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Colin Hay — Beautiful World
Album: Man @ Work
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2175









Released: 2003
Length: 3:34
Plays (last 30 days): 4
My, my, my it's a beautiful world
I like swimming in the sea
I like to go out beyond the white breakers
Where a man can still be free (or a woman if you are one)
I like swimming in the sea

My, my, my it's a beautiful world
I like drinking Irish tea
With a little bit of Lapsang Souchong
I like making my own tea

My, my, my it's a beautiful world
I like driving in my car
Roll the top down, sometimes I travel quite far
Drive to the ocean and stare up at the stars
I like driving in my car

All around is anger
Automatic guns
Death in large numbers
And no respect for women or our little ones
I tried talking to Jesus
But he just put me on hold
Said he'd been swamped by calls this week
And he could not shake his cold

And still this emptiness persists
Perhaps this is as good as it gets
When you've given up the drink
And those nasty cigarettes
Now I leave the party early, at least with no regrets
I watch the sun as it comes up, I watch it as it sets
Yeah, this is as good as it gets

My, my, my it's a beautiful world
I like sleeping with Marie
She is one sexy girl full of mystery
She says she doesn't love me
But she likes my company
For now that's good enough for me

My, my, my it's a beautiful world
I like swimming in the sea
I like to go out beyond the white breakers
Where a man can still be free (or a woman if you are one)
I like swimming in the sea
Yeah
Comments (259)add comment
I saw CH in concert a few months ago.  He was fantastic and his voice spot on.  Great backup band. 
What a delightfully silly artist. 🤗
Ahhhh. The perfect song for tomorrow: Thanksgiving day, 2023. 

We need to note and give thanks for all the niceties of life. 

Bonus:  this song does that and it's peppy.  Peppy is good for Thanksgiving. 

Don't Colin look thankful on the album cover? 
Anyone getting a Barenaked Ladies vibe besides me?
If I'm very very good maybe in my next life I'll be an Australian.  New Zealand is too much to hope for. 
I like swimming in the sea. Yes!
My SO and I riff on this song frequently. One of us will say something that has a male gender reference, and the other will pipe up, "Or a woman if you are one." 
"Irish tea"?
What's that?
Is it like an Irish Coffee but made with tea instead? 
I'm not sure that'd work...?  
My my my my my, it's a beautiful world
I enjoy dining with the ants
I like to join in their breadcrumb feasts
With the queen beneath the plants
 jwolf8609 wrote:

Had the privilege of seeing Colin at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago (let's say 20  years ago) and it remains one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever experienced.  He is such a wonderful storyteller and FUNNY as hell. He (and Men At Work) were such a huge part of my childhood.  Love this guy.

WFMT does a folk show on Saturday nights until 1 in the morning 

He likes swimming out beyond the breakers does he?  In Australia?

" My, my, my it's a beautiful world, " says the shark.  "So much lunch, for free!"  

Errrr...so to speak.  
Had the privilege of seeing Colin at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago (let's say 20  years ago) and it remains one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever experienced.  He is such a wonderful storyteller and FUNNY as hell. He (and Men At Work) were such a huge part of my childhood.  Love this guy.


"My, my, my it's a beautiful world
I like sleeping with Marie
She is one sexy girl full of mystery
She says she doesn't love me
But she likes my company
For now that's good enough for me"

We don't hear this verse anymore. Where did Mary go? Is it censorship?


Wonderful. Thanks William! 
What a strangely appealing song. 
 Cynaera wrote:
Deceptively simple lyrics, which is part of the reason I love this song. It's another of those pieces of music that just gentles me when my insides are in a turmoil and the world seems out to get me. {#Sunny}


RIP  Ann.  
Simple and nice. Just like life should be. 
aint this a summer song?

cause its summer.

post hoc ergo propter hoc
Finally. a song with a message.  The long ending is also nice.
He sounds like he's a very happy person.  Enjoy the day(s).

