November 2015 saw th… Read Full Bio ↴New album TOON TOWN LULLABY released July 2020.
November 2015 saw the release of ALL THE HITS LIVE, an album recorded earlier that year at Perth's Astor Theatre. James released a brand new album THIRTEEN in March 2012, containing the singles English Girls, Capsize and Whatcha Gonna Do About It?
James Reyne came to recognition to the Australian public as lead singer of classic Australian band Australian Crawl in the 1970's. They had a number of hits including "Reckless", "Boys Light Up", "Beautiful People", "Shutdown", "Errol", "Oh No Not You Again" and "Downhearted"
After the band split in 1986, James spent some time in the United States and Europe, returning to Australia in 1987.
His first solo album, "JAMES REYNE" (1987) went triple platinum and included three top 10 singles: "Fall Of Rome", "Hammerhead" and "Motors Too Fast". Other singles from this album included "Always The Way" and "Ript It Up".
In the following years James released more solo albums, "HARD REYNE" (1989) which contaimed the Top 40 singles "House Of Cards", "One More River" and "Trouble In Paradise".
In 1991 James returned with his most successful Australian album "ELECTRIC DIGGER DANDY"(1991), which effortlessly mirrored the success of the first. This album contained the smash hits "Slave", "Any Day Above Ground" and "Some People'", plus a reworking of the Aussie Crawl song "Reckless".
James joined country music star James Blundell and recorded the classic Dingoes song "WAY OUT WEST" which exploded into the number 1 position on the Australian charts in 1992.
He next joined Daryl Braithwaite, Jef Scott and Simon Hussey on the very successful album "THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS" in 1993 which included the top 40 hits "Motor City", "Sweet Love" and "Daddy's Gonna Make You A Star".
James then returned to Los Angeles to record with renowned producer Stewart Levine, arriving back in 1994 with the critically acclaimed CD "THE WHIFF OF BEDLAM". The album was a departure in sound for James and featured a more organic sound, complete with brass section. The album spawned the hits "Red Light Avenue", "Day In The Sun" and the final single "It's Only Natural" in 1995.
While touring the album in Australia and overseas during this period, James released the energetic and profilic double Live album titled LIVE IN RIO, recorded in Brazil. A single "Oh No Not You Again" was featured from this CD.
Throughout his career James has appeared in several and varied theatrical, film and television productions and concert events, the more visible of these including "Return To Eden", "Tina; What's Love Got To Do With It?", television drama "State Coroner" and "The Little Shop Of Horrors" (1996)
While signing to Roadshow Music in 1997, James headed into the studio with famed producer and produced a single "Brand New Emperor's Clothes", to be featured on a forthcoming album.
In 1999 James recorded and released the CD "DESIGN FOR LIVING" with friends and brothers Scott and Brett Kingman. Arguably the most critically applauded album of his career, it further cemented his position as a unique, witty, thoughtful and challenging songwriter and singer. This album featured the singles "Wonderful Today", "Not Waving, Drowning" and the classic live favourite "Reno".
2004 saw the completion of "SPEEDBOATS FOR BREAKFAST", released on Liberation Records. It was a self funded project and saw James break free of the record company restrictions and allowed to him to be in control creatively. Radio-only singles "Bug" and "Rainbows Dead End" were featured on this CD.
Rainbows Dead End Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFaXnfZbBAs
As part of the Liberation Blue Accoustic series, James released two highly successgful accoustic albums in recent times. …"AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON"" which allowed James to revisit many of the above titles with little more than a lone acoustic guitar underpinning the most distinctive voice of his generation.
More reworkings of his solo and Australian Crawl material were sounded on "GHOST SHIP" released in 2007.
2007 saw the release of James 8th Studio album. "EVERY MAN A KING" closing a 30-year circle since James first led Australian Crawl into the front line of the Oz rock boom. His eye and pen grew sharper through a platinum-lined solo career, but never have his wit and poignancy been on more consistently solid musical ground than they are here. Stand-out tracks include "Little Man You've Had a Busy Day", "Light In The Tunnel" and "The Postman".
