32 songs - Do re mi - Man overboard

In the mid eighties Dutch national radio station Radio 3 was still a progressive music station. I loved listening on tuesday and wednesday, the days the best shows were on. On tuesday afternoon during the Verrukkelijke 15 (an alternative chart with plenty of good music) I discovered many new bands and artists. Many of the artists I discoverd then, I still listen to these days. In my car on my way to work I often play tapes from those days.

One of my new discoveries was a new band from Australia called Do re mi. They managed a top five hitsingle Down Under with the song Man Overboard. In Europe it became known as well, though if I remember well, never a hit. Obviously I bought the LP record with that song on it, later a CD as well. Nice, but never as outright brilliant as this one song. The term 'one hit wonder' is correct in this case, but they are a bit special anyway. They were not the product from a producer who did things right, but they were just a band from Sydney who were lucky once.

Singer Deborah Conway, film lovers might know her as Juno in Prospero's books by film legend Peter Greenaway, is tellng is in the song about a relation that is about to burst. Pubic hair on a pillow (controversial in those days, even singing about it), stubble in the sink, her discontentment about her man is fairly obvious. Him flirting with other women, showing up in the middle of the night, it doesn't help. The first minute the song does not seem to start, instead of singing, it appears that she is almost quoting the lyrics, reading them out, but then there is suddenly the outburst: "You're not the only one", one recognizes the power of her voice, she can actually sing. Immediately the bass takes over, the bass run that makes the song recognisable.

Even these days, over twenty years later, the song hits me. One feels the pain in her voice. Doors being shut so hard that wall paper is peeling, the ironic, almost sarcastical comment "Jealous wifescenes raise a smile at parties, like anal humour". What a great song, I still sing along, from front to back. Three times in a row, it never gets boring, happy like a little child discovering the video on YouTube, I hadn't seen the clip before.

Do re mi - Man Overboard

I try not to stand too close to myself

I try not to listen to the things I say

They say there's no such thing as self-abuse

But you wonder how I can be trusted

If I'm finely tuned or well adjusted

Oh, pity about you

Oh, pity about me

Mostly pity about her

Every time she comes inside

You – had to run

You had to run

You wish that crush would go away

You're not the only one !

Squinting at broad daylight

Drumming up a conversation

Parson's brass is pealing / appealing

Drumming up a congregation

Hands reaching for a glass of water

Dry socks and razor rash

Your shoes under my bed

Dandruff, doona, cigarette ash

I've tried to play it open-handed

I've tried to make a fist of this

Even when the questions are candid

My arrows miss

I've heard about your fragile ego

Your shield, your sword

What am I expected to do ?

Shout Man Overboard ?

Come around when I'm asleep

Roll around, try to wake me

That's all right, you've got to go now

Words overtake me

Your pubic hairs are on my pillow

Your stubble rings the sink

Your words under my sing

Your table manners stink

I paddle in the things I love

You wallow in a swamp of trivia

In a vase with insincere I love you's

Next door's camellias

I'm sick and tired of this position

Hatched underneath your arm

Crotch under stress

You're little and it's come

I'm bored – staring at the ceiling

While you point out my faults

I've watched the wallpaper pealing

From slamming doors

You talk about penis envy

Your friends applaud

What am I expected to do ?

Shout Man Overboard ?

Come across to other girls

Look around and start a rumour

Jealous wife scenes raise a smile a parties

Like anal humour

Are you addicted to attention ?

Do you do it for effect ?

You're wet, out of control, misunderstood and hen-pecked

32 songs. Thanks to Nick Hornby. Columns about songs that have touched my life in one way or another.