We should all be so lucky. 
 Kajukenbo wrote:

It's a beautiful world we live in
A sweet romantic place
Beautiful people everywhere
The way they show they care
Makes me want to say
It's a beautiful world
It's a beautiful world
It's a beautiful world

For you




Devo-lutional little verse... One of my all time favorite songs (and video).
"... or a woman if you are one."

Hehe. Way to cover all your bases, Mr. Hay. 
 Cynaera wrote:
Deceptively simple lyrics, which is part of the reason I love this song. It's another of those pieces of music that just gentles me when my insides are in a turmoil and the world seems out to get me. {#Sunny}


RIP Ann. 
Sounds like Bare Naked Ladies. 
Iirc, he performed this song on-camera in an episode of "Scrubs" - I found the scene to be quite funny. 
 nate917 wrote:

 
Typo?




giving it a higher rating than usual because I am in a good mood and he is too when he sings this tune - saw him live and he is aging wonderfully. Great solo artist for an intimate venue
It's a beautiful world we live in
A sweet romantic place
Beautiful people everywhere
The way they show they care
Makes me want to say
It's a beautiful world
It's a beautiful world
It's a beautiful world

For you
Is it me or does he have more than a passing resemblance to a young Joe Pesci 🤔😂
Saw him a couple years ago in an intimate concert. He is really funny and a great artist. Puts on a brilliant show. Half comedian, half musician. 
Lovely song, period.
Lovely song If it wasn't for his misconception about Jesus , would have gotten a 10 from me 
I saw him pre-pandemic lockdown in a small venue in Valencia, CA

 He played a benefit for the victims of the Saugus HS shootings.... Good on ya Colin :-) He sounded good and showed up for a good cause

 maxmox wrote:

You've not seen him solo live? He's extermely sardonic, ironic, some would even say, insulting. You never heard or saw Men at Work?
Puleeaase! And I thought smart US people liked the Daily Show? Better check my humor meter...............
 
It's true, I've seen Hay live with Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, and he could be sardonic, for sure. He was on with Graham Gouldman of 10cc who made a comment about his near-miss hitting #1 with 10cc in the US with any of his otherwise global hits. Then Hay gets his turn to sing a Men At Work Song and says something like, "Well, I hit #1 in the US with several songs, including this one...". Ouch!
And it rhymes with lapsang souchong

 kbs wrote:
vhope1 wrote:

I get the point, but the lyrics are a little, oh, dull and simple. The "...or a woman if you are one" is really, really awkward.


Makes sense in our current gender confusion!
 

vhope1 wrote:

I get the point, but the lyrics are a little, oh, dull and simple. The "...or a woman if you are one" is really, really awkward.

 bruceandjenna wrote:

For whom?
 
Makes sense in our current gender confusion!
Nightswimming by REM up next?
saw him a few months ago playing the Saugus High Shooting benefit. Good on ya Colin for doing that!
 vhope1 wrote:
I get the point, but the lyrics are a little, oh, dull and simple. The "...or a woman if you are one" is really, really awkward.
 
For whom?
 Laptopdog wrote:
This isn't his best song, lyric-wise. Waiting For My New Life To Begin is outstanding. This guy still plays and sounds fantastic. Check out his YouTube live videos.
 
I agree, it should go:

I like driving in my car
It's not quite a Jaguar...

I love the "or a woman if you are one". It's a nice touch. An odd way to put it... but interesting. And, of course, a very nice melody. 
My takeaway? Peace is where you find it. 
sometimes one stumbles on a beautiful peace of music, without intent just during work...

this made me stop and somehow i had to look for the song and listen to it again - i dont know why - it got me deeply touched

simple piece of music? for shure - as simple as most beautiful things in life are...

THX Radio Paradise for digging for all  this diamonds and share them with us...
This isn't his best song, lyric-wise. Waiting For My New Life To Begin is outstanding. This guy still plays and sounds fantastic. Check out his YouTube live videos.
I like this song because it paints a great picture of how it woulld feel to be a reflective retired  Australian rock star
 vanmas wrote:
Stupid song. And stupid album cover also...
Go swimming in the see... drive in your car or make your own tea... fool!

