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.
Touching the Untouchables
Men at Work Lyrics
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Have you got money perhaps you could lend?
I wash my leather face in the afternoon sun
My shirt's turn my time's near done
Touching the untouchables but they don't know
Respect the disrespectable's, but in the end you know
You turn away, what can I say?
Spend my nights in the telephone booth
I make sure I leave the phone off the hook
There are no Jones' and I pay no rent
I have to stand straight because my back's so bent
Tell my secretary I ain't takin' any calls,
And if you want to find me, just ask the boys
Down at the wall that's where I'll be
Oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Park bench and cigarettes
Can you help me get off this fence?
Can't you see, I'm just an old man
Tryin' hard, do what I can
Touching the untouchables but they don't know
Respect the disrespectable's, but in the end you know
You turn away, what can I say?
You'll never, never know
You'll never know
The song "Touching the Untouchables" by Men at Work is a ballad about a homeless man who has fallen from grace and is now living on the streets. The lyrics describe his life on the streets, from washing his face in the sun to spending his nights in a telephone booth. It's a poignant look at the life of someone who has been forgotten by society and is struggling to survive.
The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song, with the homeless man asking for money from his "sweet young friends". He then goes on to describe his day-to-day life, from washing his face to wearing a shirt that is "turning" (presumably worn or dirty). The chorus, "Touching the untouchables but they don't know, Respect the disrespectable's, but in the end you know, You turn away, what can I say?", reflects the feelings of the homeless man towards society, whom he sees as turning their backs on him.
The second verse goes further into the homeless man's life, with references to a lack of home ("There are no Jones' and I pay no rent") and the need to stand straight because his back is so bent. The chorus repeats, but with a deeper layer of meaning, as the homeless man seems to be reflecting on his own situation. The song ends on a poignant note, with the homeless man asking for help to get off the fence and lamenting that he is just an old man trying his best.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello to you, my sweet young friends
Greeting the young people he sees
Have you got money perhaps you could lend?
Asking for help in the form of money
I wash my leather face in the afternoon sun
Cleaning his face in the sunlight
My shirt's turn my time's near done
His clothes are wearing out and time is running out
Touching the untouchables but they don't know
Trying to connect with people who are typically ignored or overlooked, without success
Respect the disrespectable's, but in the end you know
Treating everyone with respect, even those who are not typically respected
You turn away, what can I say?
People ignore him, and he is helpless to change that
Spend my nights in the telephone booth
Spending a lot of time in phone booths
I make sure I leave the phone off the hook
Not answering the phone when it rings
There are no Jones' and I pay no rent
He has no one to answer to and no bills to pay
I have to stand straight because my back's so bent
Even though he is physically worn out, he tries to maintain good posture
Tell my secretary I ain't takin' any calls,
Not interested in taking any calls, and telling his secretary as much
And if you want to find me, just ask the boys
His whereabouts can be discovered by asking around
Down at the wall that's where I'll be
He can usually be found by the wall
Park bench and cigarettes
Sitting on a park bench and smoking cigarettes
Can you help me get off this fence?
Asking for help in getting out of a difficult situation
Can't you see, I'm just an old man
Explaining that he is just an elder person
Tryin' hard, do what I can
Attempting to do his best despite his limitations
You'll never, never know
The listener will never fully understand his situation and feelings.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: COLIN JAMES HAY, RON STRYKERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind