Reckless

Lead singer James Reyne is not from Sydney, but on face value, this song is an obvious reference to the morning ferry commute from the northern seaside suburb of Manly across the harbor (Oz "harbour") south to Circular Quay, where watercraft of all shapes and sizes dock. It's adjacent to the city center and business areas.

The subtext of this song deals with Robert Falcon Scott, known as "Scott of the Antarctic," and his tragic expedition, actually reaching the South Pole only to discover that Roald Amundsen had just beaten him and then dying on the return. In a similar vein, Irish/English explorers Burke and Wills were the first to cross Australia from south to north only to starve, too weak to move, a few miles from salvation. They were actually camped by a tree that had buried provisions, but misunderstood the markings on the base camp tree.

Thus, the underlying meaning of this song could be:

He has spent an unspecified time alone ( "So long she's been away...") and is now waiting to meet his girlfriend who is arriving on the Manly ferry. The references to Scott/Antarctic, Burke & Wills, and a Russian sub beneath the Arctic are telling us how alone he felt, presumably during previous nights; dramatizing the feeling of utter isolation. While waiting, he is also warning himself, soliloquizing, not to be reckless or unnecessarily boisterous in front of her when she arrives, because she hates that behavior and may leave him again.

The line, "Throw down your guns" means don't show traits such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or extreme independence popularly associated with cowboys. For many a jilted lover, the song contains a hint of cosmic irony.

As a poet and writer myself, I never cease to be amazed at how much power can be invested in simple cliche images and ideas when used in a different context. Nick cave takes biblical stories we all know and compares them to being in love. Aussie Crawl do the same here with Australian stories. I think the way the Manly Ferry "CUTS" it's way to Circular Key is very moving, but the line "Burke and Wills and Camels/Initials in the tree" is a knockout. It's not poetic, it's not original, but by applying that story to how lost he feels, we are at that lonely, haunted tree with him.

I think this song is about irreconcilable differences between the singer and his girlfriend, and between men and women more broadly. Behaviour that he thinks is daring and great, she sees as reckless and wrong. The examples of "that kind of behaviour" that she doesn't like are famous feats of male bravery, with two of them seen as extremely heroic in Australia in 1983. He wants to take risks and fight and achieve great things, but she thinks he's taking risks for no good reason. The singer knows neither can change so the relationship is doomed, which is why it's such a melancholy song.

There is a rift between him and his girlfriend ("so long she's been away"). He doesn't know when or if she's coming back. But the problem is his behaviour. There's something he's constantly doing ("she don't like that kind of behaviour"). We're not told what it is, but it's driving her away. He's telling himself not to be so reckless. He's losing her. Stop fighting. Stop 'sticking to your guns'. Throw down your guns. Give up that kind of behaviour.

But he won't or can't change. It's so close it's within his grasp, like Scott (base camp beyond his reach), or a Russian sub trapped beneath Arctic sea ice (near home but can't get there) or Burke Wills perishing in the desert (so near yet so far). He's a bit of a tragic! He going to lose her and he just can't make that little bit of extra effort to get there and win her back. Aren't we all a bit like that?

I love this song so much. I heard it for the first time when visiting Oz.

Now with the Ukraine/Russia story Im also loving any song that has a message of reconciliation and peace and mutual respect.

Such profound depth in the song tho. The emotional reference is bottomless. So beautifully deep.

Some of the interpretations in this "Reckless (Don't be so)" thread are wild. It is not about heroin or addiction. The whole song is about being alone.

When asked about the meaning of this song during an interview, James Reyne laughed and said it has no deep meaning...it's just a collection of thoughts on being alone. He acknowledged he didn't even know if the "Russian sub beneath the arctic" reference was an actual event or simply a childhood memory.

Obviously there's a through line about the man's lost relationship. But, everything else is just tagging this idea of being alone.

Some people interpret the line "I miss our early morning wrestle" to be about heroin or addiction. It's not. I grew up in Sydney (Reyne's 11 yrs older than me) and "wrestle" was used as a very common euphemism for sex during the 70s. My parents and their friends would use the term all the time.

Top Notch Song!

A band who is a true testament to great Ozzie music. Beautiful metaphors to the Ocean and the Bassline - O, the Bassline! Bloody Mega!

I think he's treated his girlfriend badly, and they have broken up. This happened some time ago and he regrets it deeply.

I thought the first line was:

"Met down by the jetty landing"

In other words, he met her at the ferry wharf. He is there now and it reminds him of her and when they were happy.

The second verse is how he feels about the breakup - a tragic failure despite having tried hard to survive (Scott, Burke and Wills) and lonely and invisible (Russian sub).

The music evokes a winter's day on the harbour. It's windy and cold (pontoons bump and spray when the water is unsettled and whipped up by wind). Life is dreary and pointless without her.

Great song.

I personally think this about a past relationship, perhaps they are still in the fight? And he just wants it to end. 'throw down your guns' i think is like, give up the fight or something.

And the artctic thing.. well im not sure... maybe its about being so far from everything?

Ok the lyrics being disputed will now be set straight, they are "We met down by the Jetty landing", "I feel like Scott on the Antartic" and "A Russian sub beneath the Artic" I like Corgikid's explanation, very well explained, well done

P.S Yes it is "I feel like" or "feel like Scott ON the Antartic" I know because I am OBSESSED with this song and you don't know how many times I have played it!

P.P.S exactly, that and Midnight Oil are great Aussie bands, least you weren't trying to steal ours (I am a Kiwi)