top 10 in November 1981.
In January 1982, the band's original line up split, resulting in Davies recording Icehouse's much-anticipated second album, 'Primitive Man', on his own, with assistance from Keith Forsey, who later worked with Simple Minds. Released in August 1982, Primitive Man was another huge Australian hit and became Icehouse's international breakthrough. The hit single "Hey Little Girl" reached the UK Top 20 and has remained their most regularly played song. Another strong track from this album was "Great Southern Land", which made the Australian Top 5 and was later featured in the late 1980s film 'Young Einstein'.
In 1985, Davies' musical standing was further enhanced when he was commissioned to compose and record the score for the acclaimed Sydney Dance Company production of Graeme Murphy's dance work 'Boxes'. Icehouse's third album, 'Sidewalk', was far more sombre and reflective, featuring the tracks "I Don't Believe Anymore" and "Someone Like You". After this album the band made further inroads into the U.S. market with their 1986 release 'Measure for Measure', which featured none other than Brian Eno as a listed band member.
Icehouse's next work, 'Man of Colours', was their best-selling album. It contained the hit singles "Crazy" and "Electric Blue" (a song co-written by John Oates from the band Hall and Oates). Both singles reached the US Top 20, with "Electric Blue" hitting the #7 slot. With this album, the band reached an international zenith, never surpassing this level of popularity and exposure again.
In 1995, Davies was again involved with the Sydney Dance Company's production of Berlin. The musical score is a collection of cover versions of songs by David Bowie, Brian Eno, Simple Minds, The Psychedelic Furs, Frank Sinatra, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, XTC, Talking Heads, The Velvet Underground, PiL, The Cure and Killing Joke, which saw him collaborating with pianist Max Lambert in the development of the music.
As well as recording the score to the ballet, Davies performed these songs live with Icehouse at each show. He was an intrinsic part of the ballet, in a role similar to the one in Boxes. Iva was extremely successful in creating a translation from the dancers to the audience. Berlin was an instant success and ran for two seasons. Both shows were the most commercially successful that The Sydney Dance Company have had to date.
On 16 August 2006, Icehouse were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame along side acts such as Midnight Oil, Divinyls and Rose Tattoo. Also in 2006, Icehouse featured prominently on the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown with 14 songs selected including:
*"Man Of Colours"
*"Electric Blue"
*"We Can Get Together"
*"Don't Believe Any More"
*"Great Southern Land" (which came in at number 12)
Angel Street
Icehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And brushes back her hair
She stands before the mirror
Wondering what to wear
But she knows no one will care
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
So she waits for the call
Knowing only too well
A photograph a dusty window
Where the sun strays in
Everywhere the sounds of morning
As the day begins
People waiting at the station
Do they go nowhere
Two lines that stretch out in the distance
Turn and disappear
But she knows no one will care
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
With the girl on angel street
So she waits for the call
And she waits for so long
Knowing only too well
She tells herself there must be more
Toujour l'amour l'amour
But she knows no one will care
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
With the girl on angel street
So easy to forget
The girl on angel street
She knows no one will care
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
The girl on angel street
She knows no one will care
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
With the girl on angel street
So easy to forget
With the girl on angel street
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
With the girl on angel street
So easy to forget
Just another sad affair
The girl on angel street
The lyrics to Icehouse's song "Angel Street" describe a woman standing before the mirror, trying to decide what to wear, while knowing that no one will care about her appearance. The location of the song is unclear, but it seems to be a quiet, contemplative setting with sounds of the morning and people waiting at the station. The woman is waiting for a call, and as she waits, she tells herself that there must be more to life. However, she knows that no one will care about her or her struggles, and she is just another sad affair on Angel Street.
The lyrics suggest a feeling of isolation and loneliness, as if the woman is living in a world where nobody cares about her. The main theme is the woman's search for meaning and connection, as she waits for a call that may never come. The song portrays how easy it is to forget people who don't stand out, especially those who live on a street like Angel Street, where nothing much seems to happen. The title "Angel Street" may be a metaphor for a place that seems like paradise, but is really a street where people are forgotten.
Overall, the lyrics to "Angel Street" paint a picture of a woman who is struggling with feelings of isolation and desperation. She is searching for a connection but knows that in a world where nobody cares, she is just another sad affair on her street.
Line by Line Meaning
She draws the curtain wide
She opens the curtains and lets in the daylight
And brushes back her hair
She runs her hand through her hair, preparing for the day
She stands before the mirror
She looks at her reflection in the mirror
Wondering what to wear
She's not sure what clothes to put on
But she knows no one will care
She realizes no one will notice what she's wearing or how she looks
So easy to forget
She's easily overlooked and ignored by others
Just another sad affair
Her life is unfulfilling and disappointing
The girl on angel street
She's a lonely girl living on a street named Angel
So she waits for the call
She waits for someone to reach out to her
Knowing only too well
She's aware of the inevitability of her situation
A photograph a dusty window
She sees an old photo on a dusty windowsill
Where the sun strays in
The sun shines through the dusty window
Everywhere the sounds of morning
It's early in the morning and she hears the sounds of the world waking up
As the day begins
The day is starting
People waiting at the station
She sees people waiting at a train station
Do they go nowhere
She wonders if they're going anywhere important
Two lines that stretch out in the distance
She sees two train tracks stretching into the distance
Turn and disappear
They disappear over the horizon
And she waits for so long
She's been waiting for someone to call for a while
She tells herself there must be more
She tries to convince herself that there's more to life than this
Toujour l'amour l'amour
She thinks about love and its importance in life
With the girl on angel street
She's still the same lonely girl on Angel street
So easy to forget
People still easily forget about her
Just another sad affair
Her life is still unfulfilling and disappointing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: IVOR ARTHUR DAVIES, ROBERT GRANT KRETSCHMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Neyde Alegre
Essa música aqui é um tesouro perdido no fundo do mar. Poucos tem a oportunidade de conhecer. O tesouro não se mostra pra qualquer um.
Alisson Brazil
Linda música, mas de um tema controverso, né!
Clara Rodrigues
Sou completamente obcecada por essa música... Ela é simplesmente perfeita, e a voz do Iva Davies é maravilhosa <3 Icehouse <3
Alexandro Ramos
@Virgílio MotaEu amo muito mais! Kkk
Marival Pereira
Somos dois amigo
Edson Leite
OLA CLARA É EDSON LEITE, DE MACEIÓ-AL, EU GOSTEI MUITO DESSE GRUPO ICEHOUSE, SÓ QUE EU CONHECI AGORA, EM JANEIRO DE 2020. SE OUVI ANTES NO RÁDIO, NÃO LEMBRO!
André Souza
É a música perfeita para definir o fim da adolescência de qualquer garota . Sabe, quando as garotas começam a se tornar mulheres..."Toujour, l'amour l'amour!"
Eriane Nascimento
É só fechar os olhos e viajar com essa música!
Michel Frank Araújo
Volto em 1986..
Gardenia Sena
Muito linda essa música.!!
Uma pena não poder dá mil likes... ❤💫✨