Formed in 19… Read Full Bio ↴Powderfinger were a rock band from Brisbane, Australia.
Formed in 1989, the band managed to keep the same line up since they hit the big time, Bernard Fanning (Vocals, guitars), Darren Middleton (guitars), Ian Haug (guitars), John Collins (Bass) and Jon Coghill (drums). Powderfinger are winners of nearly every major award in Australia – including the ARIA (Australian Record Industry Awards) for Album of the Year, Best Rock Album and Song of the Year.
Their musical style changed significantly over the years from a predominantly Grunge influenced one (Parables for Wooden Ears, Double Allergic) to their own brand of Alternative Rock on the following albums Internationalist and Odyssey Number 5. Several songs on Vulture street were in tribute to classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC and Songs on Dream Days at the Hotel Existence feature a prominent Neil Young influence- to whom they owe their band name from his song of the same name.
The band released seven studio albums and a greatest hits album, Fingerprints - The Best of Powderfinger 1994-2000, in 2004. Their final album, Golden Rule, was released in late 2009. Despite their popularity in Australia, Powderfinger never achieved similar success overseas.
They toured with Silverchair on the "Across the Great Divide" Concert, from August to October 2007, trying to raise awareness of the indigenous people of Australia.
On the 9th of April 2010, it was announced at a press conference and on the band's website that after 20 years together, Powderfinger would be disbanding after their farewell Sunsets Tour. Of the split, frontman Bernard Fanning stated:
With the completion of our last album, Golden Rule, we feel that we have said all that we want to say as a musical group. We firmly believe that it is our most complete and satisfying album and can't think of a better way to farewell our fans than with music that we all believe in and also with, hopefully, our best tour to date.
Skinny Jean
Powderfinger Lyrics
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You better think twice about the soy milk drink, babe
You got a patent handbag and solid state rags
You won't think twice about the bill, will you, baby?
Should I be the one to say that you don't need it
Skinny Jean crushed a Kenyan roast bean
They're so preservative free to keep their smokescreen
Should I be the one to say that you don't need that
Style guide never would proclaim that you don't need it
They say you like it sundried, tell me is that right?
They say you like it sundried, tell me is that right?
Skinny Jean loves Brazilian roast beans
Raoul wood fires a tandoori pizza today
Special filter gonna keep them both out of harms way
Should I be the one to say that you don't need that
Too tired to survive the day, a brew might fix it
Skinny Jean, we'll all die sometime
They say you like it sundried, tell me am I right again?
The lyrics to Powderfinger's "01 Skinny Jean" are filled with social commentary and criticism of consumer culture. The first verse criticizes the idea of hiding imperfections with knee-high boots and drinking soy milk, suggesting that people should be confident in their own skin and not rely on material goods to feel good about themselves. The second verse continues this theme by contrasting the indulgent lifestyle of the song's characters, Skinny Jean and Raoul, with the idea of living a natural and preservative-free life. The chorus questions whether it's worth it to live this way, asking "Should I be the one to say that you don't need that?"
The third verse references the characters' love of coffee and pizza, and again questions whether their indulgences are worth it. The line "Special filter gonna keep them both out of harms way" suggests that they are aware of the negative effects of their habits, but continue them anyway. The final chorus reaffirms the temporary nature of life, regardless of one's lifestyle choices.
Overall, "01 Skinny Jean" is a critique of materialism and over-indulgence, encouraging listeners to question their own habits and priorities.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, you got knee high boots to hide focaccia fruit
Your knee-high boots are meant to keep your extra weight hidden.
You better think twice about the soy milk drink, babe
You should reconsider drinking soy milk, my dear.
You got a patent handbag and solid state rags
Your expensive handbag and designer clothes don't make up for your lack of substance.
You won't think twice about the bill, will you, baby?
You seem to be careless about your expenses, don't you think?
Should I be the one to say that you don't need it
Should I be the one to tell you that you can do without it?
Skinny Jean crushed a Kenyan roast bean
Skinny Jean is obsessed with exotic coffee beans.
Raoul devours another organic buffet
Raoul continues to indulge in expensive, organic food.
They're so preservative-free to keep their smokescreen
Their obsession with organic and preservative-free food is just a facade to hide their other shortcomings.
Style guide never would proclaim that you don't need it
Fashion trends will never tell you that you don't need something just to stay relevant.
They say you like it sundried, tell me is that right?
I've heard you prefer sun-dried food, is that true?
Skinny Jean loves Brazilian roast beans
Skinny Jean is now into Brazilian coffee beans.
Raoul wood fires a tandoori pizza today
Raoul tries to keep up his foodie image by experimenting with exotic pizza recipes.
Special filter gonna keep them both out of harm's way
They believe that expensive coffee filters will keep them from any harm caused by their indulgences.
Too tired to survive the day, a brew might fix it
They feel that a cup of coffee is the solution to all their problems, even fatigue.
Skinny Jean, we'll all die sometime
No matter how much we indulge in pleasures like exotic coffee, we all have a limited time in this world.
They say you like it sundried, tell me am I right again?
I've heard that you still prefer sun-dried food, am I still right?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JONATHAN ROBERT COGHILL, JOHN ANDREW COLLINS, BERNARD JOSEPH FANNING, IAN DAVID HAUG, DARREN STUART MIDDLETON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind