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)
Complicated Game
Icehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ask myself should I put my finger to the right, no
It doesn't really matter where I put my finger
Someone else will come along and move it
It's always been the same
It's just a complicated game, yeah [Repeat: x2]
Little girl ask me should she part her hair upon the left, no
I said it really doesn`t matter where you part your hair
Someone else will come along and move it
It's always been the same
It's just a complicated game, game yeah [Repeat: x2]
Yeah
Little boy ask me should he put his vote upon the left, no
Little boy ask me should he put his vote upon the right, right, right, no
I said it really doesn't matter where you put your vote
Someone else will come along and move it
It's always been the same
It's just a complicated game, game yeah
It's just a complicated game, yeah
They want a Tom, they want a Joe
To dress him up and stick him out on show
They were only arrows in a very bad aim
It's just a complicated
They want a Tom, they want a Joe
To dress him up and stick him out on show
They were only arrows in a very bad aim
It's just a complicated
It's just a complicated game
God asked me should he also put his world on the left, left, left, no
God asked me should he also put his world on the right, no
I said it really doesn`t matter where you put your world
Someone else will come along and move it
It`s always been the same
It`s just a complicated game
Game
It`s just a complicated game
Game
It`s just a complicated game
Just a compli- complicated
It`s just a complicated game x3
It`s just a complicated
Complicated
It`s just a complicated
Complicated
It`s just a complicated game x3
Just a complicated game
Just a... complicated
Just a complicated game x2
The Icehouse song "Complicated Game" is a commentary on the futility of control in life. The lyrics suggest that no matter how hard we try to control our lives, someone else will always come along and move things in a different direction. Even God is not immune to this, as the song asks whether He should put His "world on the left or right," only to answer that "It doesn't really matter where you put your world / Someone else will come along and move it." This message is reinforced throughout the song with references to hair parting and voting, indicating that even seemingly small decisions can be disrupted by outside forces.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "It's just a complicated game," driving home the idea that life is not straightforward and cannot always be controlled. The repetition of this line suggests resignation and acceptance, that maybe the best way to approach life is to understand that it is a game with many variables.
Line by Line Meaning
I ask myself should I put my finger to the left, no
The singer questions which direction to move their finger, but ultimately decides not to choose either direction.
I ask myself should I put my finger to the right, no
The singer questions which direction to move their finger, but ultimately decides not to choose either direction.
It doesn't really matter where I put my finger
The singer realizes that their choice doesn't impact anything in the grand scheme of things.
Someone else will come along and move it
Regardless of the artist's choice, someone else will eventually come along and change it.
It's always been the same
The situation has been this way for a long time.
It's just a complicated game, yeah [Repeat: x2]
Overall, the situation is complex and difficult to navigate.
Little girl ask me should she part her hair upon the left, no
A young girl asks the singer which direction to part her hair, but the singer tells her it doesn't matter.
Little girl ask me should she part her hair upon the right
A young girl asks the artist which direction to part her hair.
I said it really doesn't matter where you part your hair
The artist assures the girl that her choice of hair part direction is trivial.
Little boy ask me should he put his vote upon the left, no
A young boy asks the artist which political party to vote for, but the artist tells him it doesn't matter.
Little boy ask me should he put his vote upon the right, right, right, no
A young boy asks the singer which political party to vote for, but the singer tells him not to choose any particular party.
I said it really doesn't matter where you put your vote
The artist tells the boy that his vote doesn't have much of an impact either way.
They want a Tom, they want a Joe
People in power generally want someone to fill a certain role, regardless of who it is.
To dress him up and stick him out on show
They want someone to appear a certain way and present themselves to the public.
They were only arrows in a very bad aim
These people were just tools used to achieve a goal that ultimately failed.
God asked me should he also put his world on the left, left, left, no
The artist imagines God asking for their opinion as to which direction to move the world, but decides against choosing either direction.
God asked me should he also put his world on the right, no
The artist imagines God asking for their opinion as to which direction to move the world, but decides against choosing either direction.
I said it really doesn`t matter where you put your world
The singer tells God that the direction of the world doesn't really matter.
It`s just a complicated game
Overall, the situation is complex and difficult to navigate.
Game
The situation is like a game with many different factors at play.
Complicated
The situation is intricate and challenging.
Just a complicated game
The situation can be understood as a challenging game.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDY PARTRIDGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind