I am not sure if this was a video for the song, or a video someone put together. For the record what the video poster says "This is the rare second version of this clip, the 6th video released from the massive 1984 album "The Swing". It portrays an assailant chasing Michael Hutchence through London, interspersed over scenes from the first version of this clip. I've removed the ridiculous slow-down and break in the clip at 2:30. Directed by INXS and edited by John Hillcoat."
I appreciate the explanation/Aussie vocabulary lesson. In America a “nip” can definitely refer to some other things.
I really like Melting In The Sun with its synth highlights, short chorus, and cool rhythm. But there are times I wish it was a little less "treated" (I'm not sure how else to put it). In any case it's a winner.
Melting in the Sun. 4/5. Just breaks into 4 after thought, really 3.7. Yes, this song is one of those that date this album and one which shows a Midnight Oil influence to me. The jabs and sudden breaks between chorus and verse scream Midnight Oil to me. Mark, I see what you have typed about Talking Heads, didn't hear that until you wrote it.
I really dig the hybrid of clear / distorted guitar tones & angular / jagged riffs here. They're very edgy and suit the atmosphere of the song. Lyrically, I think it's about the protagonist discovering life to be too demanding and not knowing how to deal with it. Or perhaps getting too involved in things that are beyond his/her control? Melting In The Sun is a very good album track that constantly delivers.
I remember when MTV started playing "Original Sin" because I didn't recall hearing it at all on the radio at the time. I was just watching MTV at home (as usual) and was surprised that INXS had a new single out because "Don't Change" kinda came and went on the radio and didn't hear of anything new until the new video. Went out and bought The Swing afterwards.
"I Send a Message" Single by INXS from the album The Swing B-side "Mechanical" Released 12 March 1984 Recorded 1983 Length 3:24 (album version) 3:20 (single edit) 5:02 (12" extended version) Label WEA Songwriter(s) Michael Hutchence, Andrew Farriss Producer(s) Nick Launay "I Send a Message" was the second single released by Australian rock band INXS from their fourth album The Swing. The song was released on 12 March 1984 and reached No.3 on the ARIA Charts.[1] It also reached No.18 on the New Zealand Singles charts,[2] No. 18 on the US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles and No. 77 on The Billboard Hot 100.[3] The music video was directed by Yamamoto San and filmed in Tokyo at the city's oldest Buddhist temple in Main Old City Park.[4][5] At the 1984 Countdown Music Awards, the song was nominated for Best Australian Single.[6][7] 7" single Track listing 1. "I Send a Message" M. Hutchence, A. Farriss[8] 4:46 2. "Mechanical" A. Farris[9] 4:39 12"/CD Maxi single Track listing 1. "I Send a Message" (Extended remix) M. Hutchence, A. Farriss[8] 5:02 2. "Burn for You" (Remix) M. Hutchence, A. Farriss[10] 4:26 3. "Johnson's Aeroplane" (Remix) A. Farris[11] 3:54 ------------------------------------------------------------- In the silence, I think of you I send a message, and I hope it get's through Think of the distance Think of the miles All of the valley's, could take a while I miss the people I miss the fun You're my apparition She's my only one And I imagine you standing here It's subliminal (Like An Animal?), so inspirational Man of the world for all the good reasons Take away the pain and drink the wine I miss the people I miss the fun You're my apparition She's my only one In the silence, I think of you I send a message and I hope it get's through Think of the distance Think of the miles All of the valleys, could take a while I miss the people I miss the fun You're my apparition She's my only one I miss the people You miss the fun You're my apparition She's my only one Songwriters: M. Hutchence / A. Farriss I Send a Message lyrics © Universal Music Corp. This is an excellent song, and back in 1984 I think this actually had as much if not more impact than Original Sin... though I will admit that memories aren't necessarily as accurate as we would often like to think. For the record In brackets up there, the lyrics are what I think I have always heard, and listening this morning, I still hear that. If anyone knows for sure, please let us know. This is an interesting lyric. It could be that the touring had led to a feeling of seclusion, or removal from a loved one/loved ones. The