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Icehouse — Great Southern Land
Album: Great Southern Land
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1995









Released: 1989
Length: 5:12
Plays (last 30 days): 3
Standing at the limit of an endless ocean
Stranded like a runaway lost at sea
City on a rainy day down in the harbor
Watching as the gray clouds shadow the bay
Looking everywhere 'cause I had to find you
This is not the way that I remember it here
Anyone will tell you it's a prisoner island
Hidden in the summer for a million years

Great Southern Land
Burned you black

So you look into the land, it will tell you a story
Story about a journey ended long ago
Listen to the motion of the wind in the mountains
Maybe you can hear them talking like I do
They're gonna betray you, they're gonna forget you
Are you gonna let them take you over that way?

Great Southern Land
Great Southern Land
You walk alone
Like a primitive man
And they make it work
With sticks and bones
See their hungry eyes
It's a hungry home

I hear the sound
Of the strangers' voices
I see their hungry eyes
Their hungry eyes
Great Southern Land
Great Southern Land
They burned you black
Black against the ground

Standing at the limit of an endless ocean
Stranded like a runaway lost at sea
City on a rainy day down in the harbor
Watching as the gray clouds shadow the bay
Looking everywhere, I had to find you
This is not the way that I remember it here
Anyone will tell you it's a prisoner island
Hidden in the summer for a million years

Great Southern Land
In the sleeping sun
You walk alone
With the ghost of time
Well, they burned you black
Black against the ground
And they make it work
With rocks and sand

I hear the sound
Of the strangers' voices
I see their hungry eyes
Their hungry eyes
Great Southern Land
Great Southern Land
You walk alone
Like a primitive man
You walk alone
With the ghost of time
And they burned you black
Yeah, they burned you black
Great Southern Land

Great Southern Land
Great Southern Land
Great Southern Land
Comments (134)add comment
That opening note was certain to be INXS's "Don't Change"... odd that it ends up being another Australian 1980s track.
 ry wrote:


Alter, wo findet ihr nur immer dieses verrücke Zeugs. 

Guten Morgen!  ...My 5am coffee is just starting to kick in!  
 Donar wrote:



The guy in the left is a Nazi 


Is he, or are you?
 Wilfrue wrote:
Sprockets Gif


Alter, wo findet ihr nur immer dieses verrücke Zeugs. 
 Wilfrue wrote:
Sprockets Gif



Too funny!  GOOD TUNE!  Thanx RP!!
 lily34 wrote:
wow. bill's playing 2 icehouse songs in one day. the new trend of playing the artist more than twice a day is definitely noticeable. odd considering the multitude of artists that must be in the library, but...at least it's not bruce cockburn again.
Odd - considering many artists have more than 1 good song. And some of us happen to give high ratings to many of Bruce Cockburn's songs.
Once again, the PSD button is there for a reason....

 Wilfrue wrote:
Sprockets Gif





love that.

wow. bill's playing 2 icehouse songs in one day. the new trend of playing the artist more than twice a day is definitely noticeable. odd considering the multitude of artists that must be in the library, but...at least it's not bruce cockburn again.
One of those songs that gets rotated perfectly.  Always, always, always. a great pleasure to hear this song in its splendid simplicity and message.  Always will be relevant.
 Racquel wrote:
 libwilk wr🤗ote:

I'm another
🤗



me too 
Would be much improved with a live drummer
 libwilk wr🤗ote:


Spotted! A fellow Taswegian on RP! :)


I'm another
🤗
No comment!
 Wilfrue wrote:
Sprockets Gif



The guy in the left is a Nazi 
 caledonian wrote:

Little Dark Age followed by Great Southern Land... a stinging rebuke of Aussie environmental policies perhaps? 


I think you are a bit confused.

The Great Southern Land was released in 1981 - it's about the reality of Australia with a good understanding of history.

Australia's current ("Liberal" = Conservative) government's absolutely corrupt anti-environmental policies are being devoured by capitalism. Coal power stations are in a queue for the knacker's yard ... and the queue is shuffling forward increasingly quickly. The definition of stranded assets.

The energy market is flooded by renewables and international capitalists are queing up with hundreds of billions to invest in renewables.

Best wishes
for young wolves
Holy crap, there are some haters in here.  What did Great Southern Land ever do to you?
Little Dark Age followed by Great Southern Land... a stinging rebuke of Aussie environmental policies perhaps? 
Always a total 9 for me - grandiose, atmospheric and haunting 
I only knew their hit song "Hey Little Girl" (I think I have it on 45 somewhere). 
This one is somewhat reminiscent of it, but not quite as good in my opinion...
Greate Song! Thank you RP!
 Harlock wrote:
Featured in the movie "Young Einstein".   Great now obscure Aussie film that had a run in the states.  Wonder what Yahoo Serious is up to these days.
 
According to the Mail:

Australian movie star is revealed as he falls on hard times and fails to pay rent for five months.

Yahoo Serious was one of Australia's biggest box offices attractions in the 1980s.
Now he is struggling to make ends meet and hasn't paid rent for five months. He has been ordered to pay his landlords $15,000 and leave his home in Sydney

The authorities have suggested that, as he is now 67, he draws his old-age pension.  Good grief.
 tinypriest wrote:
I can still see them on one of their videos from the 80s, them standing by their unplugged electronic instruments looking like they were told they'd be shot if they moved a muscle. I guess at the time it was an antidote to the on-stage 'antics' of The Who and Led Zeppelin. For, the 80s were a war between the old and new English onslaught. Icehouse slipped in under the door from Australia, but not that you'd notice the difference between them and A Flock Of Sea Gulls or <yawn> Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark. Give me The Psychedelic Furs or Echo and the Bunnymen, or Big Country, instead.
 
Why can't we just enjoy all of them? Why does it have to be an 'either or' proposition?
 paul9 wrote:


I too lived in Oz during the late seventies and went to see this band at the Bondi Pavillion in Sydney (also AC/DC in 1976). Cracking good live show I seem to remember.

 

 Pedro1874 wrote:
I was living in Oz during the 70's and 80's.  Some great bands emerged including Icehouse and their fine singer Iva Davies.  Great memories,  good to hear two tracks in two days - thanks Bill {#Good-vibes}
{#Sunny}
 
 1000577944 wrote:
If you want good Aussie rock, has to be Midnight Oil?
 

Men at Work.
Featured in the movie "Young Einstein".   Great now obscure Aussie film that had a run in the states.  Wonder what Yahoo Serious is up to these days.
 taswegian wrote:
Great Southern Land indeed and a Great Southern Band. Prisoner island - that was Van Diemans Land.
 

Spotted! A fellow Taswegian on RP! :)
PLEASE, PLEASE MORE ICEHOUSE!! Getting a little tired of this one, which is not nearly in the top 15 best songs they have
Great memories of a happy time!
I can still see them on one of their videos from the 80s, them standing by their unplugged electronic instruments looking like they were told they'd be shot if they moved a muscle. I guess at the time it was an antidote to the on-stage 'antics' of The Who and Led Zeppelin. For, the 80s were a war between the old and new English onslaught. Icehouse slipped in under the door from Australia, but not that you'd notice the difference between them and A Flock Of Sea Gulls or <yawn> Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark. Give me The Psychedelic Furs or Echo and the Bunnymen, or Big Country, instead.
a fat 9 for this song 



Nothing beats a great smile.
If you want good Aussie rock, has to be Midnight Oil?
It's an Australian thing ... very difficult for Septic Tanks to understand.

lord save me from disco and 80's music
{#Music}
 Grayson wrote:
This song annoys the heck outta me. 

 
There are quite a few Icehouse songs better than this....
This song annoys the heck outta me. 
Early influence on The War on Drugs?
Taking me back ....
very, very good!
Sprockets Gif
 pcicatar wrote:
Thanks to the Young Einstein soundtrack for introducing me to this amazing song!  {#Crown}

 
Same here. A great fun movie from Yahoo Serious. I love these very evocative lyrics and rhythm while driving windows-down on a sunny scorching day. {#Motor} More Ice House! Man of Colours (lyrics), No Promises...
 melzabutch wrote:
Bill how bought some other Oz music, Gangajang, Paul Kelly, The Triffids.  I have been enjoy the Church rotation.

Uluru changing her colours as the day progresses.

 Image result for uluru sunset gif

 
WAY COOL MELZABUTCH!!!
Thanks for this neat rock, are people allowed to scale this or is it considered a sacred site? it is awesome
More Icehouse please. I have never stopped listening to these guys. "Hey Little Girl" and "No Promises"{#Sunny} are favs.
{#Bananasplit}
very nice song!
Bill how bought some other Oz music, Gangajang, Paul Kelly, The Triffids.  I have been enjoy the Church rotation.

Uluru changing her colours as the day progresses.

 Image result for uluru sunset gif
Icehouse isn't played enough on this side of the pond. Thanks for including this in the playlist.

Suggested other great Icehouse tunes:
-Heartbreak Kid
-Man of Colors
-Electric Blue
I went to southern Australia earlier this year and had this song on heavy rotation. :)
There is some pretty great rhythm guitar in there.
 Thanks Fred, definitely makes you crave where you cant be.

fredriley wrote:
 melzabutch wrote:


 
Ripper photo, mate!

 

Wonderful! Brings me back to high school. Oh the 80's. {#Bananajam}
 passsion8 wrote:
Why does this song come up so often? I heard this within the last week. Of all the variables, why this?

 
Why? Why not? Its Icehouse for gods sake. Its a song about the great southern land,,, If we didn't hear this song, I'm sure we'd be hearing a Cake song...........
Why does this song come up so often? I heard this within the last week. Of all the variables, why this?
This song is awful.. making my ears ears bleed ugh.
 molson wrote:
Hi Bill,

I am a huge fan of Icehouse! Please replace this song or add to the rotation with perhaps, Angel Street, Hey Little Girl etc. Love that you play them though:-)

 

Their first two big singles in Australia was when they were still calling themselves 'The Flowers' in 1980. A little tighter and more spare than their later bigger orchestral sound. The album was called 'Icehouse' but apparently there was already a Scottish band called the Flowers, so they changed their band name to Icehouse. 

'We can get together' and 'Can't help myself' from that album are still my two favorite Iva Davies - but those songs kinda got lost after the name change. Worth a listen.
 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:
I once 'found' an icehouse hidden in undergrowth in the north side of a wooded hill not far from an old english country house in Surrey, UK that was at the time pretty dilapidated and unused. 

It was made from brick with a domed base and roof with a small opening to get in and out and was probably built around the early 1700s to store and keep ice taken from the nearby Hammer ponds in the winter to provide chilled food for the toffs living in said large country house before the invention of refrigeration. 

 
They were all the rage amongst the landed aristocracy across Europe before the age of fridges arrived, and were extraordinarily effective in remaining cold even during the summer. I saw one recently at West Ayton, near Scarborough, and it was feckin' enormous, a good 5 metres deep and 4 across.
 melzabutch wrote:


 
Ripper photo, mate!



  Oh yea, go Iva Davies...what a vocalist...{#Hearteyes} ...here in our great southern ocean...
 robertomiller wrote:
There was a time when this was the sound of coming age… at least for those of us who were coming of age then… 

NIce to feel that sound again…  

 
Totally agree, brings back a different era.
An excellent song by a very talented musician.
Great Southern Land indeed and a Great Southern Band. Prisoner island - that was Van Diemans Land.
Hi Bill,

I am a huge fan of Icehouse! Please replace this song or add to the rotation with perhaps, Angel Street, Hey Little Girl etc. Love that you play them though:-)
 scott_bruce wrote:
....Self-psychoanalysis is highly underrated.
 
Sometime I believe that as well, I'm not sure how that makes me feel.
 impediguy wrote:
Thought I'd up the rating of this song since I felt it was underrated

 
I find myself feeling the same way. I will look at the rating and then wonder if I am being influenced to rate it higher just because I think everyone else has underrated it. Then, I start questioning my own thoughts, and start wondering why I thought that, and if I really meant it....

Self-psychoanalysis is highly underrated.


There was a time when this was the sound of coming age… at least for those of us who were coming of age then… 

NIce to feel that sound again…  
 Poacher wrote:
I once 'found' an icehouse hidden in undergrowth in the north side of a wooded hill not far from an old english country house in Surrey, UK that was at the time pretty dilapidated and unused. 

It was made from brick with a domed base and roof with a small opening to get in and out and was probably built around the early 1700s to store and keep ice taken from the nearby Hammer ponds in the winter to provide chilled food for the toffs living in said large country house before the invention of refrigeration. 

 
Very cool, Poacher. {#Whipit}

Great song, btw. Never heard this during the Eighties...

Steven Johnson's book "How We Got to Now" apparently is pretty good. The public television stations over here aired an excellent companion documentary series by the same name. There was a fascinating segment on the rise of the ice industry in the US and its eventual displacement by the air conditioning industry. Once Frederic Tudor and others in New England figured out that ice could be shipped great distances—even to India—if it was packed closely in sawdust, they made a fortune. Ice companies lasted in New England into the 1950s. 

Johnson can be a little too neat and simple in his research, but the documentary seems worth watching.

I once 'found' an icehouse hidden in undergrowth in the north side of a wooded hill not far from an old english country house in Surrey, UK that was at the time pretty dilapidated and unused. 

It was made from brick with a domed base and roof with a small opening to get in and out and was probably built around the early 1700s to store and keep ice taken from the nearby Hammer ponds in the winter to provide chilled food for the toffs living in said large country house before the invention of refrigeration. 
It is always cold in the icehouse. Now, that is a song of theirs that was great. 
Thanks to the Young Einstein soundtrack for introducing me to this amazing song!  {#Crown}
Two note wonder
 
More Icehouse please Bill.  Only 3 tracks in the library! {#Notworthy}
IIRC the cover of the original was different.  Need to find my CD/vinyl, don't remember what I have it on.
Ho hum. Not bad, but a quite dated sound. 
Thought I'd up the rating of this song since I felt it was underrated
An iconic track that I've always loved. Dramatic and almost hypnotic in parts. Some of the keyboards sound very much like early Simple Minds. Truly marvelous.
Now that brings back some great memories.  I saw them the first time in 1980 at the Melbourne showgrounds in one of the halls, the admission price  was $4, the the bill was Flowers before they became Icehouse, The Models, The Angels and Midnight Oil.  It was great.
{#Bananapiano}
I was living in Oz during the 70's and 80's.  Some great bands emerged including Icehouse and their fine singer Iva Davies.  Great memories,  good to hear two tracks in two days - thanks Bill {#Good-vibes} {#Sunny}
 molson wrote:
One of the best bands of the 80's!!!

 

Its a little trip down Memory Lane, then a sharp left turn across the wasteland of the '80's... That sterile sand is HOT!
One of the best bands of the 80's!!!
Great song!
What?? Only a 5.7?

C"MON PEOPLE.........This song is better than a 5.7!!! {#Cheers} 
 xtalman wrote:
Ahh..memories.  I now need to find my CD and put it on the old mp3 player.   Good solid 7.

 

