Jimmy Barnes (b. 1956) is an Australian rock singer.

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.

Seven Days
Jimmy Barnes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Seven days, seven more days she'll be comin'
I'll be waiting at the station for her to arrive
Seven more days, all I gotta do is survive.

She been gone ever since I been a child
Ever since I seen her smile, I ain't forgotten her eyes.
She had a face that could outshine the sun in the skies.

I been good, I been good while I been waitin'
Maybe guilty of hesitatin', I just been holdin' on
Seven more days, all that'll be gone.

There's kissing in the valley,
Thieving in the alley,
Fighting every inch of the way.
Trying to be tender
With somebody I remember
In a night that's always brighter'n the day.

Seven days, seven more days that are connected
Just like I expected, she'll be comin' on forth,
My beautiful comrade from the north.

There's kissing in the valley,
Thieving in the alley,
Fighting every inch of the way.
Trying to be tender

With somebody I remember
In a night that's always brighter'n the day.

Overall Meaning

The opening verse of Jimmy Barnes's song 'Seven Days' depicts the singer's urgent anticipation for the arrival of a loved one who is returning after a prolonged absence. The lyrics convey a feeling of helplessness and anxiety as Barnes is just waiting at the station, hoping that his friend or lover gets off the train. The second verse has Barnes reminiscing his childhood days when he saw her smile last, and how he could never forget the way her eyes shone brighter than the sun. The third verse, however, imparts a sense of newfound hope as the singer assures himself that he needs to hold on to his optimism and strength for just a few more days until she arrives.

The chorus of the song highlights the struggles Barnes has had to face while the person was away. He paints a picture of the world they live in, with the 'kissing in the valley, thieving in the alley,' and 'fighting every inch of the way.' The phrase 'night that's always brighter'n the day' is a poetic expression of the inevitability of hope even in the darkest corners of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Seven days, seven more days she'll be comin'
The author is eagerly awaiting the arrival of his loved one, who will be arriving very soon. He is counting down the days until he sees her again.

I'll be waiting at the station for her to arrive
The author plans to meet his loved one at the station when she arrives. He wants to make sure he is there to welcome her back and show her how much he missed her.

Seven more days, all I gotta do is survive
The author is struggling to cope with the absence of his loved one. He is hoping that he can make it through the next seven days until she returns.

She been gone ever since I been a child
The author's loved one has been absent from his life for a very long time, possibly since he was a child. This has left a lasting impact on him and he has always remembered her.

Ever since I seen her smile, I ain't forgotten her eyes.
The author remembers his loved one's smile and the way her eyes looked when she smiled. These memories have stayed with him all these years.

She had a face that could outshine the sun in the skies.
The author's loved one was a very beautiful person. Her face was so radiant that it could outshine even the sun in the sky.

I been good, I been good while I been waitin'
The author has been trying to stay strong and positive while waiting for his loved one to return. He knows that it won't be much longer until she is back, so he is doing his best to be patient.

Maybe guilty of hesitatin', I just been holdin' on
The author might be feeling a bit guilty for hesitating and not doing more to bring his loved one back sooner. However, he has been holding on and waiting for her to return.

Seven more days, all that'll be gone.
The author is hopeful that once his loved one returns, all of his worries and anxieties will disappear. He is looking forward to being reunited with her in just seven days.

There's kissing in the valley, Thieving in the alley, Fighting every inch of the way.
The world can be a difficult and dangerous place, and the author is aware that there are a lot of negative things happening around him. However, he is determined to fight through it all and be with his loved one again.

Trying to be tender With somebody I remember In a night that's always brighter'n the day.
The author is trying to be gentle and loving with his loved one, and to create happy memories together after so much time apart. Even in the darkest of nights, being with her makes everything feel bright and full of light.

Seven days, seven more days that are connected Just like I expected, she'll be comin' on forth, My beautiful comrade from the north.
The author knew that his loved one would be returning soon, and now he only has seven more days to wait. He is certain that she will arrive as planned, and is looking forward to being reunited with her once again.

Contributed by Charlie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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