song seems to basically be a love song of sorts. It is interesting that the chorus is more like a bridge. It is also interesting that this chorus/bridge alters for the last run through from I Miss The Fun, to You Miss The Fun. This is a good lyric that again has some cryptic little bits and pieces, even though it seems that the main theme is fairly straight forward. In many ways this song may be among the most eighties sounding of all. The opening verse bass line sounds somewhat like Devo, and although I hear real bass in here also, certain parts of it sound like synth bass.... although effects can create a certain kind of synth bass sound. I think the opening crescendo works really well, and then we bounce into the first verse. The verse has a very staccato feel. The little horn sounds, stab nicely, and then we get that cool floating synth pad sound. The chorus/bridge has a really cool sounding bass, that almost works like a hook...... and then we roll back into the second verse. The instrumental break is excellent. We get this sort of walking melody, and then Michael says "Hit it Timmy" ? , like it is a live kind of feel, and Tim (I assume)plays a really cool lead break, that sort of incorporates Chuck Berry type double stops and chord riffing. I reckon it works really well. This leads to a reprise of the first verse. We get Michael adding a few rhythmic vocalisations in this ending part of the song, that are very effective, and they convey a sort of fun in the studio, or faux live kind of feel about them. Then Kirk adds a very effective little sax break, and we move to the final chorus/bridge, and the last line gets an octave rise and a little more power, and we end up finishing in a dead stop that works perfectly with the rhythm structure of the song. In some ways this song doesn't seem to have aged as well as the rest of the album for me, but that could also be because I heard it so much in the eighties. I think it is a strong single though, and I also still enjoy it a lot.
I Send A Message US single mix? When looking through this I noticed that the single has an ever so subtle time difference. This is the closest thing I could find to the single mix, and may well be it, I am not sure. This is apparently the US promo single, and has a very short edit in the instrumental section.
I can't seem to find the video for I Send A Message ... I used to have this on a video cassette at some point. I recorded a number of videos off the tv.... it seemed like a natural transition from recording songs and concerts off the radio onto cassette.... but I didn't often watch the videos
I Send A Message. 4/5, but really 3.8 or so. Another song dated by production. The drums sound like they are toys in this song. It's a going through the motions song to me. Oddly, when a younger lad, I used to sneak into strip clubs, and this song would be one of the mainstays for the dancers.
Melting In The Sun Pretty good guitar funk workout. I think the part that throws me off is that keyboard sound throughout that sounds like “sprinkles”, for lack of a better word. The guitar work and bass playing are great though, and save the song. I Send A Message Another funky workout with some great bass work. I don’t like the synth bass though, and I don’t like the keyboard stabs. Overall I like this song better than Melting In The Sun. The instrumental workout sections guitar and sax solos are done well. I had never made the contemporary Midnight Oil sound connection with Nick Launay that some people have noted the past two days, but I hear it now. Good catch. Both bands worked in similar funk/rock territory on some tracks around this time period. My two cents: They aren’t bad, but I’ve always felt these two songs coming back to back right after Original Sin let down the album through poor sequencing as they are a bit lightweight by comparison and don’t have the same driving “momentum” as the opener. Individually they are ok but placing them consecutively is akin to placing two slow ballads back to back - it diminishes the impact each might have if heard separately amongst other songs and slows things down too much. This, right here, is the only real beef I have with this album. Maybe I’ll fiddle with some different track listings and see what I think. Also, this is one of those 80’s albums in which the 12” single versions feel like the album versions but simply longer and unedited, and that helps. My ideal version of The Swing would use the 12” versions and remixes in place of the album versions where they exist.
