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.
Downhearted
James Reyne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down on Bali bays
It's not the way that I should feel
But it's the way I'm going to stay
Lonely, lonely
Chasing you all round the world
Wrong way, wrong way
You took a heart, took a heart too young
Downhearted
Broken dreams that never really started
Downhearted
Broken dreams that never really start
It seems all wrong back here at home
There's no end in sight
Should I be made to drag you through
This lovers endless fight
If only, if only
You'd take me as I am
Strong arm, strong charm
You took a heart, took a heart too young
Sometimes I think that we should stay
Happy on the farm
Sometimes I think that I'll give it all away
This love and all its charm
Downhearted
Broken dreams that never really started
Downhearted
Broken dreams that never really start
The lyrics to James Reyne's song 'Downhearted' express a feeling of loneliness and heartache, caused by a lost love that has been taken away too soon. The singer's heart is left behind in the "orient" specifically in Bali, where he and his lover had spent time, but he must continue to chase her around the world, feeling lost and downhearted. The singer is questioning if this love is worth fighting for, struggling with the idea of dragging his lover through a continuous fight. He wishes that she would take him as he is, with strong arms and charm, but feels like she has taken his heart too young.
The verse "Sometimes I think that we should stay happy on the farm, sometimes I think I'll give it all away. This love and all its charm" highlights the confusion and struggle with what the right decision should be. The singer is considering staying in the comfort of a simple life, but also recognizes the charm of love and how much it means to him. However, it's made clear that the relationship has been lost and the dreams surrounding it have not materialized - "broken dreams that never really started."
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of loss, heartbreak, and confusion, as the singer struggles to reconcile his feelings for his lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
I left my heart back in the orient
I have left my heart behind in Asia
Down on Bali bays
Specifically, I have left my heart on the beaches of Bali
It's not the way that I should feel
I know that I shouldn't feel this way
But it's the way I'm going to stay
But I know that I will continue to feel this way
Lonely, lonely
I am feeling very lonely
Chasing you all round the world
I am chasing after you all over the world, but I can't seem to catch you
Wrong way, wrong way
I realize that I am going about this the wrong way
You took a heart, took a heart too young
You have taken my heart when I was too young and naive
Downhearted
I am feeling very sad and discouraged
Broken dreams that never really started
I had dreams for our relationship that were never really able to get off the ground
It seems all wrong back here at home
Things don't feel right now that we are back home
There's no end in sight
I can't see any resolution to our problems
Should I be made to drag you through
I wonder if I should be responsible for getting us through this difficult time
This lovers endless fight
Our relationship feels like a never-ending battle
If only, if only
If only you could see things from my perspective
You'd take me as I am
You would accept me for who I am
Strong arm, strong charm
You have a strong personality and charm
Sometimes I think that we should stay
Sometimes I think that we should just stay where we are and be happy
Happy on the farm
Perhaps we should just live a simpler life and be content with that
Sometimes I think that I'll give it all away
Other times, I think that I should just give up on this relationship entirely
This love and all its charm
I'm not sure if our love is worth all of the difficulties that come with it
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GUY GILLIS MCDONOUGH, SEAN HIGGINS, WILLIAM STEPHEN MCDONOUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nick Kongos
james reyne is one of the all time aussie greats
SuperLizard74
James Reyne is such a legend - I wish there were more musicians around like him, with great voices and imagination and musical skills like his. An Aussie icon.
Gavin Parsons
James is an absolute LEGEND !!! I was lucky enough to see him support The Police back in 1984 in Auckland !
KrunchyJD
@Burt Purvis Yeah, i'm sure...
Burt Purvis
@KrunchyJD are you sure? Was Mariah Carey in the band?
KrunchyJD
True, but you do know he was not the only member of Australian crawl...
Tyler Sweet
Wrote some of the best songs ever to come out of Australia. A whole generation from Down Under have these as the soundtrack to their lives. Thank you James.
Jon Hall
Australian Crawl on the cassette deck, driving to Thredbo on a Friday night in the 1980's. Irreplaceable.
BigFella sydney
YES!
Isoylle Cassio
Que coisa boa na manhã de um Domingo escutar uma das mais belas vozes que ainda persiste por essa vida terrena. James Reyne!👏👏👏