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)
Trojan Blue
Icehouse Lyrics
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Shake up their golden shields
You watch them from your room
High on the city walls
In the distance on the shifting sea
A thousand colored sails
Is this the moment you made?
Is this the way that you planned?
The finest treasures of kings
All of those precious things
They never tempted you
So as you stood in the ruins
How could you dare to look on?
As they burned for you
The broken pieces of clay
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
You remember how it used to be
When you were just a girl
Nothing really mattered then
You can remember so well
How you used to hold your head so high
Those days will never return
The finest treasures of kings
All of those precious things
They never tempted you
So as you stood in the ruins
How could you dare to look on?
As they burned for you
The broken pieces of clay
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
Dust is drifting in the evening air
Across the field below
The silver mirror, you hold
Will never tell
You turn your face away
The finest treasures of kings
All of those precious things
They never tempted you
So as you stood in the ruins
How could you dare to look on?
As they burned for you
The broken pieces of clay
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
The broken pieces of clay
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
The lyrics of Icehouse's song "Trojan Blue" are a beautiful and poignant reflection on the passage of time and the weight of memories. The singer watches from on high as soldiers with golden shields stand on the shore, and a thousand colored sails float in the distance on shifting waters. They question if this is the moment they made, if this is the way they planned. It seems that they are reflecting on their life and wondering if they have lived it to the fullest or if they have missed out on the opportunities that have presented themselves.
The singer then reflects on the past, recalling a time when they were just a girl and nothing really mattered. They remember holding their head high and how they will never be able to return to those carefree days. The song then returns to the soldiers and their golden shields, juxtaposing their strength and splendor with the ruins and the broken pieces of clay that are all that remains. The singer acknowledges that the finest treasures of kings and all their precious things never tempted them, but they still feel some connection to these ruins and to the palest eyes painted in Trojan blue.
The overall feeling of the song is one of melancholy reflection and yearning. It is a haunting tribute to the passage of time and the weight of memories, and the lyrics are powerful and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
The soldiers standing on the shore
The image of soldiers standing on the shore sets the stage for a moment of anticipation and tension
Shake up their golden shields
The soldiers are making a lot of noise, possibly in preparation for battle
You watch them from your room
The singer is an observer, not a participant in this conflict
High on the city walls
The artist has an elevated perspective, possibly indicating a sense of superiority or detachment
In the distance on the shifting sea
The sea is unstable and unpredictable--a metaphor for the broader context of the conflict
A thousand colored sails
There are many ships on the horizon, representing a formidable force
Is this the moment you made?
The singer reflects on the choices that led to this point
Is this the way that you planned?
The artist questions whether the outcome was intended or not
You know it won't be long now
The artist anticipates the end result of this conflict
The finest treasures of kings
Material wealth and luxury
All of those precious things
The accumulation of wealth or status for its own sake
They never tempted you
The artist does not desire or value these things
So as you stood in the ruins
The singer is amid a scene of destruction or decay
How could you dare to look on?
The singer feels a sense of guilt or complicity in the violence they have witnessed
As they burned for you
The singer may have contributed to or benefited from the destruction and violence
The broken pieces of clay
The remnants of civilization
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
The eyes of those affected by the conflict
You remember how it used to be
The singer has a nostalgic perspective on the past
When you were just a girl
The singer reflects on a time of greater innocence and naivete
Nothing really mattered then
The artist had a simpler worldview
You can remember so well
The memories are vivid and nostalgic
How you used to hold your head so high
The artist remembers feeling confident and proud
Those days will never return
There is a sense of loss and regret for the past
Dust is drifting in the evening air
The environment is gloomy and unsettled
Across the field below
The singer is observing a scene of destruction or decay
The silver mirror, you hold
The singer is holding a reflective object, possibly indicating a moment of introspection
Will never tell
The singer's reflection cannot provide clear answers or insights
You turn your face away
The artist is struggling to confront the reality of the situation
The broken pieces of clay
The remnants of civilization
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
The eyes of those affected by the conflict
The broken pieces of clay
The remnants of civilization
And the palest eyes, painted in Trojan blue
The eyes of those affected by the conflict
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ivor Arthur Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind