The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 394

Number 394

Crowded House

"Don't Dream Its Over"

(1986)

393

........Genre: Pop Rock..........

395

May the 4th be with you!

I have just been watching the new Star Trek [2009] film, so it seems a bit odd saying "May the 4th be With You", actually ... "May the 4th' should be a day reserved for all Star Wars fans, conventions or just plain whatever it has in common with Star Wars [it probably already is, i just can't be bothered to find out and ... if Star Trek could have a date, what would it be? 17th of January. USS- NC1701] which reminds me ... the new Star Trek film is brilliant, very impressed indeed. The music in the film, you say? Well if you are into the Beastie Boys and/or dramtaic scores then it will be heaven for you, but, i prefer the sounds of photons and tri-corders personally. Oh .... and Crowded House anyday. [Beam me up Jim ... or is that Jim Beam?]
crowded room

Split Enz needed to end, particularly since founding member Tim Finn found his little brother Neil's growth spurt uncomfortable, but also because Neil was no longer writing tunes that made sense within the context of a band that ran the gamut from art rock to eccentric new wave. Neil was now writing songs that were undeniably totems of popcraft, but infused with the spirit and introspection of a singer/songwriter. This formula would later become quite popular with artists from Matthew Sweet to the legions of basement auteurs in the pop underground, but this sensibility was relatively unheard of in the mid-'80s -- hence the birth of Crowded House.

before Neo ....

Neil retained Paul Hester from Enz, added Nick Seymour for the trio, and recorded one abandoned attempt at an album before joining with Mitchell Froom for the band's eponymous debut. At the time, Froom's clean production seemed refreshing, almost rootsy, compared to the synth pop dominating the mainstream and college scenes at the time, but in retrospect it seems a little overreaching and fussy, particularly in its addition of echo and layers of keyboards during particularly inappropriate moments. But Finn at his best overshadowed this fairly stilted production with his expert songcraft. As it happened, the record was blessed by good timing, and the majestic ballad "Don't Dream It's Over" became an international hit, while its follow-up, the breezy "Something So Strong," also turned into a hit.

waiting for the Queen?

Both songs revealed different sides of Finn's talents, with the first being lyrical and the second being effervescent, but perhaps the truest testaments to his talents are "Mean to Me," "World Where You Live," and "Now We're Getting Somewhere," songs where the lyrics meld with the melody in a way that is distinctive, affecting, and personal. If the rest of the record doesn't reach those heights, it's still good, well-constructed pop, and these aforementioned highlights point the way to Temple of Low Men, where Crowded House (and particularly Finn) came into its own. A DualDisc version of this album was made available in 2005, 19 years after the album's initial release. The DVD side features a DVD-A version of the album and also lyrics, a discography, and music videos for "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong." ~ [Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide]

Where Are They Now?

Paul Hester [8.01.59 to 26.03.05]

Neil Finn: Most recently, both Tim and Neil Finn, having matured over years have learned to share the stage, and with Neil Finn's son Liam Finn, have been performing and have released an album under the name The Finn Brothers.

Nick Seymour: Following the 2005 death of Crowded House drummer Paul Hester, Seymour reconnected with Finn and followed by performing on his third studio album. Through time, this project converted from a solo project into the fifth Crowded House album. In 2007, Neil Finn, Mark Hart and Nick Seymour reformed Crowded House, adding Matt Sherrod as drummer. The album Time on Earth was released in June 2007 and the group started a world tour in support of it.

Paul Hester: On 26 March 2005, aged 46, Hester committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in a park near his home. He had split from the mother of his two daughters (aged 4 and 10 at the time). It was known to family and close friends that he had been suffering from depression for a number of years, and he was known for his extreme mood swings. Hester was buried at Blackwood in the high-country region of Victoria. His life was commemorated at the 2005 2005 Aria Awards with Neil Finn singing the staple Crowded House anthem solo "Better Be Home Soon" along with a mini-biography and footage from his life and achievements. ~ [Source: Wikipedia]

For Split Enz see Number 618 & #671

Does Rolling Stone even know Crowded House?

Rarely has any modern music sounded so cheerful and so creepy as some of the off-center love songs that pop out of the red head of Neil Finn. This young New Zealander may be remembered as a key member of Split Enz, for which he penned such hits as the classic romantic paranoid's delight "I Got You." With that group officially dispersed, he's now the head of the Crowded household, and on his new group's debut album the mood is looser and brighter, but the modus operandi is still to mix up the peppy and the panicky. It's great, nervous pop. All this continuity of amorous confusion duly pointed out, it should be emphatically added that Crowded House seems a far ballsier outfit than Split Enz, a fine band with its own merits that never quite put its art-rock brooding and moping tendencies aside long enough to get loose. The new trio – no doubt under the influence of L.A. producer Mitchell Froom (the Del Fuegos, Peter Case, Richard Thompson) – has come up with a rootsy and infectious batch of songs. ~ [Source: Rolling Stone - Feb 26, 1987]

For Richard Thompson see Number 409 & #683

Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '394th Song of all Time' was "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley has appeared in The Definitive 1000 of All Time @ #443 #501 & #840

Other songs with reference to Crowded House #474, #538, #891, #993

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (New Zealand right?) and the Album ranked at (Thats a suburb in Australia right?)

This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 78.8 out of 108