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)
Can't Help Myself
Icehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the kind, hey,
That's the kind I want to meet
I think I'm making it up
I should be putting it down
And it's beginning to show
I get it fixed in my head
And it won't let go
Oh, I can't help myself
When I feel this way
I want to be someone else
When I get this feeling
It gets in my system
I can't put the brakes on
Now she's walking next to me
That's the place, yeah,
That's the place I want to be
I think I'm making it up
I should be putting it down
And it's beginning to show
I get it fixed in my head
And it won't let go
The Icehouse song "Can't Help Myself" is about the feeling of being drawn to someone and being unable to resist the pull they have on you. The singer describes seeing a woman walking down the street and knowing that she is the type of person he wants to meet. He acknowledges that he should be focusing on something else, but the attraction he feels is so strong that it's beginning to consume him. He can't shake the feeling, no matter how hard he tries.
As the song progresses, the singer finds himself walking next to the woman he's been thinking about. He knows that being with her is where he wants to be, even though he should be doing something else. The chorus reveals that the singer can't help the way he feels; the desire he feels is too powerful to ignore. He wants to be someone else, to escape the pull she has on him, but he can't. The feeling is too deeply ingrained in him.
The song captures the sensation of being drawn to someone so strongly that you lose control over yourself. The lyrics suggest that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, our feelings are simply too powerful to resist. Trying to escape those desires may be impossible, even if we know we should be focusing on other things.
Line by Line Meaning
She comes walking down the street
I see a girl walking down the street who catches my attention
That's the kind, hey,
I really like her, she is exactly my type
That's the kind I want to meet
I want to talk to her and get to know her
I think I'm making it up
I feel like my heart is playing tricks on me
I should be putting it down
I know I shouldn't pursue this, but I can't help myself
And it's beginning to show
I'm starting to act differently because of my infatuation
I get it fixed in my head
I can't stop thinking about her, she's constantly on my mind
And it won't let go
I can't shake off these feelings no matter how hard I try
Oh, I can't help myself
I am powerless to my emotions, I can't control how I feel
When I feel this way
When I'm under the spell of love
I want to be someone else
I wish I could escape from these feelings and be a different person
When I get this feeling
When I become so infatuated with someone
It gets in my system
I feel like my emotions are taking over me
I can't put the brakes on
I can't stop myself from pursuing this person
Now she's walking next to me
I am now walking side by side with the girl I am infatuated with
That's the place, yeah,
Being next to her is exactly where I want to be
That's the place I want to be
I want to stay by her side and see where things go
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ivor Arthur Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@justinmorgan2126
"Can't Help Myself"
She comes walking down the street
That's the kind, hey,
That's the kind I want to meet
I think I'm making it up
I should be putting it down
and it's beginning to show
I get it fixed in my head
and it won't let go
Oh, I can't help myself
when I feel this way
I want to be someone else
When I get this feeling
it gets in my system
I can't put the brakes on
Now she's walking next to me
that's the place, yeah,
that's the place I want to be
I think I'm making it up
I should be putting it down
and it's beginning to show
I get it fixed in my head
and it won't let go
@johnkauppi7078
Totally 80's cool. What a great decade we Gen X's lived in ! I've never really left it.
@Him_He_Me
Man so many great songs on this album!!!!!
@Armourlego
The older I get the more I relate to this awesome song.... Icehouse are a quintessentially perfect Australian band. The echo effect of their tracks is so reminiscent of the sound of Australia. Vast & deep. Just so f@&king good.
@peterthomas6486
Mate, when I was 15-16 when this came out, it was like I discovered a new religion, it completely blew me away, bought both their first 2 singles and the album, I feel, Aussie music sort of turned a new leaf with this band.
@Scotty-P
Last night on a bus home, three different Indians yammering away on their phones. I whistle to try and drown out the one closest to me. Up at the back of the bus a fellow begins; in an even better move, playing this on his phone to do the same. It's bittersweet; to say the very least, what the sound of 'Australia' is like now.
@MegaDRjohn
its... flowers... icehouse was later
@rickydumas9994
Same band, they had to change the name during their first UK tour due to a legal challenge from Scottish band The Flowers.
@rachelled6763
I think I was 13 and the first Flowers song I heard and was instantly in love with Iva Davies. He really is a stunning frontman. Now I'm older, I am awed by the talent of the band, the musicianship, songwriting. Icehouse were one of the very best of the new wave/punk era in Oz. So glad to have grown with them. 🩷🩷
@Theire1
I grew up in Buttcrack Ohio and when i wanted this album I went to the local record store . They did not have it but ordered it for me . I could pick it up in a month.... kids have it too easy now lol
@RekimNZ
Watched this awesome rock band play at Mornington Racecourse (Feb, 2024, Red Hot Summer Tour) sounded just perfect ! - So glad I have heard this live now !