Men at Work won the 1983 Grammy Award for "Best New Artist", beating an impressive set of rivals including Asia, Jennifer Holliday, The Human League, and Stray Cats.. In August 1983, they ware given a Crystal Globe Award for $100 million worth of record business by their U.S label. That same year, in Canada, they were awarded a Juno Award for "International LP of the Year". At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994, they were inducted into the related Hall of Fame.
In terms of songs, their work has remained considerably popular. In May 2001, "Down Under" was listed at No. 4 on the APRA Top 30 Australian songs. In October 2010, 'Business as Usual' was listed in the book of 100 Best Australian Albums. According to Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane, the group's "phenomenal success inextricably created worldwide interest in Australia and Australian music" irrespective "of the band's fairy-tale rise to prominence". He's also said that they "simply opened the floodgates with little more than a clutch of great songs" and were "Australia's most famous group".
Men at Work have sold over 30 million albums worldwide in total. The band's singer-songwriter frontman, Colin Hay, pursued a solo career after it folded. In 1996, Hay and Ham reformed the band with replacement members. With new wave fans enjoying hearing 80s hits again live, the band had several popular tours. Sadly, Ham was found dead in his home in April 2012, and the future of Men at Work remains unclear.
Down Under
Men at Work Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
You better run, you better take cover
Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah
Lyin' in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said
Oh, you come from a land down under? (Ooh, yeah, yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover ('cause we are)
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
(Can't you hear thunder) can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? (Ooh yeah)
Better run, you better take cover (we are)
Living in a land down under (ooh yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
Better run, you better take cover
Living in a land down under (living in a land down under)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
The Men at Work song 'Down Under' is a song brimming with Australian stereotypes that caught the attention of the world back in the 1980s. The song begins with the singer's journey on a hippie trail in a van, referred to as a ‘Kombi,' as he meets a strange lady who made him nervous and taken him in for breakfast. She asks the famous chorus line 'Do you come from a land down under?' He answers, referring to his home in Australia where 'women glow and men plunder.' The musicality of the song is quite cheerful, but the lyrics center on the Australian identity and culture, as the singer meets people from different parts of the world.
The second verse introduces a larger man from Brussels selling bread and handing over a Vegemite sandwich, often considered quintessentially Australian. The pre-chorus talks about the 'land of plenty,' where the singer hails from, and the chorus repeats. The singer finally reaches Bombay only to be met by a man who asks if he comes from 'a land down under' and tempts him. The song ends with a replay of the chorus where the thunder implies that the Australians are dominating and their opponents should take cover.
Line by Line Meaning
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
We are driving in an old van, exhausted and high, on a journey towards spiritual enlightenment
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said
We encounter a peculiar woman who welcomes us into her home and feeds us
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
The woman asks if we are from the land of Australia, known for its natural beauty and rough men. She warns us of an upcoming storm and tells us to seek shelter
Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
We meet a Belgian baker who is physically imposing. We try to communicate with him but he only smiles and gives us a sandwich made with an Australian spread called Vegemite
I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah
We proudly proclaim our Australian heritage, mentioning the country's love for beer and tendency to vomit after drinking. We again warn of the storm and urge others to seek shelter
Lyin' in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said
We are in India, feeling sluggish and uncommunicative. We question a man if he is offering us earthly pleasures because we come from a wealthy country. He responds
Oh, you come from a land down under? (Ooh, yeah, yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover ('cause we are)
The man confirms our origin and mocks the image of Australian men who exploit their power over women. He also repeats the warning about the approaching storm and identifies as part of the Australian group
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
(Can't you hear thunder) can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
We restate our living situation in Australia, again highlighting the imbalance between genders. We remind people to listen for the sound of thunder and protect themselves
Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? (Ooh yeah)
Better run, you better take cover (we are)
We reinforce the lyrics about living in Australia with the same implication as before. We also add a new emphasis on the importance of seeking shelter during the storm
Living in a land down under (ooh yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you, can't you hear the thunder?
