Finn is said to have decided to become a musician at the age of 12 and throughout his school years performed in hospitals and prisons, as well as at home gatherings. In 1976 he formed a group known as After Hours with Mark Hough, Geoff Chunn and Alan Brown. The following year, in 1977, Finn was invited to London to join Split Enz, the band formed by his elder brother, Tim Finn. Split Enz broke up in 1984 and Neil Finn formed a new band, Crowded House, with several other Australian and New Zealand musicians.
Crowded House had a string of hits over the next 10 years, releasing four albums and culminating in a concert in the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House. Finn went solo after this, releasing several albums as well as two albums with his brother Tim (Finn Brothers).
In 2007, Finn re-united Crowded House and released a new album, Time on Earth, and the band began a world tour. In 2010, another new album, "Intriguer", was released and coincided with another world tour.
In 2012, Finn recorded the track "Song of the Lonely Mountain", which was featured in the end credits of the movie "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey".
Careless
Neil Finn Lyrics
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How many notes in a saxophone, how many tears in a bottle of gin?
How many times did you call my name, knock at the door but you couldn't get in?
I know I've been careless
I've been wrapped up in a shell, nothing could get through to me
Acted like I didn't know I had friends and family
I know I've been careless
I lost my tenderness
I've been careless
I took bad care of this
Like a mixture in a bottle, like a frozen over lake
Like a long-time, painted smile I got so hard I had to crack
You were there, you held the line, you're the one that brought me back
I know I've been careless
I lost my tenderness
I've been careless
I took bad care of this
How many cabs in New York City, how many angels on a pin?
How many notes in a saxophone, how many tears in a bottle of gin?
How many times did you call my name, knock at the door but you couldn't get in?
How many stars in the milky way, how many ways can you lose a friend?
"Careless" by Neil Finn & Paul Kelly reflects on the feeling of apathy and neglect that one experiences when they have lost track of their relationships with their friends and family. The song begins with a set of questions, posing to the listeners a series of arbitrary values: "How many cabs in New York City, how many angels on a pin? How many notes in a saxophone, how many tears in a bottle of gin?" These abstract questions serve as a metaphor for the sheer amount of things that can go unnoticed and underappreciated by someone who's caught up in their own head. The chorus is a series of admissions of guilt, acknowledging that the singer has neglected to nurture their relationships with those close to them.
The second verse of the song acknowledges the singer's state of mind more explicitly. They are portrayed as someone who has become so distant and stagnant that they are virtually numb to the emotions of themselves and others. However, a key turning point in their life is illustrated in the third verse, showing that someone close to them - possibly a lover or a close friend - was able to call them out of their self-imposed isolation and reconnect them with the world. This moment is the catalyst for the singer's realization that they have been careless, that they have failed to take care of their own relationships.
Overall, "Careless" works as a cautionary tale about the dangers of neglecting our connections with others. It paints a picture of a person who has lost sight of what's truly important in life, but who is ultimately able to be rescued and reawakened by a single act of love and care.
Line by Line Meaning
How many cabs in New York City, how many angels on a pin?
Asking about the countless things in the world that we cannot comprehend.
How many notes in a saxophone, how many tears in a bottle of gin?
Wondering about the infinite possibilities of things that exist around us.
How many times did you call my name, knock at the door but you couldn't get in?
Reflecting on the times when someone tried to reach out, but you were too self-involved to notice.
I know I've been careless
Admitting fault in not paying attention to your surroundings or the people in your life.
I've been wrapped up in a shell, nothing could get through to me
Being so caught up in your own thoughts and problems that you become emotionally unavailable to others.
Acted like I didn't know I had friends and family
Pretending to be unaware of the people around you who care about you.
I saw worry in their eyes, it didn't look like fear to me
Not recognizing the concern in the faces of those who care about you.
I lost my tenderness
Realizing that you became hardened and insensitive to others' needs and feelings.
I took bad care of this
Recognizing that you neglected your relationships and allowed them to deteriorate.
Like a mixture in a bottle, like a frozen over lake
Comparing yourself to something that has become stagnant and unresponsive.
Like a long-time, painted smile, I got so hard I had to crack
Describing how your facade of happiness and contentment became so ingrained that it turned brittle and eventually broke down.
You were there, you held the line, you're the one that brought me back
Acknowledging the person who intervened and helped you open up and reconnect with others.
How many stars in the milky way, how many ways can you lose a friend?
Reflecting on the vastness of the universe and the various possibilities of losing someone important to you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL MAURICE KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind