Redgum also covered Australian consumer influences on surrounding nations in 1984's "I've Been To Bali Too", both hit singles were written by Schumann. "The Diamantina Drover", written by Timms replacement, violinist/vocalist Hugh McDonald and "Poor Ned", written by Trevor Lucas of Fairport Convention, are examples of their bush songs. Lucas produced their best performed album, the June 1983 live LP Caught in the Act, which peaked at #3 on the National albums chart.
Schumann left the band and pursued a solo career from 1986, Atkinson left in 1987 and Redgum finally disbanded in 1990.
Since 2005 Schumann and McDonald have been performing together again as part of John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew.
History
Redgum were formed in 1975 when three students at Flinders University, John Schumann, Michael Atkinson (not the future Labor politician of the same name) and Verity Truman, collaborated for a musical assessment piece for their Politics and Art course. The trio quickly gained fame around the University community for their forthright songs, and by 1976 had been joined by violinist Chris Timms who had previously attended Flinders University. The group were soon in demand for parties, pubs and rallies throughout South Australia and Victoria. Initially a part-time band, performing weekends and school holidays (two members were teachers), it was only after they released their second album, Virgin Ground (late 1980), to strong sales and critical acclaim, that the group became full-time and started touring nationally.
[edit] Music
On the first album, If You Don't Fight You Lose (1978) Redgum showed it was one of the few Australian bands prepared to tackle domestic politics and culture. "One More Boring Night in Adelaide" for some will remain, despite some of its dated references, a classic analysis of Australian provincial parochialism. The group's success continued to grow with the release of their next three albums, Virgin Ground, Brown Rice and Kerosene (1981) and the EP Cut to the Quick (September 1982), and they weathered several line-up changes including the addition of a didgeridoo and the replacement of Timms in May 1982 with Hugh McDonald, among others. They released a songbook The Redgum Songbook: Stubborn Words, Flagrant Vices (1981).
Collaboration with influential Australian folk producer Trevor Lucas (from UK folk group Fairport Convention) brought the high-point of their career - the live LP Caught in the Act was released in June 1983 and "I Was Only Nineteen" aka "A Walk in the Light Green" (March 1983) hit number one on the Australian singles chart. The song precipitated a Royal Commission into the use and effects of chemical agents in the Vietnam War by the Australian military. The album included "The Diamantina Drover" and "The Last Frontier" which are indicative of their folk music style.
The band released their next LP, Frontline (August 1984) with its single "I've Been to Bali Too", and started touring folk venues in the UK and Europe with some success. Late in 1985, Schumann announced that he had signed a solo deal with CBS Records and would be quitting. Redgum released one more album of new material, Midnight Sun (1986), and a last single "Roll it on Robbie" (1987) after which Atkinson left. The remaining members performed until 1990 before breaking up.
Friday Night
Redgum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nights so high, and weeks so slow
Backyard parties comin in waves
Scratched LP's and Purple Haze
Punched the clock, paid my union dues
Swapped my sneakers for my steel toe shoes
Take away dusk, cappuccino dawn
Pimps and strippers, golden limbs, spice of life, whiff of sin
Friday night, don't drag your feet
Young blood pumpin' to a strange back beat
Friday night like Bundy neat
Smells so sleazy and tastes so sweet
Fifteen bucks cause my boards in hock
Petrol on credit, car on blocks
Old man's spanners, old man's jack
Grease on the nipple and a new set of fats
My little brother's boppin' to the summertime blues
Flyin too high on aeroplane glue
Dad said he had prospects growing up clean
Come the night, neon skies, another pale kid with the fire in his eyes
Friday night, don't drag your feet
Young blood pumpin' to a strange back beat
Friday night like Bundy neat
Smells so sleazy and tastes so sweet
Neon circus but there's not enough lights
Urban jungle but there's nothing to fight
Twist and shimmy black wrap arounds
Red stillettos, cut concrete, puttin on cool in a city on heat
Friday night, don't drag your feet
Young blood pumpin' to a strange back beat
Friday night like Bundy neat
Smells so sleazy and tastes so
Friday night, don't drag your feet
Young blood pumpin' to a strange back beat
Friday night like Bundy neat
Smells so sleazy and tastes so sweet
The opening lines of Redgum's "Friday Night" take listeners back to a bygone era of carefree summer nights spent at backyard parties, listening to scratched LPs and indulging in a little "Purple Haze." The lyrics are nostalgic and wistful, with the singer reminiscing about those heady days and nights, and the experiences that defined them. He sings about punching the clock for his union job, swapping his sneakers for steel-toed shoes, and watching the world transform from "dusk" to "cappuccino dawn." It's a beautiful and evocative description of a time when simple pleasures were everything.
