The most famous line-up consisted of prolific songwriters Ross Wilson (ex Daddy Cool) and guitarist Eric McCusker (who luckily pestered Wilson to let him join, doing three auditions, after the initial outing of Mondo Rock had lost momentum) as well as Paul Christie on bass (ex-Kevin Borich Express, who later formed The Party Boys), John James "J. J." Hackett, ex-Stars, on drums, and the versatile James Black (now leading the RocKwiz TV show house band on SBS) on keyboards and guitar. This line-up recorded the second LP Chemistry, out July 1981. The first LP was Primal Park (1979).
The group had numerous successes on the Australian charts. Early hits included Fugitive Kind, Chemistry, State Of The Heart, and Cool World - the latter three collected on their award-winning second album Chemistry. 1980s teen-idol Rick Springfield recorded a version of McCusker's State Of The Heart some years later, making the U.S Top 40.
Further success followed in 1982 with the release of their third LP Nuovo Mondo, spawning the Top 10 single No Time, as well as the Top 40 hits The Queen And Me and the haunting In Another Love. John Farnham recorded a version of A Touch Of Paradise contained on this album, which became a Top 20 single from his 1986 Whispering Jack album.
They had to wait until 1984's The Modern Bop LP for their biggest success however. It came from the McCusker penned "Come Said the Boy", a provocative tale about the loss of virginity , which was banned at the time of release by many radio stations including Sydney's then top-rated 2SM. This failed to stop the song's momentum though, and it went on to become the band's most successful single, peaking at number 2 on the Australian charts in 1984, and is still played on radio today. The album featured two more minor hits - Baby Wants To Rock, and the title track The Modern Bop. In the same year, Ross Wilson wrote the song Bop Girl which his wife Pat Wilson recorded. The song was a major hit in Australia, cracking the Top 5.
Things were cooling by 1986's new recording Boom Baby Boom, however the group still scored a further two hit singles - Rule Of Threes and Primitive Love Rites - the latter being a minor hit in the U.S.
1990 saw their last recording of new material as Mondo Rock, in the Why Fight It LP. The singles released were Things Are Hotting Up and I Had You In Mind, however the group seemed to be running out of steam.
They still play together from time to time, and more recently starred in the 2006 Countdown Spectacular concerts (which were seen by more than 100,000 people throughout Australia), performing a medley of Cool World and Summer Of '81, and a full version of Come Said The Boy.
Ross Wilson dabbled in a solo career and had success with the single Bed Of Nails. (from Wikipedia)
Marina
Mondo Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the best thing somebody could learn
To be bound and then find myself free
Was the best thing that's happened to me
Oh Marina - To love is to live forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
As you slide through these waters with me
We can turn from a world left behind
And just look to what the future may find
Oh Marina - To love is to live forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
Oh, my Marina - Our love will live forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
To be loved and to love in return
Is the best thing somebody could learn
I was bound and then find myself free
It was the best thing that's happened to me
Oh Marina - To love is to live forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
Oh, my Marina - Our love will live forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
Oh, my Marina - To live is to love is
To live is to love is to live is to love forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
Oh, my Marina - Our love will live forever
(To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
Oh yeah, my Marina (To love, to live, to love, to live, to love, to live)
The song "Marina" by Mondo Rock is a love letter to the joys of loving and being loved in return. The first verse speaks about the beauty of love and how it is the best thing someone can ever learn. The second verse talks about leaving the past behind and focusing on the future with a loved one. The chorus repeats the idea that "To love is to live forever," emphasizing that true love endures even beyond death. The song also reflects on the vocalist's personal experience of being bound and finding freedom in love, which was the best thing that ever happened to them.
The song is musically uplifting, with a lively rhythm and synth-driven melodies that reinforce the joyful message of the lyrics. The chorus is a standout moment, with the repetition of the phrase "to love, to live" building to an exuberant crescendo that expresses the euphoria of being in love.
Overall, "Marina" is a celebration of the transformative power of love, and how it can bring freedom, joy, and a sense of purpose to our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
To be loved and to love in return
Experiencing both giving and receiving love is a valuable lesson.
Is the best thing somebody could learn
It is one of the most important things to learn in life.
To be bound and then find myself free
Breaking free from previous restrictions was the best thing that ever happened.
Was the best thing that's happened to me
Freedom from constraints resulted in immense joy.
Oh Marina - To love is to live forever
Marina, true love is eternal and gives life meaning.
If there's one thing I'd like you to see
I wish for you to understand one thing while we are together.
As you slide through these waters with me
As we float together on the water.
We can turn from a world left behind
We can leave our past behind and embrace the future.
And just look to what the future may find
We can focus on the possibilities the future holds.
Oh, my Marina - Our love will live forever
Marina, our love is timeless and will never fade away.
Oh, my Marina - To live is to love is
Marina, to truly live, one must love and be loved in return.
To live is to love is to live is to love forever
Living and loving go hand in hand and are everlasting.
Oh yeah, my Marina
In acknowledgement of Marina's existence and importance.
Contributed by Chloe B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.