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.
House of Cards
James Reyne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you caught the last train home
When you move your stuff to where you want to be
When you took that ride I'm torn and tremble way inside
House of cards house of sticks
Where you gonna put 'em all your Chinese tricks
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground
Where you gonna get 'em when you're all alone
I'm a big bad wolf going to blow your big house down
When you took your stuff
And moved away
When you caught that train
I'm your conductor once again
House of cards house of sticks
Where you gonna put 'em all your left field tricks
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground
House of bricks house of stone
Where you gonna get 'em when you're all alone
I'm a big bad wolf going to blow your big house down
I'll lay even money where you're gonna be
I'll lay even money down
I'll lay even money
What will I see
I'll lay even money down
The song "House of Cards" by James Reyne appears to be about a relationship that has ended, with one partner leaving the other. The lyrics describe the moment when the person moves their belongings out and catches the last train home, leaving the other person feeling torn and trembling inside. The song then shifts to a metaphor of a house, with the person who left trying to build their own house using different materials and tricks, while the singer (who is now the conductor on the train) is like a big bad wolf ready to blow their house down. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer is placing bets on where the person will end up and what will become of them.
The metaphor of a house of cards or sticks versus a house of bricks or stone represents the idea of building something solid and reliable versus something that is unstable and fragile. The Chinese tricks and left field tricks mentioned in the lyrics could be interpreted as attempts to build something using unconventional or questionable methods, while the solid foundation and bricks represent the opposite. The singer's role as the conductor and big bad wolf could represent a sense of power or control over the situation, as if they are the ones directing what happens next.
Overall, "House of Cards" is a poignant and evocative song about the end of a relationship and the emotions that come with it. The metaphor of building a house adds a layer of symbolism and depth to the lyrics, highlighting the choices we make and the consequences that follow.
Line by Line Meaning
When you move your stuff away from me
When you took your things and left me
When you caught the last train home
When you took the last train and left me alone
When you move your stuff to where you want to be
When you moved your stuff to your desired location
When you took that ride I'm torn and tremble way inside
When you departed, I felt emotional and shaken
House of cards house of sticks
Your deceitful behavior and choices have made your life unstable
Where you gonna put 'em all your Chinese tricks
Where are you going to use your cunning methods
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground
I will build my life on a stable and strong foundation
House of bricks house of stone
I will have a reliable and sturdy life, even when alone
Where you gonna get 'em when you're all alone
How will you manage when dealt with situations independently
I'm a big bad wolf going to blow your big house down
I will demolish the life you built based on deception
When you took your stuff
When you left with your possessions
And moved away
And departed from me
When you caught that train
When you left on the train
I'm your conductor once again
I am back to being in control of my life without you
Where you gonna put 'em all your left field tricks
Where will you employ all your unconventional strategies
I'll lay even money down
I am willing to bet an equal amount
What will I see
What will be the outcome of the situation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JAMES MICHAEL REYNE, SIMON HUSSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrCoffeemugman
Lyrics.
When you move your stuff away from me
When you caught the last train home
When you move your stuff to where you want to be
When you took that ride I'm torn and tremble way inside
House of cards house of sticks
Where you gonna put 'em all your Chinese tricks
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground
House of bricks house of stone
Where you gonna get 'em when you're all alone
I'm a big bad wolf going to blow your big house down
When you took your stuff
And moved away
When you caught that train
I'm your conductor once again
House of cards house of sticks
Where you gonna put 'em all your left field tricks
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground
House of bricks house of stone
Where you gonna get 'em when you're all alone
I'm a big bad wolf going to blow your big house down
I'll lay even money where you're gonna be
I'll lay even money down
I'll lay even money
What will I see
I'll lay even money down
House of cards house of sticks
Where you gonna put 'em all your Chinese tricks
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground
House of bricks house of stone
Where you gonna get 'em when you're all alone
I'm a big bad wolf going to blow your big house down
House of cards house of sticks
Where you gonna put 'em all your Chinese tricks
Gonna lay foundation solid on the ground ...
@mikekaraoke
There are certain 80’s songs that give me an overwhelmingly painful and bittersweet sense of nostalgia. This is definitely one of them.
@thefairyqueen369
I was 25 years old and on a working holiday in Aus and this song just grabbed me from the very first time I heard it! I was far from home, UK and I didn't think I would be able to handle being on my own in a huge new country.....but with the help of James Reyne, Ian Moss, Noiseworks, Daryl Briathwaite, Jenny Morris and many more, I managed to really appreciate the amazing talent that I was being exposed to and when I went back to UK, the homesickness was made a little less difficult with the many albums I brought over in my luggage, of all the above bands and more! My time in Aus ended up being one of the most fun I had ever had, I met some amazing friends and it was one of the best times of my life hands down! I never laughed so much!
@Morganasnotarobot0
That's GREAT!🌿🐨🌿Hope Ur Allbgood
💚Having A Great Dia! AllbGreat Nite! GreatGreets!✨🐨✨
@Milowcatfan
Love this comment 💙
@kg9836
I can never get sick of listening to this tune 😎🤘
@darylkurzke2409
Same here totally awesome my favourite of his !!!
@lauraferrante9911
Awesome song. Love aussie bands they rock. 😀♥️🤘
@josiea3941
Brilliant . Shame we dont get music like this 2021.xxx
@MalTheBear64
😎
@GarySUPERTRAMPER
This song even rocked in the nightclubs at the time! .... CLASSIC JAMES REYNE! ....