 
Vanmas likes trollin' in the sea....   stupid is as stupid does.

I like the song, it reminds me of personal growth, and I like the album cover for the honesty and simplicity. Don't get me wrong, discontent and complication have their place, I just like this more today.
Respect to a man who did well at the music industry and then got chewed up and spat out by it and his own country, but still manages to work at it.    every thing he does is still worth listening to.     but the album cover could be better, but covers are not as important as they used to be in these days of mp3.
 Grumpyoldvic wrote:
Aussie post-modern irony. Never likely to work in the US, sadly. In their day, men@work were brilliant
  
I think some of us get it...
Stupid song. And stupid album cover also...
Go swimming in the see... drive in your car or make your own tea... fool!
 oaktreem wrote:
Some of the worst lyrics ever.  It was bad enough until 'God put me on hold'.  Absolutely terrible.

 
 maxmox wrote:

You've not seen him solo live? He's extermely sardonic, ironic, some would even say, insulting. You never heard or saw Men at Work?
Puleeaase! And I thought smart US people liked the Daily Show? Better check my humor meter...............

 
I'm not sure why you pointed out "US people"; the post you responded to was written by a fellow Australian.  I agree though, that the sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek humor of these lyrics is apparently lost on several people here.
Lots of comments on how bad the lyrics are... I actually found them to be pretty deep. There's quite a bit of existential "stuff" in there.
Nice little song...terrible album cover.
I for one find this song enjoyable, lyrics and all; very tasty guitar.


 Grumpyoldvic wrote:
Aussie post-modern irony. Never likely to work in the US, sadly. In their day, men@work were brilliant
 
I prefer Colin's solo work to Men at Work any day.
Aussie post-modern irony. Never likely to work in the US, sadly. In their day, men@work were brilliant
Works for me. Perhaps the gentler mind is more easily amused, but I know where he's coming from. 

 
 oaktreem wrote:
Some of the worst lyrics ever.  It was bad enough until 'God put me on hold'.  Absolutely terrible.

 

Actually it was Jesus who put him on hold. Different persona.
Wow, lyrics = bad. Really bad.
 ppopp wrote:
Catchy enough, but these have to be the pithiest lyrics outside of a Hootie And The Blowfish album.

 
Thanks I'll check them out. And thanks RP.
 oaktreem wrote:
Some of the worst lyrics ever.  It was bad enough until 'God put me on hold'.  Absolutely terrible.

 
You've not seen him solo live? He's extermely sardonic, ironic, some would even say, insulting. You never heard or saw Men at Work?
Puleeaase! And I thought smart US people liked the Daily Show? Better check my humor meter...............
Some of the worst lyrics ever.  It was bad enough until 'God put me on hold'.  Absolutely terrible.
Like
 ppopp wrote:
Catchy enough, but these have to be the pithiest lyrics outside of a Hootie And The Blowfish album.
 
I'm not sure if they're pithy, but they are pretty goofy in spots; not necessarily in a bad way.
Catchy enough, but these have to be the pithiest lyrics outside of a Hootie And The Blowfish album.
 vhope1 wrote:
The "...or a woman if you are one" is really, really awkward.

 
Clearly you don't understand that that is the *point*.


 Travelfan160 wrote:

I just saw Colin Friday evening at Berklee Performance Center in Boston and he opened this song with a great story about a friend being bitten by a shark as he was swimming in the sea and singing this song.  In addition to being a fantastic performer with a great voice, he's a terrifically funny storyteller. 

 
Yes! I saw him a year ago...great show.


I just saw Colin Friday evening at Berklee Performance Center in Boston and he opened this song with a great story about a friend being bitten by a shark as he was swimming in the sea and singing this song.  In addition to being a fantastic performer with a great voice, he's a terrifically funny storyteller. 


Saw Colin in Australia at a festival in 1996... He still can sing... although I don't enjoy all his music. Still think his "Men at Work" period is his best.
This guy likes a lot of stuff that I don't give a crap about.
 jools wrote:
Must be the only song ever  to reference lapsang souchong
 
which is reason enough for me to bump this from 8 > 9 
 sonofsun wrote:
Awful lyrics, really crass.
 
Awful I suppose I can understand, but what's so crass about it?  His comment about sleeping with Marie even though she doesn't love him?  If that offends you, the real world has some really nasty surprises in for you.
Must be the only song ever  to reference lapsang souchong
 vhope1 wrote:
The "...or a woman if you are one" is really, really awkward.
 
I find it amusingly glib.  Maybe you're taking it too seriously?
Awful lyrics, really crass.
this was good after first Elliott Smith's very sad song and then Patty Griffin's extremely sad song which I had never really listened to. Ayayay.
 Proclivities wrote:

...and the surest way to look serious is to hold a ukulele-sized guitar(?).  {#Lol}

 
With one eye looking this way, and the other that ... {#Eyes}

 dggeek wrote:

I really enjoy Colin Hay, but that's a terrible cover.  He looks like he's trying WAY too hard to strike a serious pose. {#Lol}
 
...and the surest way to look serious is to hold a ukulele-sized guitar(?).  {#Lol}

I get the point, but the lyrics are a little, oh, dull and simple. The "...or a woman if you are one" is really, really awkward.
It's about appreciating the simple freedoms in life. Sometimes it's ok to lower your expectations and just enjoy the simple things like this song.
 Cynaera wrote:
Deceptively simple lyrics, which is part of the reason I love this song. It's another of those pieces of music that just gentles me when my insides are in a turmoil and the world seems out to get me. {#Sunny}
 
Let me also add this previous post: 
"If you were a recovering alcoholic like Colin (and me), you would understand the beauty and peace to this song."
Until you've been there you won't truly comprehend the understanding noted in both the above posts.


Deceptively simple lyrics, which is part of the reason I love this song. It's another of those pieces of music that just gentles me when my insides are in a turmoil and the world seems out to get me. {#Sunny}
rinky dinky dooooo
If you were a recovering alcoholic like Colin (and me), you would understand the beauty and peace to this song.
This song should be called "I Like Stuff".
 michaelgmitchell wrote:
And I like cheese toast.

(Wow, such rinky-dink lyrics.)
 

Agreed.
Pling pling 
Go buy the album, Man At Work. It's chock-full of excellent songs. A number are covers of Men At Work, re-interpreted. I likes very much. :D
had the great pleasure of catching Colin doing an acoustic concert last weekend in NC. It was a fantastic show—and Colin is a riot to boot—what a great sense of humor on the little stories he shared with the audience. Picked up his new release, Gathering Mercury, and some poignant tracks on there about his father's passing.  He is a class act and I wish him all the continued success he deserves.

How can anyone not like this? It carries me.


And I like cheese toast.

(Wow, such rinky-dink lyrics.)


 dggeek wrote:

I really enjoy Colin Hay, but that's a terrible cover.  He looks like he's trying WAY too hard to strike a serious pose. {#Lol}
 
And that's exactly why it's so hilarious! I get the feeling that CH does NOT take himself too seriously.

Love this song and CH.

Whoever thought when I was spinning the Cargo LP back in Jr. High that this guy would still be around today making music like this... soooo good.


 WonderLizard wrote:

Yeah, well, it's his song and by golly he can sing it any way he wants, but there was nothing wrong with the original and IMHO destroying the pace and meter for the sake of political correctness is taking political correctness too far. Besides, there are so many other ways to do it other than the way he did. Sigh.
 
I agree, was thinking the same thing.
Is is just me or does he sound like Randy Newman here?
that's not such a good thing.

Although I did like the old Men at Work stuff except for the songs that radio played to death.


 WonderLizard wrote:

Yeah, well, it's his song and by golly he can sing it any way he wants, but there was nothing wrong with the original and IMHO destroying the pace and meter for the sake of political correctness is taking political correctness too far. Besides, there are so many other ways to do it other than the way he did. Sigh. It's his song, right?

