Song Lyric Sunday: Little River Band, “Reminiscing” and INXS, “Need You Tonight”

Song Lyric Sunday, Song of the Day 3 Minutes

G’day, mates! Today, Jim says he wants “Australian music.” I’m going to guess that means music by bands from Australia. I’m going to pick two, just in case one is duplicated, because that would just be my luck…

First, we have the Little River Band, with “Reminiscing.” Wikipedia tells us:

“Reminiscing” is a song by Australian soft rock music group Little River Band, released in June 1978 as the second single from their fourth studio album Sleeper Catcher. The song was written by the band’s guitarist, Graeham Goble, and sung by their lead singer, Glenn Shorrock. “Reminiscing” peaked at number 35 on the Australian Kent Music Report and at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100…

According to Albert Goldman’s biography, John Lennon named “Reminiscing” as one of his favourite songs. May Pang, erstwhile girlfriend of Lennon, said “Oddly, with all the fantastic music he wrote, “our song” was ‘Reminiscing’ by the Little River Band.”

I was working 3rd shift in early 1979, and when I’d get home I’d turn on WFYR, a soft rock station, and sit drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes until the song came on. I just had to hear it before I went to sleep. Don’t ask why, because I couldn’t tell you.

Friday night, it was late
I was walking you home
We got down to the gate
And I was dreaming of the night
Would it turn out right?
How to tell you, girl
I want to build my world around you
Tell you that it’s true
I want to make you understand
I’m talking about a lifetime plan

That’s the way it began
We were hand-in-hand
Glenn Miller’s band
Was better than before
We yelled and screamed for more
And the Porter tune (“Night and Day”)
Made us dance across the room
It ended all too soon
On the way back home
I promised you’d never be alone

Hurry, don’t be late
I can hardly wait
I said to myself when we’re old
We’ll go dancing in the dark
Walking through the park
And reminiscing

Friday night, it was late
I was walking you home
We got down to the gate
And I was dreaming of the night
Would it turn out right?
Now as the years roll on
Each time we hear our favourite song
The memories come along
Older times we’re missing
Spending the hours reminiscing

Hurry, don’t be late
I can hardly wait
I said to myself when we’re old
We’ll go dancing in the dark
Walking through the park
And reminiscing

Source: Genius

Song #2 for today is “Need You Tonight” by the band INXS. I had never heard of the song or the band until I moved to Atlanta. Apparently, they were just starting to be known here in 1987, which would coincide with the move. Wikipedia tells us:

“Need You Tonight” is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, Kick, as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also achieved their highest charting position in the United Kingdom, where the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart; however, this peak was only reached after a re-release of the single in November 1988. On its first run on the UK charts in October 1987, it stalled at No. 58. It was one of the last songs recorded for the album, yet it would arguably become the band’s signature song.

Come over here

All you got is this moment
Twenty-first century’s yesterday
You can care all you want
Everybody does, yeah, that’s okay

So slide over here and give me a moment
Your moves are so raw, I’ve got to let you know
I’ve got to let you know
You’re one of my kind
Ow!
I need you tonight
‘Cause I’m not sleepin’
There’s something about you, girl
That makes me sweat

How do you feel? I’m lonely
What do you think? Can’t think at all
What you gonna do? Gonna live my life

So slide over here and give me a moment
Your moves are so raw, I’ve got to let you know
I’ve got to let you know
You’re one of my kind
Oh

I need you tonight
‘Cause I’m not sleepin’
There’s something about you, girl
That makes me sweat

So how do you feel? I’m lonely
What do you think? Can’t think at all
What you gonna do? Gonna live my life
How do you feel? I’m lonely
What do you think? Can’t think at all
What you gonna do? Gonna live my life

So slide over here and give me a moment
Your moves are so raw, I’ve got to let you know
I’ve got to let you know
So slide over here and give me a moment
I’ve got to let you know, I’ve got to let you know
You’re one of my kind

Source: Genius

And that’s Song Lyric Sunday and Song of the Day for September 18, 2022.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

11 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Little River Band, “Reminiscing” and INXS, “Need You Tonight””

  1. Pingback: The High Holy Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

    1. Like I said, I should have gone with another INXS song…

      “Reminiscing” is just a great song. A bit sentimental, which is why I think I like it so much.

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  5. Reminiscing is a good song but it made me flinch about what Lennon’s girlfriend said since he was married to Yoko. I love INXS and have the tape cassette but I really need to get the CD. I loved all the songs from that album. How’d they do in Canada?

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