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.
Land 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?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
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 song "Land Down Under" by Men at Work begins with the singer taking us on a journey in a "fried-out Kombi" on a hippie trail. He encounters a strange woman who makes him nervous but offers him breakfast. She then asks him if he comes from a land down under, a reference to Australia. The singer is then asked if he belongs to a place where women glow and men plunder, followed by a warning to take cover from the thunder. The song then describes the singer's encounter with a man in Brussels, who offers him a Vegemite sandwich and references the flowing beer and men's chunder in the land down under. The song then shifts to the singer lying in Bombay's den with a man trying to tempt him because he comes from the land of plenty. The song ends by repeating the chorus, emphasizing the description of the land down under, where women glow, and men plunder.
Line by Line Meaning
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I was driving in a beat-up Volkswagen van on a carefree journey, feeling a bit zoned out
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
I encountered a peculiar woman who made me uneasy, but ultimately took me in and provided me with a meal
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
Are you from Australia? It's a wild, vibrant place with unpredictable weather and potential danger. Beware!
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 purchased some bread from a tall, strapping gentleman in Belgium and tried to converse with him in my native tongue. He didn't understand, but kindly offered me a traditional Australian sandwich spread, 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
I hail from Australia, a place where drinking beer is a pastime and sometimes leads to vomiting. The weather is unpredictable and dangerous. Beware!
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
I was lounging in a room in Mumbai, feeling relaxed and content. Upon being offered something, I questioned whether the offer was an attempt at tempting me since I come from a prosperous country
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 person I was speaking to recognized that I came from Australia and followed it up with the same warning - it's a dangerous place with unpredictable weather and people who are opportunistic
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
Life in Australia is wild and crazy, with gorgeous women and men who are always on the lookout for opportunities. Thunder rumbles and danger is imminent - take heed and protect yourself
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)
The refrain is repeated, emphasizing the dangerous yet tantalizing nature of life in Australia. Glory abounds, but so does jeopardy - look out and protect yourself
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
The song concludes with a final warning about Australia - it's a seductive and beautiful place, but it's also full of potential danger. Beware and take cover when the thunder rolls
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