The chorus of the song is the most memorable part, with the singer exhorting listeners not to "drag your feet" on Friday night. He sings about the excitement and energy of youth, how the blood pumps to a "strange back beat." He compares the night to a drink of Bundy rum, sweet and sleazy. The imagery here is vivid and sensual, with the neon lights of the city flickering around them.
Overall, "Friday Night" is a nostalgic and deeply evocative song that captures both the excitement and the wistfulness of youth. It is a beautiful celebration of simpler times and simpler pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember those summers like a dream ago
The singer reminisces about summers that feel like they happened in a distant past
Nights so high, and weeks so slow
The nights felt exhilarating and party-filled, while the weeks felt long and dragged out
Backyard parties comin in waves
The singer recalls a succession of lively parties in backyards
Scratched LP's and Purple Haze
The artist remembers playing vinyl records and smoking marijuana
Punched the clock, paid my union dues
The artist had a job and was a dues-paying member of a union
Swapped my sneakers for my steel toe shoes
The singer transitioned from leisure shoes to work boots
Take away dusk, cappuccino dawn
The singer describes the transition from nighttime partying to early morning coffee drinking
Pimps and strippers, golden limbs, spice of life, whiff of sin
The nights were filled with colorful characters, sensuality, and a hint of danger
Friday night, don't drag your feet
The artist urges the listener to not hesitate when it comes to enjoying themselves on a Friday night
Young blood pumpin' to a strange back beat
The young people are moved by an unconventional, perhaps even unsettling, rhythm
Friday night like Bundy neat
Like a smooth whisky such as Bundy, the Friday night feels refined but seductive
Smells so sleazy and tastes so sweet
Like something that is both enticing and slightly shady, a Friday night smells and feels alluring
Fifteen bucks cause my boards in hock
The singer spent money because they had to pawn something
Petrol on credit, car on blocks
The singer obtained gas with borrowed money, but their car was stuck and unusable
Old man's spanners, old man's jack
The singer is using tools that belonged to their father
Grease on the nipple and a new set of fats
The artist is greasing up a bicycle chain with a new type of lubricant
My little brother's boppin' to the summertime blues
The artist's younger sibling is enjoying themselves to the famous rock song 'Summertime Blues'
Flyin too high on aeroplane glue
Someone is inhaling toxic glue fumes to get high
Dad said he had prospects growing up clean
The singer's father had promised them financial success if they lived an honest life
Come the night, neon skies, another pale kid with the fire in his eyes
At night, the cityscape is bright with neon lights and people are driven by an intense desire for excitement
Neon circus but there's not enough lights
The artificial lights give a sense of a circus but are not enough to quench the desire for stimulation
Urban jungle but there's nothing to fight
The city may feel chaotic but there are no actual dangers to be fought
Twist and shimmy black wrap arounds
The singer is describing black clothing items that are fashionable and perfect for dancing
Red stillettos, cut concrete, puttin on cool in a city on heat
The red high heels are a statement of confidence, toughness and sexiness in a hot and vibrant city
Friday night, don't drag your feet
The singer repeats their plea to let go of reservation and have a good time
Young blood pumpin' to a strange back beat
By now, the repetition of this line underlines the oddity of the music that excites the young people
Friday night like Bundy neat
This line is repeated again to reinforce the association of this night with a refined whisky, hinting at the seductive and classy aspects of the night
Smells so sleazy and tastes so sweet
This repetition helps to emphasize the fact that this night is attractive and alluring, but also somewhat dangerous or scandalous
Contributed by Liliana N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
EeBee51
At last, a version with both audio channels !! Thanks for posting ;)
Todd Brittain
great bassplaying
GeorgeParasol
anyone know where I can find the original audio version of this performance? pretty sure this is just overdubbed with the record track.