Better run, you better take cover
We conclude by acknowledging the repeating nature of our song and again urging people to protect themselves in the face of the storm
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Colin James Hay, Ronald Graham Strykert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BrayGod05
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
ɹǝpunld uǝɯ puɐ ʍolƃ uǝɯoʍ ǝɹǝɥʍ
ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ uı ƃuıʌıl
ɹǝʌoɔ ǝʞɐʇ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ 'unɹ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
ɹǝpunld uǝɯ puɐ ʍolƃ uǝɯoʍ ǝɹǝɥʍ
ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ uı ƃuıʌıl
ɹǝʌoɔ ǝʞɐʇ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ 'unɹ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
ɹǝpunld uǝɯ puɐ ʍolƃ uǝɯoʍ ǝɹǝɥʍ
ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ uı ƃuıʌıl
ɹǝʌoɔ ǝʞɐʇ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ 'unɹ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
ɹǝpunld uǝɯ puɐ ʍolƃ uǝɯoʍ ǝɹǝɥʍ
ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ uı ƃuıʌıl
ɹǝʌoɔ ǝʞɐʇ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ 'unɹ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
¿ɹǝpunld uǝɯ puɐ ʍolƃ uǝɯoʍ ǝɹǝɥʍ
(ɥɐǝʎ ɥɐǝʎ ɥo) ¿ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ ɯoɹɟ ǝɯoɔ noʎ op
pıɐs ǝɥ puɐ
,,¿ʎʇuǝld ɟo puɐl ǝɥʇ ɯoɹɟ ǝɯoɔ ı ǝsnɐɔǝq
ǝɯ ʇdɯǝʇ oʇ ƃuıʎɹʇ noʎ ǝɹɐ,, 'uɐɯ ǝɥʇ oʇ pıɐs ı
ʎɐs oʇ ɥɔnɯ ʇou puɐ 'ʍɐɾ ʞɔɐls ɐ ɥʇıʍ
ʎɐqɯoq uı uǝp ɐ uı ,uıʎl
ɥɐǝʎ 'ɹǝʌoɔ ǝʞɐʇ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ 'unɹ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
ɹǝpunɥɔ uǝɯ puɐ ʍolɟ sǝop ɹǝǝq ǝɹǝɥʍ
ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ ɯoɹɟ ǝɯoɔ ı
pıɐs ǝɥ puɐ
ɥɔıʍpuɐs ǝʇıɯǝƃǝʌ ɐ ǝɯ ǝʌɐƃ puɐ pǝlıɯs ʇsnɾ ǝɥ
,,¿ǝƃɐnƃuɐl ʎɯ ɐ-ʞɐǝds noʎ op,, 'pıɐs ı
sǝlɔsnɯ ɟo llnɟ puɐ ɹnoɟ-ʇooɟ-xıs sɐʍ ǝɥ
slǝssnɹq uı uɐɯ ɐ ɯoɹɟ pɐǝɹq ƃuıʎnq
ɹǝʌoɔ ǝʞɐʇ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ 'unɹ ɹǝʇʇǝq noʎ
¿ɹǝpunɥʇ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ 'ɹɐǝɥ noʎ ʇ,uɐɔ
¿ɹǝpunld uǝɯ puɐ ʍolƃ uǝɯoʍ ǝɹǝɥʍ
¿ɹǝpun uʍop puɐl ɐ ɯoɹɟ ǝɯoɔ noʎ op
pıɐs ǝɥs puɐ
ʇsɐɟʞɐǝɹq ǝɯ ǝʌɐƃ puɐ uı ǝɯ ʞooʇ ǝɥs
snoʌɹǝu ǝɯ ǝpɐɯ ǝɥs 'ʎpɐl ǝƃuɐɹʇs ɐ ʇǝɯ ı
ǝıqɯoz ɟo llnɟ pɐǝɥ 'lıɐɹʇ ǝıddıɥ ɐ uo
ǝıqɯoɔ ʇno-pǝıɹɟ ɐ uı ƃuılǝʌɐɹʇ
@Yadobler
/'san(d)wɪdʒ/
/'laŋɡwɪdʒ/
pronunciation:
1) both ends with "wɪdʒ (weedg)" sound, if you pronounce sandwich with the UK pronunciation according to cambridge dictionary
stress:
(SAND-wich, LANG-uage)
2) both are unstressed the rhyming syllable;
3) both have stressed syllable right before the rhyming syllable, resulting in the Stressed->unstressed syllable transition (e.g. Leave (/liːv/) / Believe (/bɪˈliːv/) have same syllable (liːv) but "leave" vs "be-LIEVE" is not the same "change in stress" (leave is unstressed, be'lieve stress occurs on the second syllable)
they pass the 3 tests that defines a "perfect" rhyme.
(in this case, Perfect Feminine/Double rhyme, since the rhyming pattern is unstressed->stressed, 2 syllables, ending with wɪdʒ)
I think this is one of the best rhymes, it's infuriating on paper when you look at them, but when sung, they rhyme, and not just a sloppy job of -ing or forcing rhymes like one/thumb or halfrhymes like "yesterday/play" what a beauty.....
../spiːk'amʌɪ ˈlaŋɡwɪdʒ/
/ˈvɛdʒɪmʌɪt 'sandwɪdʒ/
@warhawk638
Legend says that this song plays whenever Australians meet each other abroad.
@editingman95
Legend says that this song plays while New Goblin hits his head onto pole after getting knocked out by Peter's web
@tenfootpole8214
🤣🤣🤣😎
@tenfootpole8214
😎😎 Its true
@backyardboys0
I’m Aussie and that’s true
@scottjohnnyhelgemoaune2951
Is it possible to change nationality to Australia?
@yayeet7256
I showed this to my friend
Now he's my mate
@jackyjackymack1033
You should be in jail for this lame wordplay mate
@yayeet7256
jackyjacky mack k
@mhzz4997
seis é veio