 
What?

 lmic wrote:
"(or a woman if you are one...)"


 
Yeah, well, it's his song and by golly he can sing it any way he wants, but there was nothing wrong with the original and IMHO destroying the pace and meter for the sake of political correctness is taking political correctness too far. Besides, there are so many other ways to do it other than the way he did. Sigh. It's his song, right?

I so much prefer the more acoustic version of this found on the Scrubs soundtrack.
This man's at work
He's got John McCain's arms
 Wizzuvv_oz wrote:
 joshfm wrote:
One look at the album cover, and I think to myself, "FREAK."
 now that is some elegant trolling. a true virtuoso
brainstem
I like CH acoustic.  The acoustic version of Who Can It Be Now is better than the original I think.

 
I really enjoy Colin Hay, but that's a terrible cover.  He looks like he's trying WAY too hard to strike a serious pose. {#Lol}
This sounds very Barenakedladies to me... 
I like it. 
Man, this guy ain't gettin NO love! Listen, this is not the lead singer of Men at Work, this is Colin Hay, an excellent singer\songwriter in his own right. Get over it people!
 EssexTex wrote:

Not quite....the owners of the tune at the start of "Land down under" are after the poor guy for copyright infringement.

They want to sue Men at work for millions.

I feel quite sorry for him...

 

The courts recently found against Colin Hayes and Men at Work.  I believe the lawyers are presently working out how much the damages will be.  Personally I cannot hear any resemblance between the two songs.
 decorgirl wrote:
I  like Pens!  
 

Then you should definitely go to Pen island.
wow
 savoyard wrote:
Yeah Yeah,,,you made your millions off of one song and now you can enjoy life.
 
Not quite....the owners of the tune at the start of "Land down under" are after the poor guy for copyright infringement.

They want to sue Men at work for millions.

I feel quite sorry for him...

 decorgirl wrote:
I  like Pens!  
  
Typo?

Someone help Colin out.  Sure on the basis of this he may not deserve it but his butt is in the fire now that they have said that Down Under is a rip off of the Australian folk tune Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.  Tell the truth i grew up with both and it wasn't until they went to court that i ever noticed the link.
I like turtels...


 
decorgirl wrote:
I  like Pens!  
 


Meh.
Yeah Yeah,,,you made your millions off of one song and now you can enjoy life.
This whole album is quite excellent as was his last!!{#Clap}

A great positive and simple song.
goofy picture
great song
First I thought it was that flaky image resize (I mean damn, look at the strings) that gave Colin a squint.
Turns out he actually has a lazy eye... Great voice and songwriting skills though. =)
Colin Hay has a new album, "American Sunshine," just released today.  I heard a track yesterday (in fact it was KCRW's song of the day podcast) - it was very nice, heavy on the acoustic guitar.
Lovely and refreshing song. Beware if you see him with his Colin Hay Band; you'll definitely need earplugs.
I Like Pancakes!
Colin Hay is a fantastic live performer!  What an amazing voice.  As for his lyrics... while they may be simple, they are so sincere that you can't help but appreciate them.
 rbigelo wrote:
It has been my undeserved good fortune to have seen and heard this man live and acoustic at an intimate venue in Berkeley, CA with a small group of close friends.

We were in various stages of heartache: Some were going though bitter estrangements and divorces. Others were struggling along that long and unforgiving road from drug and alcohol addiction. I'd lost my mother just two months before she was to see me receive my college degree.

In walked the master singer-songwriter and he began to play and sing. Overwhelmed by the emotional power of his music, we were soon holding each other and crying, as if we were healing a thousand wounds that evening at a small cafe in Berkeley, CA.


 
Great Story!

Colin Hay has been a favorite of mine for a while for his sad, but happy-to-be-sad songs.  He has a great way of writing/singing songs that accept the pain and then help you look past it.  Very therapeutic.