For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday prompt, Jim Adams gives us the theme of Australian music. The song I chose was on a frequent rotation in the early days of MTV, when the cable channel was all music videos. It was from the Aussie group, Men at War, and the song is “Who Can It Be Now?”
“Who Can It Be Now?” was recorded by Australian band Men at Work. It was released as a single in Australia in 1981, prior to the recording of their 1981 debut album, Business As Usual. It was written by the band’s lead vocalist, Colin Hay. The song reached number 2 in Australia that year. The American release of the song, over a year later, went on to hit number 1 in October 1982.
The album, Business As Usual, was the number 1 album in the U.S. for 15 weeks, a record at the time for the longest stay at number 1 for a debut album.
Hay originally wrote the music for “Who Can It Be Now?” in a tree house he and his girlfriend made in Bermagui, New South Wales. The lyrics would not come until 1981, when Hay was living in an apartment complex in St Kilda, Victoria. He lived next to drug dealers, and people would often confuse Hay’s apartment for the dealers’. The number of people that would knock on his door unnerved him to the point where he was scared to open his door, regardless of who was there.
Here are the lyrics to “Who Can It Be Now?”
Who can it be knocking at my door? Go 'way, don't come 'round here no more Can't you see that it's late at night? I'm very tired, and I'm not feeling right All I wish is to be alone Stay away, don't you invade my home Best off if you hang outside Don't come in, I'll only run and hide Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be knocking at my door? Make no sound, tip-toe across the floor If he hears, he'll knock all day I'll be trapped, and here I'll have to stay I've done no harm, I keep to myself There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health I like it here with my childhood friend Here they come, those feelings again! Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Is it the man come to take me away? Why do they follow me? It's not the future that I can see It's just my fantasy Yeah Hoo, hoo, hoo Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Who can it be now? Oh oh oh who can it be now? Oh where we are Who can it, who can it Oh who can it now Oh where we are Yeah yeah yeah
This, That, and the Other 
A great song, from a great album. ‘Men at War?’!
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Yep, that made me raise an eyebrow too 😊
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With songs like Friday On My Mind and She’s So Fine, The Easybeats were the greatest Australian rock band of the ’60s. They had in their ranks one of the country’s best ever frontmen in Stevie Wright, while guitarists George Young (older brother of Angus and Malcolm) and Harry Vanda would go on to produce AC/DC, amongst others.
Monday mornin’ feels so bad
Ev’rybody seems to nag me
Comin’ Tuesday I feel better
Even my old man looks good
Wed’sday just don’t go
Thursday goes too slow
I’ve got Friday on my mind
Gonna have fun in the city
Be with my girl, she’s so pretty
She looks fine tonight
She is out of sight to me
Tonight I’ll spend my bread, tonight
I’ll lose my head, tonight
I’ve got to get to night
Monday I’ll have Friday on my mind
Do the five day grind once more
I know of nothin’ else that bugs me
More than workin’ for the rich man
Hey! I’ll change that scene one day
Today I might be mad, tomorrow I’ll be glad
‘Cause I’ll have Friday on my mind
Gonna have fun in the city
Be with my girl, she’s so pretty
She looks fine tonight.
She is out of sight to me
Tonight I’ll spend my bread, tonight
I’ll lose my head, tonight
I’ve got to get to night
Monday I’ll have Friday on my mind
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: George Redburn Young / Harry Vanda
Friday on My Mind lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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I’m unfamiliar with that group.
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Good. Something for you to research. Lol
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I have listened to this song hundreds of times, but I never paid attention to the lyrics before. I liked the beat and I even found myself singing along to it. The story about Hay’s apartment being confused with the one where the drug dealers lived, gives these lyrics new meaning for me and now I appreciate this a lot more. Thanks for sharing your music again, Fandango.
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I like this! I hadnt heard it before! xo
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Oh I love this song! Dang, why didn’t I think of it? LOL 🤣 Great pick Fan.
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Thanks, Christine.
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A very good song… makes a lot of sense if he was next to drug dealers.
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