Following a live DVD release in late 2007, titled "One Night In Melbourne", a CD/DVD of the show was available in 2009. The show was filmed and recorded at Melbourne's Palais Theatre and saw James perform 30 songs from his vast catalogue.
One project, titled JAMES REYNE SINGS THE KING has James performing and re-interpreting 14 classic Elvis Presley songs. The album TCB was released in April 2010. A dedicated website has been set up to support the project. http://www.jamesreyneTCB.com
A new album, Thirteen was released in March 2012.
Company Of Strangers
James Reyne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're really not looking your best
Close your eyes, you're in your own little world
The semi trailers you know they slip by
And I never wanted to stay
I'm only dancing with danger
And I could have walked out that way
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company of strangers
I'm in the company of strangers
It's not easy to see when your home is so far
And now the big house is all you're gonna need
Another cry in the jungle bar, don't you know?
I'm in the company of strangers
Whoa oa oa oa oa
Whoa oa oa
Whoa oa oa oa oa
Whoa oa oa
And I never wanted to stay
I'm only dancing with danger
And I could have walked out that way
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company
And I never wanted to stay
I'm only dancing with danger
And I could have walked out that way
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company of strangers
"Company of Strangers" by James Reyne is a powerful song that paints a picture of a woman who is lost and disconnected from the world around her. The opening lines "So far away, you know you're lost little girl, You're really not looking your best" are telling us that the woman in this song is feeling alone and vulnerable. The lyrics suggest that she may be struggling to find her way in the world and that she has become disconnected from the people around her.
The chorus, "Don't give me reasons, I'm in the company of strangers" is a poignant reminder that sometimes we can be surrounded by people and yet still feel alone. The woman in this song is surrounded by people she doesn't know, and she is looking for something she can't find. The verses refer to semi-trailers and a big house that she needs suggesting she is trying to find her place in the world but still doesn't feel grounded.
The lines "I'm only dancing with danger, And I could have walked out that way" suggest the woman may be living dangerously and that she has a choice to leave or stay. Overall, "Company of Strangers" is a powerful song about the loneliness and disconnection that some people feel, even when they are surrounded by others.
Line by Line Meaning
So far away you know you're lost little girl
The girl is physically far from home and feeling lost in life.
You're really not looking your best
The girl is not in a good mental or emotional state, which is reflecting in her appearance.
Close your eyes, you're in your own little world
The girl is trying to escape reality and get lost in her own thoughts or fantasies.
The semi trailers you know they slip by
The passing of semi trailers is a metaphor for time and how it seems to slip by quickly while the girl is lost in her own world.
And I never wanted to stay
The artist never intended to be in this situation or stay for very long.
I'm only dancing with danger
The singer knows he is in a risky or dangerous situation, but he is still participating in it.
And I could have walked out that way
The singer has the option to leave the situation, but he hasn't chosen to do so yet.
Don't give me reasons
The artist doesn't want to hear excuses or reasons for why he should leave.
I'm in the company of strangers
The artist is surrounded by people he doesn't know or trust.
It's not easy to see when your home is so far
The girl is finding it difficult to see things clearly because she is far away from home and the familiarity it provides.
And now the big house is all you're gonna need
The girl's priorities have shifted and now she only desires material possessions like a big house.
Another cry in the jungle bar, don't you know?
The girl is seeking comfort or escape in a low-class bar that is loud and chaotic like a jungle.
Whoa oa oa oa oa
Whoa oa oa
Whoa oa oa oa oa
Whoa oa oa
These lines are simply vocalizations that add to the emotional intensity of the song and don't hold a specific meaning.
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company
Don't give me reasons
I'm in the company of strangers
These lines are a repetition of an earlier part of the song and reinforce the singer's desire to be in the company of strangers and not hear reasons for why he should leave.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES MICHAEL REYNE, SIMON CYRIL HUSSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind