Noiseworks was a rock band that formed in Sydney, Australia in 1985. The li… Read Full Bio ↴Noiseworks was a rock band that formed in Sydney, Australia in 1985. The lineup of Noiseworks was Jon Stevens (lead vocals), Stuart Fraser (guitar), Steve Balbi (bass), Justin Stanley (keyboards) and Kevin Nicol (drums).
Considered to be one of Australia's more successful rock bands of the late 1980s, their self-titled debut in 1987 had a series of successful singles, such as "No Lies," "Take Me Back," and "Welcome to the World." The band's second album, 1989's Touch, proved to be less successful commercially. Noiseworks disbanded in 1992, shortly after the release of the group's third album, Love Versus Money (1991).

Stevens has forged a successful solo career since Noiseworks with the albums Circle and Ain't No Life For The Faint Hearted. He went on to become the lead singer of INXS, but left after when he became frustrated with the band's lack of progress in generating new material.

2012 - The Band are in the studio recording a new album and touring later this year!

Discography:

Noiseworks (1987)
Touch (1989)
Love Versus Money (1991)
Greatest Hits (1992)

The band reformed in early 2007 and in 2011 toured Australian Winery's with Festival concerts.

Official Sites:
Official Website
Facebook
MySpace

Tell It Like It Is
Noiseworks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And she walks and she talks
And she cries and she sighs
We stand at the doorway
If we cross the line
We got to run, run, run, run, run!

I've seen it before, babe, it's in your eyes
Just tell it like it is for you and I

We can't keep on, babe, it's a thin disguise
We got to run, run, run, run, run!

I hear information, it's creeping through the walls
Kick out inhibitions, just tell it like it is
I can feel the distance, do we fight or do we fall?
Kick out inhibitions, just tell it like it is

And we walk and we talk
And we cry and we sigh
We shared it all, babe
And if our love's a crime
We got to run, run, run, run, run!

I hear information, it's creeping through the walls
Kick out inhibitions, just tell it like it is
I can feel the distance, do we fight or do we fall?
Kick out inhibitions, just tell it like it is
I hear information, it's creeping through the walls
Kick out inhibitions, I'm waiting for you

Baby, I'm waiting

Baby, I'm waiting, uh-huh
Just tell it like it is

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Noiseworks' "Tell It Like It Is" seem to be about a relationship that is on the brink of falling apart. The first stanza describes the woman in question, who appears to be upset and emotional. The next line talks about a possible threshold they can't cross and that if they do, they must run. The second stanza mentions the singer having seen this situation before and that they must reveal the truth to each other. The singer then points out that they must end this thin veil of deceit, as it is not possible for them to keep going on like they have been. The chorus highlights the fact that both of them share a lot of their feelings, telling each other everything. The final refrain reiterates the need to reveal everything to each other and to do away with any hesitations.

The song appears to be about the importance of honesty in romantic relationships. Despite the difficulties it might cause, not saying what you truly feel is worse in the long run. As the chorus mentions, if these two people can't tell each other everything, their love is essentially a crime. The song also has a sense of urgency, with the need for the couple to run, which adds to the tension that this relationship is fraught with. Ultimately, "Tell It Like It Is" is a song about the importance of trust, true communication, and breaking down the barriers between people. We see that love only truly exists when we can be wholly ourselves and open.

Line by Line Meaning

And she walks and she talks
She moves and communicates with me

And she cries and she sighs
She shows me her emotions through tears and breaths

We stand at the doorway
We are at a point of decision

If we cross the line
If we move forward with honesty

We got to run, run, run, run, run!
We need to move fast and not look back

I've seen it before, babe, it's in your eyes
I can read your feelings from your eyes

Just tell it like it is for you and I
Be honest with me about how you feel

We can't keep on, babe, it's a thin disguise
We can't pretend any longer, it's obvious

I hear information, it's creeping through the walls
I'm picking up on subtle clues

Kick out inhibitions, just tell it like it is
Let go of your fears and be truthful

I can feel the distance, do we fight or do we fall?
I sense a distance between us, do we confront it or give up?