Australian singer-songwriter David Bridie (co-founder of his first group Not Drowning, Waving) (NDW) has featured prominently in this Music Library Project, but this is the first song to appear here from NDW. What entails the ‘Music Library Project’?
Formed in Melbourne in 1983, NDW combined elements of rock, ambient music and world music; their lyrics dealt with characteristically Australian topics.
The group released 6 albums until they disbanded in 1994. They won Best Independent Release at the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 for Proof, their soundtrack for the 1991 film of the same name. Bridie and fellow members of Not Drowning, Waving, formed a side-project, My Friend The Chocolate Cake, the chamber pop group who have already appeared in this blog.
Today’s song Crazy Birds was released in 1993 on NDW’s sixth studio album Circus, which was recorded at the Rockfield Studios in Wales. The following year they would be the support act for Peter Gabriel on his first tour of Australia.
The ambience which Crazy Birds exudes is quintessentially Australian reflecting rudimentary the bush environment. Also the lyrics harness Aussie plain-speak and synchronise to a tee the atmospheric music. When I hear Crazy Birds I can’t help but reflect on my upbringing in the Australian bush in the greater western outskirts of Sydney:
We rise up with the midday sun
We sleep too much cos the work is done
And my papa says that this life is good
We got not much money but heaps of food
We bask our skin in the afternoon light
We’re eating all the sweet ripe fruit
And Ol’ Brotherboy hangs a tyre from the tree
My sister goes first, she goes higher than me
We’re watching the old crazy birds fly by
This music more than any other I have written about at Observation Blogger typifies what it was like living for me as a kid mixing it in the Australian Bush. I’m indebted to the genius of David Bridie in replicating auditorily how it felt for me growing up.
My own children here in Bogota, Colombia will be able to harness some of what their Australian heritage feels like through music until such time they get to experience Australia for themselves.
Reference:
1. Not Drowning, Waving – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I like this Matt. Is the rest of the music a similar vibe?
To be honest, I’m not not well versed on this band’s music. The subsequent reformation band ‘My Friend the Chocolate Cake’ I am. Based on wiki it would appear this style of ambient music pervades their discography. This song in particular just gets better on repeated listens at least for me. I’m glad you liked it Cinci.
Really like it. I will search out more. Thanks.
I like this Matt. It’s different and catchy…..as you can see my slow ass is running behind.
It’s really unique and creative. I’m glad you like it Max.