The band formed in Sydney in 2004 and were originally known as The Spark. The brainchild of Alex Burnett (vocals, guitar) and Dave Hall (drums), Sparkadia became a reality with the addition of Nick Rabone (bass) and Josephine Ayling (keyboards, guitar, vocals) in 2006.
They first came into prominence in Australia with their debut EP titled Things Behind the Sun. The EP was released in Australia on 20 February 2007; with the lead single "Morning Light" being the #1 most downloaded track off Australian national broadcasters Triple J's website with 32,000 downloads in two months. This was followed by extensive Australian touring and led to signing with UK label Ark Recordings.
With a line-up change in 2008 with Tiffany Preece replacing Josephine Ayling, Sparkadia released their debut studio album Postcards on 31 May 2008. The album was recorded with producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Depeche Mode, Doves, Elbow etc.) at Miloco Studios, London. The album peaked at #23 on the ARIA albums chart.
The debut single off the album Animals was The Guardian's single of the week and received rotation on BBC Radio One. This was followed by the release of the singles "Too Much to Do", "Jealousy" and "Morning Light".
Subsequent single "Too Much to Do" was B listed by Radio 2, played by everyone from Colin Murray to Terry Wogan, and earned accolades from Mojo, Q4 Music and The Guardian. All four singles received airplay on Australian radio station Triple J. In January 2009 Sparkadia's hit Jealousy was number 79 in the triple j Hottest 100 of 2008.
The singles "Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs" (10 September 2010) and "China" (27 January 2011) were released in Australia and "Mary" (14 February 2011) was released in the UK ahead of the album "The Great Impression" (18 March 2011). The Great Impression debuted at no. 8 on the ARIA Albums Chart and at no. 1 on the ARIA Australian Artist Albums Chart. Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs came in at number 24 in the triple j Hottest 100 of 2010.
In 2011, Burnett made a new name for himself with the release of Sparkadia’s The Great Impression on OK!Good Records. The 12 track debut album showcases Burnett’s great skill in songwriting, with definite influence from 80s pop groups. Stylistically, The Great Impression combines retro elements and sprawling, anthemic choruses with evocative lyrics to form a bold work that is heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. “I wanted to write big songs”, says Burnett. “I wanted to go there on The Great Impression and see what would happen. It felt right.” Already a big chart success in his native Australia and growing in popularity in the UK, The Great Impression is all set to make just that on US audiences as well.
http://okgoodrecords.com
Help Yourself
Sparkadia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when he's there I'm never on my own -
He told me that his only floor is my ceiling
And he don't know
I'd love to let him in
and show him something else
He'd take another look at life
The lady round the corner says the end is near,
But I think that she's around the bend -
She will never see the light of day of day again
She don't know
I'd love to let her in
And show her something else
She'd take another look at life
You've gotta help yourself
I'd love to let you in
And show you something else
You'd take another look at life
You've gotta help yourself
Sparkadia's song Help Yourself is a poignant reminder that sometimes we must rely on ourselves to find the solutions we need. The lyrics delve into the idea that we cannot always depend on others to help us out of our problems. The man upstairs is a metaphorical reference to a higher power, and the singer is frustrated that he is never available when he needs him. The man upstairs may represent faith, family, or a friend, someone that we count on and feel abandoned when they are not there for us. The line "his only floor is my ceiling" indicates that in times of trouble, we may feel that there is a lack of understanding and that our problems may not be significant.
In the second verse, the singer describes a lady who believes that the end is near but may be delusional. Her thoughts and beliefs reflect her worldview, and the singer believes that she is incapable of seeing things clearly. The line "She will never see the light of day of day again" suggests that she is closed off from the possibility of growth and change. In the chorus, the singer expresses the need to let others in and show them a different perspective. The message is that we must help ourselves in order for others to see that things can change.
The song's lyrics remind us that change and growth come from within, and often, we must be the ones to guide ourselves through challenges. We must take responsibility for our lives and take action to bring about change. The chorus, repeated three times, reinforces this message, with an upbeat and catchy melody and a positive message that encourages us to seek out the help we need and to make changes in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
The man upstairs is never home when I need him,
I cannot rely on external entities to help me always; they may not be available when needed the most.
And when he's there I'm never on my own -
The external entities may be present, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they understand or address my problems.
He told me that his only floor is my ceiling
The external entity doesn't see my problems and aspirations the same way I see them; my ceiling is their floor.
And he don't know
The external entity doesn't have the complete picture of my life, and thus its advice may not be relevant.
I'd love to let him in
and show him something else
He'd take another look at life
You've gotta help yourself
If given a chance, I'd like to show the external entity that my life is much more than what they see, and that their perspective is limited. Ultimately, I'm the one who needs to take control and help myself.
The lady round the corner says the end is near,
The outside world can be pessimistic, and many people may have a gloomy view of the future.
But I think that she's around the bend -
However, their pessimism may not be based on reality or sound reasoning.
She will never see the light of day of day again
She don't know
Some people might completely lose hope and miss the opportunities that life presents; they don't realize that they still have the power to change their fate.
I'd love to let her in
And show her something else
She'd take another look at life
You've gotta help yourself
I'd like to show such people that hope and opportunity still exist and that they should help themselves and strive towards a better life.
I'd love to let you in
And show you something else
You'd take another look at life
You've gotta help yourself
In general, it's important to take charge of our lives and not rely on external entities and their narrow perspectives. If we open ourselves to new perspectives and possibilities, we can discover new ways to improve our lives.
Contributed by Leo E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.