You may think this is just a great, incredibly catchy drinking song, and you'd be right, but to my mind it's so much more than that.
I first heard this song, in the car, three days ago. I knew I was going to like it after the second line. Since that first time, I must have listened to the song at least 30 times in three days, and it's been playing many more times in my head, day and night.
My initial question after first hearing the song (bearing in mind that I'm English, not Australian) was "is there really no irony here, no subtext?"
And that's right, there isn't. It's just a song that says "I like having a drink with my friends".
But, looking a little closer, that's such a beautiful sentiment. Hearing the song made me want to do exactly that, have a beer with a mate. And, as Slim makes clear, it's not about drinking to excess, I think what he's getting at here is the importance of shared male company, the importance of man friends, mates. Blokes you can confide in, confidantes. And the importance of hanging out with them, one on one.
And not only is it a beautiful song for this message behind it, but it's also incredibly well sung and performed. It's no surprise to me that this song spent so long at the top of the charts in Australia. Slim's vocal delivery is spot on, with little subtle cadence jumps coinciding with the bass line, which fits in beautifully, and really turns it into such a catchy singalong. And you can hear the smile and the laughter in his voice, as he recalls each mate, just listen to the way he sings "Col".
The band plays with such fantastic energy too, and when everyone joins in on the last verse, and when the last lines are repeated, it reaches such a frenzied crescendo that we could be in the pub with them right there.
And all of this in under three minutes. Sheer genius. Here's to ya, Slim.
You may think this is just a great, incredibly catchy drinking song, and you'd be right, but to my mind it's so much more than that.
I first heard this song, in the car, three days ago. I knew I was going to like it after the second line. Since that first time, I must have listened to the song at least 30 times in three days, and it's been playing many more times in my head, day and night.
My initial question after first hearing the song (bearing in mind that I'm English, not Australian) was "is there really no irony here, no subtext?"
And that's right, there isn't. It's just a song that says "I like having a drink with my friends".
But, looking a little closer, that's such a beautiful sentiment. Hearing the song made me want to do exactly that, have a beer with a mate. And, as Slim makes clear, it's not about drinking to excess, I think what he's getting at here is the importance of shared male company, the importance of man friends, mates. Blokes you can confide in, confidantes. And the importance of hanging out with them, one on one.
And not only is it a beautiful song for this message behind it, but it's also incredibly well sung and performed. It's no surprise to me that this song spent so long at the top of the charts in Australia. Slim's vocal delivery is spot on, with little subtle cadence jumps coinciding with the bass line, which fits in beautifully, and really turns it into such a catchy singalong. And you can hear the smile and the laughter in his voice, as he recalls each mate, just listen to the way he sings "Col".
The band plays with such fantastic energy too, and when everyone joins in on the last verse, and when the last lines are repeated, it reaches such a frenzied crescendo that we could be in the pub with them right there.
And all of this in under three minutes. Sheer genius. Here's to ya, Slim.