Barnes was born… Read Full Bio ↴Jimmy Barnes (b. 1956) is an Australian rock singer.
Barnes was born James Dixon Swan on the 28th April 1956 in Glasgow, Scotland, and moved to Australia with his family when he was six years old.
He first came to public attention as the lead singer with popular Australian pub-rock band Cold Chisel, which he joined in 1973 and with whom he recorded seven albums between 1978 and 1983. When the band split up in 1983 he launched a solo career almost immediately; his first album, Bodyswerve, entered the Australian charts at number one. It was the first of a remarkable run of top charting albums for Barnes, as each of his first six solo albums entered the charts at number one, a feat that no other Australian artist is likely to match.
In 1986 Barnes recorded two singles with INXS, duetting with that band's singer Michael Hutchence on a cover of The Easybeats' "Good Times", and "Laying Down the Law", which was co-written by Barnes with INXS members Andrew Farriss and Hutchence. "Good Times" was used as the theme song for the Australia Made series of concerts that toured the country in the summer of 1986-1987. Both songs later appeared on the soundtrack of the 1980s teen vampire film The Lost Boys.
Following Hutchence's death in 1997, Barnes appeared live on stage with INXS at shows throughout Australia between 1999 and 2001.
His album Double Happiness, released in July 2005, reaffirmed his popularity, entering the ARIAnet albums chart at number one, his seventh album to do so. Barnes was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on the 23rd October 2005 for his solo career efforts. Coupled with Cold Chisel's previous induction, Barnes is the only artist to be entered into the Hall of Fame twice.
Barnes is also the father of singer David Campbell, who recently starred in the Australian production of the musical Sunset Boulevard, and was a contestant on the Australian television programme Dancing with the Stars. The two perform the duet "Wichita Lineman" on Double Happiness.
All The Young Dudes
Jimmy Barnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How he'd kick it in the head when he was 25
Don't wanna stay alive when you're 25
Wendy's stealing clothes from unlocked cars
Freddy's got spots from ripping off stars from his face
Funky little boat race
The television man is crazy
Man I need a TV when I've got T. Rex
Hey brother you guessed I'm a dude
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
Now Jimmy looking sweet though he dresses like a queen
He can kick like a mule
It's a real mean team
We can love
Oh we can love
And my brother's back at home
With his Beatles and his Stones
We never got if off on that revolution stuff
What a drag
Too many snags
Well I drunk a lot of wine
And I'm feeling fine
Gonna race some cat to bed
Is this concrete all around
Or is it in my head
Oh brother you guessed I'm a dude
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
The song "All the Young Dudes" by Jimmy Barnes is about the younger generation who seem to be living a reckless and carefree life. The song opens with a young man named Billy who talks about committing suicide when he turns 25. The lyrics further describe the lives of Wendy and Freddy as they engage in petty theft and rebellion. The television man labels them as juvenile delinquents, but they seem to find solace in listening to T. Rex instead.
The chorus of the song is a tribute to the young generation, as Barnes sings "All the young dudes carry the news, boogaloo dudes carry the news." The lyrics here suggest that the younger generation is responsible for bringing new ideas and movement into society. Barnes then goes on to sing about Jimmy, a young man who dresses like a queen but is tough and ready to take on the world. He and his friends love each other and reject the revolution culture.
Overall, "All the Young Dudes" is an anthemic song about youth and their rebellious ways. It speaks to the power of young people and their ability to change the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy rapped all night 'bout his suicide
Billy talked all night about how he plans to commit suicide.
How he'd kick it in the head when he was 25
Billy plans to kill himself before he reaches 25 years old.
Don't wanna stay alive when you're 25
Billy thinks life is not worth living after the age of 25.
Wendy's stealing clothes from unlocked cars
Wendy is stealing clothes from unlocked cars.
Freddy's got spots from ripping off stars from his face
Freddy has pimples because he removes stars from his face.
Funky little boat race
This phrase has no clear meaning but is possibly referring to a race between small boats.
The television man is crazy
The person on TV is insane.
Saying we're juvenile delinquent wrecks
The person on TV is calling us (the young people) troublemakers.
Man I need a TV when I've got T. Rex
Who needs TV when you can listen to T. Rex (a rock band)?
Hey brother you guessed I'm a dude
The artist is acknowledging that he is a dude (a cool, popular guy).
All the young dudes
All of the young and cool guys.
Carry the news
Spread the word about what's happening among cool people.
Boogaloo dudes
Cool guys who are into dancing the Boogaloo (a funky dance popular in the 60s).
Now Jimmy looking sweet though he dresses like a queen
Jimmy looks good even though he wears clothes usually associated with women.
He can kick like a mule
Jimmy is a tough guy who can fight hard.
It's a real mean team
The artist and his friends are a cool and tough group.
We can love
We have love to give and receive.
Oh we can love
We are capable of love.
And my brother's back at home
The singer's brother is at home.
With his Beatles and his Stones
The artist's brother likes listening to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones (popular rock bands).
We never got if off on that revolution stuff
We were not really into the ideas of revolution.
What a drag
What a disappointment or annoyance.
Too many snags
Too many obstacles or problems.
Well I drunk a lot of wine
I drank a lot of wine.
And I'm feeling fine
I am feeling good now.
Gonna race some cat to bed
I am going to compete with someone to sleep with a person (possibly a girl).
Is this concrete all around or is it in my head
The singer is questioning the reality of the world or his own mind.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind