https://www.discogs.com/release/404897-Men-At-Work-Business-As-Usual
The debut album from Australian new wave band Men at work, mainly known for the popular song Down under. From the sad part of the eighties: the early years. Other than Down under, not much to see – or rather hear here.
The song Down under is full of Australian slang, and is mostly about singer Colin Hay’s experiences travelling around. A little translation, just two lines:
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
“Fried out” means the suspension was lowered.
“Kombi” stands for Kombinationskraftwagen, the official name for the famous Volkswagen hippie bus.
“hippie trail” is the road that hippies travelled from Europe to India and South-East Asia.
“head full of zombie” means they were stoned.
In 2007 the alleged copyright holder of a flute riff used in the song was alerted to its use and files a copyright suit. The case got quite a bit of attention, and when the band lost the case, flautist Greg Ham took it very personally.
In his opinion his reputation was now destroyed, and he would be forever remembered as the guy that copied something. Greg Ham was found in 2012, apparently the victim of a heart attack. Since then Colin Hay says that was caused by the stress of the court case. It might also very well be heroin related: Greg was addicted.
Insert gratuit comment about business being…