I'm sure I had this CD too, a very long time ago. While this is pretty good, I seem to remember better songs on the album.
Memories of bartending in London, working with lots of travelling Aussies, Kiwis and others.
I may have to buy the album again.
Ahh..memories.  I now need to find my CD and put it on the old mp3 player.   Good solid 7.
O.k., it's not the same as "Street Cafe" or "Hey little girl", but it's quite good! 7!
This is a great song! Reminds me of home. Being an expat Aussie hearing this song makes me feel like moving back to Aussie land!
B-o-r-i-n-g! (Plus I keep hearing "Give it back, it belongs to them..." sneaking in there somewhere)
It's just something to do with being Australian - this song reminds me of home, wherever I am. Atmospheric and beautiful!
Gee, I'm almost embarassed to say I like their stuff...I am a "collector".
Why not just play the real Alan Parsons Project or Moody Blues instead of this wannabe-cannot-even-compare shite?
I've liked this one for some time now, but I have to admit, on listening closely, there are quite a few weak spots, where the little energy the piece does have just slips away altogther.
Young Einstein--so hilarious.
Squirrel wrote:
...Yahoo Serious.
Ooh! Now I'll have to wash my eyes in Peroxide for seeing the name...
kiwijason wrote:
8O I'm shocked, this song is considered an Aussie anthem and for an expat Aussie like yourself I would have though you'd love it. I'm an expat Kiwi and I so infrequently hear this song that when I do I have to turn it up. I'm a fan of Iva Davies and Icehouse, I just love it! Come Aussie, ya can't dis the home grown stuff, it'd be like me dump'in on Split Enz!
Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't hate it; it just always starts seeming very repetitive about halfway through (not to mention reminding me unpleasantly of Yahoo Serious). But give me Splut Inz anyday . . .
And so ends an incredible stretch of music. Not a bad tune (5 or 6), just not at the level of the tunes before it (8 to 10).
It always amazes me that someone can give such a cool sounding, but I admit "pop" song a 1...I mean its not dreadful.... :-k
kiwijason wrote:
8O I'm shocked, this song is considered an Aussie anthem and for an expat Aussie like yourself I would have though you'd love it. I'm an expat Kiwi and I so infrequently hear this song that when I do I have to turn it up. I'm a fan of Iva Davies and Icehouse, I just love it! Come Aussie, ya can't dis the home grown stuff, it'd be like me dump'in on Split Enz!
Long live squirrels! a) I wouldn't dis on Split Enz either, but only because I love them and think Tim Finn is 10++++ b) Hey, dissension is a good thing! Three cheers for squirrel.
one of the best records ever!!!! by the way the record is named: "primitive man". you should listen also to "goodnight, mr. matthews"! thanks bill:-)
I love it! However I'm biased, I'm an expat Kiwi (New Zealander) and I grew up listening to many great Aussie bands like Icehouse in the 80's. This song is considered an Aussie Anthem. Great stuff!
Squirrel wrote:
As an expat Aussie, I am required to like this song, and in fact I'm always excited when I hear the first few bars. But then a sense of disappointment settles over me as I remember what a superlatively boring song it is . . .
8O I'm shocked, this song is considered an Aussie anthem and for an expat Aussie like yourself I would have though you'd love it. I'm an expat Kiwi and I so infrequently hear this song that when I do I have to turn it up. I'm a fan of Iva Davies and Icehouse, I just love it! Come Aussie, ya can't dis the home grown stuff, it'd be like me dump'in on Split Enz!
fatmacje wrote:
I think that this quite a good song. Plus it was used in Young Einstine as Yahoo Serious was crossing the desert.
I'm always reminded of that movie when I hear this -- there's something simultaneously wistful and soothing to this song.
As an expat Aussie, I am required to like this song, and in fact I'm always excited when I hear the first few bars. But then a sense of disappointment settles over me as I remember what a superlatively boring song it is . . .
I think that this quite a good song. Plus it was used in Young Einstine as Yahoo Serious was crossing the desert.
Is this a Midnight Oil ripoff, or the other way around?
I've never used this emoticon before, so here goes...
I am having heavy grass flashbacks. Lights flashing with Ultravox and some band with an F that I cannot get back in my head (album named Doot Doot--wait Freur, got it.). Dif Juz, the little known European boys, still did this layered electric and guitar sound better than any of these guys even without vocals.
C'mon guys.. the 80's were filled with mediocrity. These guys were above average for the times and they weaved some very pretty meolidies. Synthesizer bands have fallen out of vogue, but you really should give these fellas a listen. There is something to like for all.
dmax wrote:
Man, I used to have an Icehouse album - their first. whatever happened to them....
Me too. The first 2 tracks were good, (Icehouse and Can't Help Myself). The video for the title cut was kind of cool, for 1982. Bought this along with Split Enz - Waiata. Time flies....
entirely unimpressive. i think MsJudi put it best... it definitely captures the 80s at their most drab. actually, i think i might prefer hearing Firehouse. "marginal" at best.
simple. crappy.
m9 wrote:
As far as 80s bands named after frozen structures goes, Icicle Works kicks their ass.
I don't see Icicle Works scoring any hollywood blockbusters https://us.imdb.com/title/tt0311113/
Sounds like the 80's at it's most ho-hum.
This should be a cheesy 80's song, but it has that special "something" for me which rates it a 7 for me!
oh i just love hearing this song :) trivia: this song is featured in the ridiculous late-80's (early 90's?) film "Young Einstein," as young Albert (played as a Tasmanian hillbillie by Yahoo Serious) treks through Alice Springs...
I don\'t like this much I have to say but I remember liking something they did. \"(somthing) little girl\" ??
Awesome song! Great to hear it again.
If you\'re going to play Icehouse at all my vote is for \"No Promises\"....
Hmmm, based on these comments it seems that there\'s no love inside the icehouse. (in-joke for icehouse fans).