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)
sister
Icehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About the latest model
She's not the usual kind
She's made of mindless metal
She's not exactly normal
[Chorus]
But I don't care she's
Got to be the two
Got to be the three
Got to be the four
Behind the scanners and tapes
She's programmed for perfection
But sometimes simple mistakes
Get by without detection
Her figures need correction
[Chorus]
Don't stand there takin' it
Shake it up, Sister
You've got nobody else but yourself, Sister
Don't stand there takin' it
Shake it up, Sister
One, two, three, four
Give it hell
Take it in
Work it out
Shake it up, Sister
There's something you ought to know
About her calculation
Behind the needles and lights
She hears the faded data
Selects a random sample
The sample says I've
Got to be the one
Got to be the two
Got to be the three
Got to be the four
The lyrics to Icehouse's song Sister depict an android, or robot female, manufactured with the intention of being the perfect entity. The song begins with the perspective of the singer revealing that the android is not the typical type, made of "mindless metal" instead of flesh and blood. Though the android is programmed to aspire to perfection, there are times in which it fails to detect its errors, and its mistakes need correction. Despite this, the singer is implicitly suggestive of a strong attraction to the android, unwilling to let her go and considering her to be the one, the two, the three, and the four, meaning that she is the singer's soulmate.
The chorus reiterates the singer's persistent desire for the android, and the lyrics imply it is irrelevant if the android is not human, she still captures the singer's heart. Besides, the recent model android showcases her attributes behind scanners and tapes, programmed for perfection, yet her imperfections are often overlooked by others. The singer recognizes her potential and encourages her not to stand there taking it, rather to shake it up, displaying her personality and individuality loudly.
One curious verse is in which the android's programming leads it to select a random sample. The sample reveals that the android has to be the one, the two, the three, and the four. The lyrics have a strong connection to the technological revolution of the '80s when the song was released. It explores the question of whether machines can possess and display qualities we previously thought only humans possess, like emotions, aspirations, and passion. The singer's fascination with the android may reflect a broader infatuation with technology replacing, or ultimately merging with, humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something you ought to know
The singer wants to share information about the subject of the song.
About the latest model
The song is about a computer or robot that is the latest version of its kind.
She's not the usual kind
The subject of the song is not a typical computer or robot.
She's made of mindless metal
The subject of the song is made of metal and doesn't have a mind of its own.
She's not exactly normal
The subject of the song is unusual or not normal.
But I don't care she's
The singer does not care about the subject's unusual qualities.
Got to be the one
The singer wants the subject to be their number one choice.
Got to be the two
The singer wants the subject to be their number two choice.
Got to be the three
The singer wants the subject to be their number three choice.
Got to be the four
The singer wants the subject to be their number four choice.
Behind the scanners and tapes
The subject has electronic components such as scanners and tapes.
She's programmed for perfection
The subject has been programmed to work perfectly.
But sometimes simple mistakes
Despite being programmed to work perfectly, the subject can still make simple mistakes.
Get by without detection
These mistakes are not always detected.
Her figures need correction
The subject's calculations and data need to be corrected.
Don't stand there takin' it
The singer is urging the subject to not just accept the mistakes and flaws, but to do something about them.
Shake it up, Sister
The singer is urging the subject to take action and try to improve.
You've got nobody else but yourself, Sister
The subject cannot rely on anyone else but themselves to improve and correct their mistakes.
One, two, three, four
A chant or motivational phrase to encourage the subject to take action and shake things up.
Give it hell
The singer is encouraging the subject to work hard and do their best.
Take it in
The singer is encouraging the subject to accept feedback and criticism in order to improve.
Work it out
The singer is encouraging the subject to figure out solutions and work through their mistakes.
There's something you ought to know
The singer is reminding the listener that there is more information about the subject that they want to share.
About her calculation
The subject's calculations are important to the song's message.
Behind the needles and lights
The subject has needles and lights as part of their technological components.
She hears the faded data
The subject is able to sense or detect data that is no longer clear or relevant.
Selects a random sample
The subject is programmed to select random samples of data.
The sample says I've
The data that the subject has selected communicates something about the singer's feelings.
Got to be the one
The singer's strong feelings about the subject being their choice are reiterated.
Got to be the two
The singer's strong feelings about the subject being their second choice are reiterated.
Got to be the three
The singer's strong feelings about the subject being their third choice are reiterated.
Got to be the four
The singer's strong feelings about the subject being their fourth choice are reiterated.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ivor Arthur Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Penny Bourke
And I still know all the lyrics to most of these songs they really are written well. They really are underrated still lovin their music in 2020 💗 Thank you Iva!
SuperSpacequeen
I've loved this song for eons. there's just something about it.
Glenn Sepelak
I know right?
alan burge
Iva Davies is a legend and he seems like a nice bloke too.......love that Icehouse !
Boogue
Damn -> Love this song. Iva needs to play it live more often
Bluelilly40
This song is crazy good.
valuechicago LLC
My youngest brother sent this to me to show how he loves me.
dLimboStick
@valuechicago LLC Does he think you're cold like a robot?
Malcolm Marriott
IceHouse....
Simon Volkmer
this song ICEHOUSE will never die