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.
Heaven on a Stick
James Reyne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And relative quiet
Just one batsman at the crease
If we could just buy it
We never wanted interruptions
Never want to run away
Lazin' in the backyard
All brow beaters go away
It's not much to ask
Never wanted intervention
Never want to run away
All God's children say
What did they say?
They just want heaven on a stick
All God's children say
What did they say?
They just want heaven on a stick
We don't need opinion sways
Nowhere to run
Just wanna see those blue green bays
Stand in the sun
Never wanted mediation
Never want to run away
We just wanted lotus eating
We just want to fish for cray
We never wanted intervention
We never want to run away
The song "Heaven on a Stick" by James Reyne is about wanting a peaceful and relaxed life. The first verse talks about wanting a bit of peace and relative quiet and just one batsman at the crease. The song talks about not wanting any interruptions and about wanting to spend a lazy summer day just lazing in the backyard without any brow beaters interrupting. The song talks about wanting to be away from any intervention and just wanting a life that is free from any external stressors. The chorus repeats the phrase "All God's children say, they just want heaven on a stick" which refers to the idea that everyone just wants a peaceful and happy life.
The second verse talks about not needing any opinion sways and being in a place with nowhere to run, just wanting to see those blue green bays and stand in the sun. The singer specifies that they never wanted any mediation or intervention in their life and that they just want to fish for cray and eat lotus while enjoying a peaceful and quiet life. The song ends on the same chorus as before.
The song talks about despite the many struggles we face in our daily lives, all we really want is a peaceful and happy life that is free from any stressors or external pressures.
Line by Line Meaning
We just want a bit of peace
All we want is some peace and quiet.
And relative quiet
And we don't want any loud noise or commotion around us either.
Just one batsman at the crease
We want to keep it simple, just one person doing their thing.
If we could just buy it
We wish we could achieve this state of mind easily without much effort.
We never wanted interruptions
We don't want anyone or anything disturbing our peace.
Never want to run away
We don't want to escape, just maintain our peaceful state of mind.
We just want some Summer's day
We want to enjoy a nice sunny day.
Lazin' in the backyard
Relaxing and enjoying ourselves in our own space.
All brow beaters go away
We want to be free of anyone who tries to bully or pressure us.
It's not much to ask
This is a simple and reasonable request.
Never wanted intervention
We want to be left alone and not have anyone interfere with our plans or thoughts.
All God's children say
Everyone wants the same thing.
What did they say?
What exactly did they say?
They just want heaven on a stick
They want perfection and peace at all times, easy and ready to grab whenever they need it.
We don't need opinion sways
We don't need anyone trying to influence our thoughts or beliefs.
Nowhere to run
There is no need to escape or hide from anything, we just want to live in peace.
Just wanna see those blue green bays
We want to admire the beauty of nature, particularly the blue-green bays.
Stand in the sun
We want to enjoy the warmth and light of the sun.
We just wanted lotus eating
We just want to enjoy the simple and pleasurable things in life like leisurely enjoying the lotus eateries.
We just want to fish for cray
We want to indulge in recreational activities like fishing.
We never wanted intervention
We don't want anyone messing around with our plans, just let us be.
We never want to run away
We don't want to hide, we just want a peaceful place to exist.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SIMON HUSSEY, JAMES MICHAEL REYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind