While fronted by singer John Farnham from 1982–1986, the band's original members were Glenn Shorrock (vocals), Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Ric Formosa (guitars and vocals), Roger McLachlan (bass) and Derek Pellicci (drums).
The group evolved from the harmony-rock group Mississippi in 1975. Prior to that, Birtles had been the bassist in 1960s pop band Zoot (which also included singer-guitarist Rick Springfield), and Shorrock had been the lead singer of leading Australian 60s pop band The Twilights and early 1970s country rock band Axiom.
They found immediate success in Australia, but individual members had greater ambitions. Like many other Australasian groups of the period, both Axiom and Mississippi had tried to break into the UK record market without success. Remembering the indifferent reaction they had received in the UK, they decided the new band would focus on establishing themselves in the United States.
A key factor in their eventual success was their manager Glenn Wheatley, who had been the bassist in the highly-regarded Australian rock band The Masters Apprentices. Wheatley's first-hand experiences of the rip-offs in the 1960s music scene, combined with his subsequent experience working in music management in Britain and the United States in the early 1970s, enabled him to help LRB become the first Australian group to enjoy sustained commercial and chart success in the United States.
Fuelled by a very successful Australian hit single "Curiosity Killed The Cat", the band began making promotional visits to the US in 1976. This resulted in a hit single, "It's A Long Way There", which broke into the Top 30 and galvanised the commitment of the band members. More concert performances in the US followed, and in 1977 "Help Is On Its Way" (an Australian number one single) and "Happy Anniversary"[4] both narrowly missed the US Top 10. During this period McLachlan left the group and was replaced by George McArdle while lead guitarist Formosa was replaced by David Briggs.
From 1978 until 1981, Little River Band achieved six consecutive US Top 10 singles with "Reminiscing", "Lady", "Lonesome Loser", "Cool Change", "The Night Owls" and "Take It Easy On Me". During their career the band have sold more than 25 million records and scored 13 American Top 40 hits.
Bassist/vocalist Wayne Nelson joined in 1980 and is currently the lead singer. In 1981 he sang lead vocals on their top ten US hit "Night Owls". Guitarist Stephen Housden joined the band in 1981 replacing David Briggs. Housden owns the rights to the name Little River Band. He co-wrote the band's last hit in Australia "Love is a Bridge".
In 1982 Shorrock was forced out of the band and went on to pursue a solo career. He failed to make an impression in the U.S., but he had a substantial hit in Australia with a cover version of Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover".
The pressures of success and constant touring gradually took their toll on LRB and members gradually left. John Farnham replaced Shorrock in 1982 and the first single with Farnham, "The Other Guy" reached #11 in the US. Subsequent singles were only minor hits. In Australia the band continued to be popular and songs such as "Down On The Border", "Playing To Win" and "Love is a Bridge" were major hits. Farnham's popularity in Australia was increasing at this time, and he left the band to return to his solo career, achieving huge success in Australia (he was also managed by Wheatley).
Birtles left in 1983 because he did not like the direction the band was taking and he was not a fan of Farnham's onstage performance. Farnham left in 1986 to be replaced by the returning Shorrock. Goble left the group in 1990. Shorrock left again in 1996; he was offered the option to buy out the remaining members but he decided instead to take a payment. Derek Pellicci left the band in 1999.
Little River Band are considered to be among Australia's most significant bands. The "classic lineup" of the band (Birtles, Shorrock, Goble, Pellicci, Briggs and McArdle) were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual ARIA Music Awards of 2004. They performed "Help Is On Its Way" that night.
Three founding members, Birtles, Shorrock and Goble, continue to perform reunion concerts but due to the fact they lost the rights to the name Little River Band, they appear under the name Birtles Shorrock Goble: The Original Voices of Little River Band.
"Reminiscing", written by Goble, was recognised by BMI as one of the most frequently played songs in the history of American radio, with more than four million plays to its credit. "Lady" has also accumulated more than three million plays, and Goble is the first and only Australian songwriter ever to win a Four "Million Air" award from BMI. According to Albert Goldman's biography, John Lennon named "Reminiscing" as one of his favorite songs.
Little River Band continues to work in the US and performs around 100 shows every year.
Light Of Day
Little River Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wonderin' 'bout people who walk around blind
They don't seem to see the light of day
Everything is just okay
Taking no head of what they can learn
Running in circles, no point of return
Heading for the door that reads escape
Hey boys, come out and dig the dance
Come on and take a chance
Believe in the light of day
Lonesome nights and wasted days
Leads a man from his true ways
Yet he tells you he nobody's fool
Breaking every golden rule
Hey boys, come out and dig the dance
Come on and take a chance
Believe in the light of day
Keep a watch on the sandman of time
Will he gaze into your eyes or mine?
Will he knock on your door and invite you to the other side?
Catch him writing the score as he takes you on another ride
Hang on tight boy, you're starting to slide
Hey boys, come out and dig the dance
Come on and take a chance
Believe in the light of day
Believe in the light of day
The opening lines of Little River Band's "Light of Day" refer to people who are blind to the beauty of life around them. These individuals are going through the motions of everyday life and not actively observing the world's wonders. The second verse portrays people stuck in a rut, with no learning or growth happening. These individuals seek escape and will take anything, which is leading them down a dark path. The chorus is an invitation to take a chance, let go of fear, and believe in the light of day.
The third verse is a cautionary tale about the finite nature of time. The sandman of time is watching, and he can choose to take anyone on the "other side." The singer implores the listener to catch on to the path and hold on tight for a ride. The final chorus is the ultimate message of hope in the song, reinforcing that it is essential to believe in the light of day, rise above our circumstances, and experience everything life has to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Many a time the thought crossed my mind
I've often thought about something
Wonderin' 'bout people who walk around blind
Thinking about people who seem unaware or ignorant of their surroundings
They don't seem to see the light of day
They are not able to see the good things in life
Everything is just okay
They are content with mediocre things
Taking no head of what they can learn
Ignoring opportunities for growth and learning
Running in circles, no point of return
Doing the same things over and over, without any progress
Heading for the door that reads escape
Trying to escape from something that they don't like
Anything that they can take
Taking anything they can get
Hey boys, come out and dig the dance
Hey guys, let's enjoy life and have some fun
Come on and take a chance
Take risks and try new things
Believe in the light of day
Believe in the positive things in life
Lonesome nights and wasted days
Feeling lonely and wasting time
Leads a man from his true ways
Causes a person to deviate from their original path
Yet he tells you he nobody's fool
But the person will insist that they are not stupid or foolish
Breaking every golden rule
Ignoring important rules and principles
Keep a watch on the sandman of time
Be aware of the passing of time
Will he gaze into your eyes or mine?
Will time bring unexpected changes?
Will he knock on your door and invite you to the other side?
Will time bring about an end or a new beginning?
Catch him writing the score as he takes you on another ride
Experience the ups and downs of life as time passes
Hang on tight boy, you're starting to slide
Be prepared for changes and hold on tight
Believe in the light of day
Believe in the positive things in life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind