The Go-Betweens were a critically-acclaimed cult act famously summarised by Village Voice critic Robert Christgau thus: “Robert Forster and Grant McLennan are the greatest songwriting partnership working today.”
Early drummers Lissa Ross and Tim Mustapha were followed by Lindy Morrison, who was a constant member through the six albums the band recorded in their first and most prolific era. Robert Vickers made the band a four piece when he joined on bass for the third album - "Spring Hill Fair". He left following the fifth album, to be replaced by long-time Brisbane muso John Wilsteed. Amanda Brown (violin, oboe and vocals) was the other key member, heavily influencing the Go-Betweens sound on the final two albums in this period.
The Go-Betweens toured overseas numerous times and produced such indie hits as "Cattle and Cane" (1983) and "Streets of Your Town" (1988). After recording six acclaimed albums, Forster and McLennan disbanded The Go-Betweens in December 1989.
Forster and McLennan pursued solo careers throughout the '90s but were inspired to work together after they were invited by fans at French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles to perform at the magazine's 10th anniversary.
In 2000, Forster and McLennan reformed The Go-Betweens, assisted by all three members of Sleater-Kinney, and recorded the album The Friends of Rachel Worth.
The most recent line-up (2005) included Forster, McLennan, Adele Pickvance (bass) and Glenn Thompson (drums).
In October 2005 The Go-Betweens finally achieved mainstream recognition, with the album Oceans Apart (produced by Mark Wallis and Dave Ruffy) winning an ARIA award for Best Adult Contemporary Album.
Grant McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Highgate Hill, Brisbane on May 6, 2006. He was preparing for a party at his home when he mentioned he was feeling ill, and went to lie down. He was found later that night, and is believed to have suffered a heart attack. With McLennan's death, Robert Forster announced that the Go-Betweens are no more.
"The Go-Betweens have made their final album. They have played their final show. We let it rest at that, being very proud of what we have done." - Robert Forster (May 7th 2006). In June 2007, a tribute album, Write Your Adventures Down, was released in Australia.
Discography:
Non-Album Singles
* "Lee Remick/Karen" (Able Label, 1978)
* "People Say/Don't Let Him Come Back" (Able Label, 1979)
* "I Need Two Heads/Stop before You say It" (Missing Link/Postcard, 1980)
Albums
* Send Me A Lullaby (1982)
* Before Hollywood (1983)
* Spring Hill Fair (1984)
* Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (1986)
* Tallulah (1987)
* 16 Lovers Lane (1988)
* 16 Lovers Lane Acoustic Démos (1996)
* Live on SNAP (1999)
* The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000)
* Bright Yellow Bright Orange (2003)
* Oceans Apart (2005)
* Live At The Tivoli, Brisbane (2006)
Compilations
* 1978-1990 (1990)
* Bellavista Terrace: Best of the Go-Betweens (1999)
* 78 'til 79 the Lost Album (1999)
Previous Members:
* Malcolm Kelly ("People Say")
* Jaqueline / Candice ("People Say")
2) The Go-Betweens [60s] A american garage band, made one single 1965.
Knock Knock / Have Her for My Own
This Girl Black Girl
The Go-Betweens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That this hunger that you're feeling
Can be passed off as thirst
Then they′ll turn and tell you not to leave the hearse
And these lilies of the air are just your family curse
This girl, that girl she counts the hours
This girl, black girl she wears flowers
The ship comes through the harbour
The captain nodded slowly and assembled everyone
The matron clears her throat to sing
The doctor takes a drink
Down below the convicts fall
Because skeletons don't think
This girl, that girl she counts the hours
This girl, black girl she wears flowers
The lyrics of The Go-Betweens' song "This Girl Black Girl" delve into societal expectations and the repression of individuality. The first verse criticizes the idea that "nothing is the worst," suggesting that it's a dismissive way of invalidating one's emotions and desires. The second line draws the metaphorical parallel between hunger and thirst, further emphasizing the idea that one's true desires may be suppressed or ignored. Continuing with this idea, the third line tells the listener not to "leave the hearse," implying that one's true self may be buried and invisible to the world. Lastly, the final line of the verse speaks to a generational curse that may be passed down within a family, furthering the idea that pre-existing societal structures and expectations can limit personal growth.
In the following verse, the lyrics contrast the monotony of daily life with the hopeful imagery of a ship sailing through a harbor. The captain nods slowly and assembles everyone, suggesting that this is a moment of collective anticipation and purpose. However, the reflection is short-lived as the matron clears her throat to sing and the doctor takes a drink, emphasizing how easily hopes and dreams can be squashed by routine and hierarchies. The final line of the verse, "Because skeletons don't think," is perhaps the most poignant, effectively communicating the idea that society has stripped away any semblance of individuality or personal agency.
Line by Line Meaning
They'll always tell you that nothing is the worst
People will try to minimize your struggles and tell you that they are not that bad.
That this hunger that you're feeling
The strong desire you have is being downplayed by others.
Can be passed off as thirst
Others are suggesting that what you really want is something else entirely.
Then they'll turn and tell you not to leave the hearse
Even though they claim to understand, they will still tell you to stay in a situation that is harmful to you.
And these lilies of the air are just your family curse
You are being told that your problems are genetic or inherited, and therefore out of your control.
This girl, that girl she counts the hours
Two different girls are waiting and measuring their time until something important happens.
This girl, black girl she wears flowers
One of the girls is black and she is adorned with flowers, potentially signifying hope or beauty in the midst of struggle.
The ship comes through the harbour
A ship has arrived at the harbor.
The sails wear the sun
The sails are reflecting the light of the sun.
The captain nodded slowly and assembled everyone
The captain took charge and gathered everyone together.
The matron clears her throat to sing
The older woman in charge prepares to sing a song.
The doctor takes a drink
The doctor takes a break to have a drink.
Down below the convicts fall
The people who are imprisoned or punished suffer and fall.
Because skeletons don't think
The prisoners are not being treated as thinking individuals or humans with thoughts and feelings.
This girl, that girl she counts the hours
Two girls are still waiting and counting the time until something happens.
This girl, black girl she wears flowers
The same black girl is still wearing flowers and potentially finding hope or beauty in the midst of waiting and suffering.
Writer(s): Robert Derwent Garth Forster, Grant William Mclennan
Contributed by Jack F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@freudastaire
best damn extra track of all remastered albums with bonus extra tracks of all records in the world
@andreaneilcmc
They'll always tell you that nothing is the worst
That this hunger that you're feeling
Can be passed off as thirst
@Timmybear
Lindy's drumming, as usual, provides such brilliance to this catchy tune. I will never understand who decides what's played on the radio (I gave up trying to figure it out when I was 17, and haven't listened since).
@julesbrownoffthecuffreview3875
Beautiful song ❤
@discombobulator64
I've got this on 7' vinyl on the b-side to Man O' Sand to Girl O' Sea, I think I played this more than the a-side at the time
@misiurska
I always loved this song much more than many other from SHF.
@TheBalthus1
Magnificent...
@han444
Great
@oldmcmetal3688
An earwig for eternity
@philjames5763
In a parallel world The Go-Betweens and The Replacements would have been massive and the big hair, spandex wearing metalheads would never have escaped from The Rainbow Bar and Grill.Am happy that cool, dog loving Izzy made his pile though.