Radio Birdman formed in 1974 and began recording in 1976 when the single Burn My Eye was released. They took their name from a misheard lyric in The Stooges song, 1970. (The actual line is "Radio burnin'") Their first LP, "Radios Appear" showed diverse influences, including Blue Öyster Cult and Detroit bands of the late 1960s, such as The MC5 and The Stooges. The album was totally ignored by commercial radio but was championed by Sydney station 2JJ (Double Jay) and became sufficiently successful in Australia to lead to a contract with Sire Records (US label, home of The Ramones), who released a different version of Radios Appear internationally. It took three years to record a follow-up, Living Eyes, and by then, the Australian punk scene had diversified and the band broke up before the LP was released in 1978.
The band's lyrics reference US-born guitarist/main songwriter Deniz Tek's home state of Michigan, with lyrics from tracks such as "Murder City Nights" referring to Woodward Avenue in Detroit:
"Cruising down Woodward gotta find me some action/Looking for a lover with a power reaction."
Many of their other songs, such as "Hand Of Law" & "Descent Into The Maelstrom" deal in apocalyptic images of war and violence, but these are more than balanced by the lighter pop culture references of tunes such as "Aloha Steve & Danno", an ode to the TV show Hawaii 5-0. "Man With Golden Helmet" (which Tek wrote in high school) is one of their most cryptic efforts: "Man with golden helmet/drinks water from the faucet..plays with tiny children/on his way home from work...he's a top man/in the language department". Deniz Tek wrote most of the lyrics and music for the band
All members went on to other bands. Younger's New Christs would be more oriented towards hard-edged, blues-based rock and roll. Tek and Keeley and keyboardist Pip Hoyle's band, The Visitors, and guitarist Chris Masuak and bass guitarist Warwick Gilbert's The Hitmen continued the Radio Birdman sound. Tek, Younger & Gilbert played in a one-shot touring band called New Race, with Dennis Thompson of the MC5 & Ron Asheton of the Stooges.
In the 1996, the band reformed sporadically to play gigs, but a full-fledged reunion didn't surface until the 00's, with the 2006 album Zeno Beach being enthusiastically received. The band split once again in 2008.
In 2014, the band announced that Younger, Tek, Hoyle and Dickson announced that they would tour Australia as Radio Birdman to coincide with the reissue of their back catalogue.
Man With Golden Helmet
Radio Birdman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drinks water from the faucet
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Stares across the hall
At the pictures on the wall
Of hieroglyphic scrawl
And no ones cares at all
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Walks on down the street
Leather boots, leather coat
Gloves of shining leather
Sidewalks and gutters and freezing weather
Empty streets full of no one
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Plays with tiny children
On his way home from work
He doesn't wear a smirk
He can't revive it
Having different kinds of fun
With fourteen ancient nuns
Under circling sun
And his wonderful collection of guns
He's the top man in the language department
The lyrics to Radio Birdman's song "Man With Golden Helmet" paint a picture of a lonely, disconnected individual in a mundane world. The man with the golden helmet drinks water from the faucet, a simple, everyday act. He stares at pictures on the wall with hieroglyphic scrawl, perhaps a nod to the mysteries of the past and the irrelevance of the present. He is waiting, but it's unclear what he's waiting for. His walks down the street in leather boots, coat, and gloves feel cold and empty, with sidewalks and gutters serving as his only companions.
The man with the golden helmet interacts with children on his way home from work, but there's no hint of joy on his face. He can't revive the feeling of happiness, suggesting that he's lost his way and doesn't know how to find it again. The final verse of the song presents a confusing image; the man is having different kinds of fun with ancient nuns while under a circling sun and brandishing a collection of guns. It's unclear whether this is a literal or figurative scene, adding to the overall sense of disorientation in the song.
Overall, "Man With Golden Helmet" is a song about the human condition, exploring the isolation and disconnection that we can feel despite living in a world that is always connected.
Line by Line Meaning
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
The Man with Golden Helmet is a person of humble means, as demonstrated by his choice to drink water from a simple faucet.
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Stares across the hall
At the pictures on the wall
Of hieroglyphic scrawl
And no ones cares at all
That he is waiting
The Man with Golden Helmet is waiting for something, but nobody seems to notice or care. This is emphasized by his making idle observations about the pictures on the wall.
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Walks on down the street
Leather boots, leather coat
Gloves of shining leather
Sidewalks and gutters and freezing weather
Despite challenging conditions (such as freezing weather), the Man with Golden Helmet remains steadfast and committed, as demonstrated by his attire of leather boots and coat.
Empty streets full of no one
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
Man with Golden Helmet
Drinks water from the faucet
The streets are empty, but the Man with Golden Helmet continues on his way, undaunted and resolute. He remains focused on the simple act of drinking water.
Plays with tiny children
On his way home from work
He doesn't wear a smirk
He can't revive it
The Man with Golden Helmet finds joy in small things, such as playing with children. He is sincere and genuine, and does not have a false or forced smile.
Having different kinds of fun
With fourteen ancient nuns
Under circling sun
And his wonderful collection of guns
He's the top man in the language department
The Man with Golden Helmet has diverse interests and hobbies, including collecting guns and interacting with elderly nuns. He is also accomplished in his profession as a linguist, demonstrating his intellectual prowess.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENIZ TEK, STEVE KAMBLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PaulSmith-mh2yq
As a 20yr old I spent 1980 in Oz and was introduced to the Oils and Radio Birdman. Forty years later I'm still an Oils fan and still think this Radio Birdman album is shit hot !
@Mertztillithurts
WHY the actual Fuck am I only discovering this awesome band in this fuckstain of a year??
I should have known this shit before I started my band in '83.
All i can say is:
It's Great to be Alive
to hear this today.
RADIO BIRDMAN! 🎸🎶
@OzTwanger
I can't believe this has only 4,000 views. Awesome band, great lead guitarist, just a great song and band.
@nicolasa3810
68 000 8 years later ;) garage punk will not die!
@texhop1948
this song was written by a 10 yr old .. let that sink in for a moment .... pure genius.
@davej5800
I saw the lads in Marickville in Sydney a couple of months ago. A slow start to the set ( I don't think they had played together for more than a couple of years). By the time they got to Man with the Golden Helmet, they were rocking it like they had never had a break.
Fabulous song, fabulous band :)
@theuptaker
He's the top man...in the language department!!!!
@johnszydlowski193
Yeah, baby. These guys had there own sound. Ask any Uni student from the late 70's about the Radio's...they had some vinyl or cassette stolen, borrowed or rarely bought...just to hear this sound. They were not PUNK. It was guitar driven with homage to a bit of surf, a bit of Doors influence and some crazy lyrics. Never truly recognised by mainstream radio, or Countdown...too dangerous...these guys, with The Saints gave Aussie music a hard, raw sound.
@thomashillemann9902
Right! Absolutely right! Know them since early 90' and still love 'em!
@CyprinusCarpio60
the best song of a really historical album, i bought because the cover of the album was sooooo cool. That was early 80's, and i still love every song now.