I Send A Message would almost be at home on Kick with a bit more sharp guitar and a slightly different arrangement. And I mean that as a complement as Kick is one of my all-time favorite albums. This is a strong song.
so true I'm not a fan of this one so much and it kind of baffled me how they continued to play this into the 90s when they had better earlier songs I thought. The most 80s thing you'll see today
The blatantly dated production (probably THE most in INXS' catalogue), cheesy music video & over-poppy feel of the arrangement, partially degrades the enjoyment of I Send A Message. However, it's hooky and funky exactly where it needs to be. And despite Tim's catchy guitar solo fitting the style & beat of the song, I much prefer the X tour version from Live Baby Live (similar to the '92 live version twicks linked to above), where Tim's solo is nixed and replaced by two sax solos from Kirk instead. I think the song benefits greatly from this partial re-arrangement. Overall, I Send A Message is a great song.
Mechanical (I Send A Message b-side). We get the guys experimenting again with a slightly unusual track that is a melange of sounds and is very much a somewhat experimental track for the guys. A lot of heavily processed sounds, and it has a sort of dub track styling.
INXS – Dancing On The Jetty Label: WEA – 7-259198, WEA – 7.259198 Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single Country: Australia Released: Dec 1984 Genre: Rock, Pop Style: Pop Rock Watch the world argue Argue with itself Who's going to teach me Peace and happiness We could sit here forever Just never get old Listen to the world Letting God's tyres down Hit cities, sharp nights Rag clothing Dancing on the jetty So our feet stay dry Watch the world argue Argue with themselves Who's going to teach me Peace and happiness Blood is upon the steps Two thousand years ago Pray like hell then we go to fight Another war in a holy land Shot the world True story Snap decision In a moment's glory We're gonna watch them keeping it strong Watch the world argue Argue with itself Who's going to teach me Peace and happiness Hit city Sharp nights Rag clothing Dancing on the Jetty Watch the world argue Argue with itself Who's going to teach me Peace and happiness Songwriters: Andrew Charles Farriss / Michael Hutchence Dancing On The Jetty lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group The eighties was a time when the world was on edge, with the Cold War, and the constant reminders of nuclear threats, and political arm wrestling. It seems like most bands touched on these subjects in one way or another, and this is actually an excellent observational song from the guys. The Refrain of "Watch The World Argue...." was quite pointed and on the money, and through the song we get some excellent pictures drawn through the lyrics. One of my favourites is the somewhat defining line that explains the song title "....Dancing On The Jetty, So Our Feet Stay Dry" This seems like a very Aussie song to me, and I don't know how it interprets to overseas ears. A jetty is like a pier I guess. Normally a wooden structure made to walk out over the river, or ocean. Often used for fishing off. The general idea seems to lean towards the idea of sitting back and getting on with our own thing while the leaders of the world act like angry impotent schoolboys, trying to bully each other and act tough, while the general population would really just like some peace and love. I think it is poignant that we are Dancing on the jetty, and not crying, or moaning, or anything else. We open with the orchestra tuning up, kind of like the warmongers of the world getting ready to attack. we get the reflective version of the refrain. The tuning rolls into a mellow string arrangement, that is suddenly blasted apart by a solid funk/rock workout. The drums and bass are thumping and tight, and the guitar starts off by giving us some triple ripple stabbing chords. Then the guitar moves into some nice chord accents and a harmonic stab. As we move into the second part of the verse, or pre-chorus, we get a nice arpeggiated guitar that kind of reflects the ever changing landscape of the world around us at the time. This brings us into the revised refrain section. Which has this dreamy kind of feel, while not lessening the beat at all. The keyboard sound here may well be slightly dated, but it suits the feel, and also works to move the soundscape on again. I'm not sure if it is Tim or Kirk, but we get an excellent, and expressive lead break, that may not be working on an idea of sweet melody, but the savage style of playing here expresses exactly what it needs to. All the guys are playing well, and the arrangement is excellent. I really enjoy the first three songs on the album, but this is where the album takes off for me. From my perspective from here on out we have just have solid track after solid track, and in some ways it just keeps building for me until the albums magnificent crescendo.
