WPA initially gained a reputation as a hot new band through their constant touring in their early days, however they never really became a commercial success. They did however, form a fanatical supporter base, known as the "Wedheads" that continued to sustain the band for years. Upon the conclusion of the band several members continued on to other projects, with Mick Thomas creating Croxton Records with friend Nick Corr.
Renowned for their energetic live shows, WPA had a handful of live songs that were nearly always guaranteed to push the mosh pit into a frenzy, particularly "A Tale They Won't Believe", the story of cannibalism in the convict days of Tasmania. Also known for the especially legendary Christmas shows which grew from one night on Christmas Eve to a full week of live shows at the Central Club Hotel in Richmond. The 1998 show was recorded and released as a double live album, They Were Better Live.
Musically, WPA were a combination of Australian indie and garage rock, sixties folk, punk and (later) country. They lead what later became known as the alt-country scene in Melbourne{fact}. WPA were often compared to The Pogues, though the two bands were actually contemporaries rather than one following the other; the two bands toured Australia together in the early '90s.
WPA reformed for the Community Cup Challenge footy match in July 2005 and again for the Queenscliff Music Festival in 2006. They held a reunion tour in 2008 and have played periodic shows since.
Big River
Weddings Parties Anything Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He came from a town that died a slow hard death,
And when the train pulled into Spencer Street, he was fast asleep.
He opened one eye and he took a long deep breath.
On the first day he was dazed by the noise and by the bustle,
He sat in the square, and tried so hard to think.
Found a cheap hotel and booked himself a room all damp and shabby
He sat in the bar, he bought himself a drink.
Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me."
He rose early on the second day,
And watched the dirty struggle of the dawn
To rise above the smoke and haze.
And armed with a map he made his way from factory to foundry,
Joined the queues of the unskilled labourers.
Then an old man came, shook his hand,
Sat right there beside him,
And he heard the tale of rural poverty.
Shook his head, and with a tear he said,
"All that you have told me
Is like having my own story told to me."
He sang: "Flow river flow, flow to the sea,
Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me."
Drinking harder every night,
He made himself keep searching
Till he found he could not rise to greet the day.
And he lay behind a vale of tears on the Yarra bank that morning,
And he wondered how the hell things got this way.
Late that ngiht he stumbled from an inner city bar,
Barely conscious down the alley he did sway.
And they beat him, they sank the boot in,
And they took his last four dollars,
Left him dying in the dawn, it was Saturday...
He sang: "Flow river flow, flow to the sea,
Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me."
Flow river flow, flow to the sea,
Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me.
Flow river flow, oh flow on to the sea,
Flow on big river, bring my dreams, bring them home to me.
The song "Big River" by Weddings Parties Anything, tells the story of a man who came up from the country to the city of Melbourne, looking for a job. As soon as he arrived, he was overwhelmed by the noise and the hustle of the city. He then found himself a cheap and damp hotel, where he sat in the bar and drank. The man also sang "Flow river flow, flow to the sea, flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me," which could symbolize his longing for his home and his rural past.
The man spent the following days looking for work at different factories and foundries in Melbourne, and he also met an old man who told him a story of rural poverty. The man's pursuit of work took a toll on him, and he turned to heavy drinking to cope. In a heartbreaking turn of events, he was beaten and robbed of his last four dollars, leaving him dying on a Saturday morning. Throughout the song, the lyrics reflect the man's struggles and the idea that he longs for his dreams and his past life.
Line by Line Meaning
He came up from the country looking for a job of work,
A man from a rural area migrated to the city in search of a job.
He came from a town that died a slow hard death,
The town where the man came from suffered a slow decline.
And when the train pulled into Spencer Street, he was fast asleep.
The man was so tired that he fell asleep on the train before reaching his destination.
He opened one eye and he took a long deep breath.
The man woke up and took a deep breath, preparing himself for his new life in the city.
On the first day he was dazed by the noise and by the bustle,
The man was overwhelmed by the loud and busy environment of the city on his first day there.
He sat in the square, and tried so hard to think.
The man sat in a public space and attempted to gather his thoughts in the midst of the chaos.
Found a cheap hotel and booked himself a room all damp and shabby
The man found an inexpensive hotel room that was damp and rundown.
He sat in the bar, he bought himself a drink.
The man went to a bar by himself and had a drink.
He sang: 'Flow river flow, flow to the sea, Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me.'
The man sang a song about a river carrying his hopes and aspirations back to his rural home.
He rose early on the second day, And watched the dirty struggle of the dawn To rise above the smoke and haze.
The man woke up early the next day and observed the struggle of the sunrise to shine through the smog and pollution.
And armed with a map he made his way from factory to foundry, Joined the queues of the unskilled labourers.
Using a map, the man searched for work by going from factory to foundry and standing in line with other people seeking unskilled labor jobs.
Then an old man came, shook his hand, Sat right there beside him, And he heard the tale of rural poverty.
An elderly man approached the man, shook his hand, and told him a story about the hardships of rural life.
Shook his head, and with a tear he said, 'All that you have told me Is like having my own story told to me.'
The elderly man expressed empathy and said that the man's story sounded like his own.
Drinking harder every night, He made himself keep searching Till he found he could not rise to greet the day.
The man coped with his struggles by drinking alcohol every night and continued his job search until he became too exhausted to face the day.
And he lay behind a vale of tears on the Yarra bank that morning, And he wondered how the hell things got this way.
The man broke down in tears and lay by the river, questioning how his life had come to this point.
Late that ngiht he stumbled from an inner city bar, Barely conscious down the alley he did sway. And they beat him, they sank the boot in, And they took his last four dollars, Left him dying in the dawn, it was Saturday...
The man left a bar late at night and was attacked by strangers who stole his money and left him to die on a Saturday morning.
He sang: 'Flow river flow, flow to the sea, Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me.'
The man repeated the same song about the river taking him back to his rural home.
Flow river flow, flow to the sea, Flow on big river, bring my dreams back home to me. Flow river flow, oh flow on to the sea, Flow on big river, bring my dreams, bring them home to me.
The man continued to sing about the river carrying his hopes and dreams back to his hometown, emphasizing the importance of his longing to return.
Contributed by Micah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
gunfiremessiah
keeps getting better and better