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v Spy v Spy - Xenophobia (Why?)
Xenophobia (Why?)
Released: March 1988 (Australia)
Label: WEA 255349-1
Tracks: 11
Peak chart position: 15 (AUS)
All songs written by Craig Bloxom, Michael Weiley, Cliff Grigg
and G Vasicek (aka Gary Morris).
1. "Test of time" 4:11
2. "The Golden Mile" 3:52
3. "Free the Future" 3:46
4. "Waiting" 3:20
5. "Working Week" 4:28
6. "A.O Mod" 3:34
7. "Clarity of Mind" 3:48
8. "Soldiers" 3:42
9. "Mingle 'n' Mix" 3:24
10. "Back on the Track" 5:41
11. "Relax" 4:58
*Click here for Xenophobia Why Music Videos*
Xenophobia (Why?) is the third studio album by Australian rock
band Spy vs Spy, it was produced by Les Karski (Boys Next Door,
Midnight Oil, Nauts) and Guy Gray, and released through WEA on 21
March 1988. For this album Spy vs Spy were known as v. Spy v. Spy,
and the line-up was the original trio Craig Bloxom on bass
guitar/lead vocals, Cliff Grigg on drums/percussion and Mike Weiley
on lead guitar/vocals.
After having toured for A.O. Mod. TV. Vers., WEA demanded another
album immediately, so Xenophobia (Why?) was written and recorded in
just six weeks, the title was inspired by race issues surfacing in
the lead-up to Australia's Bicentennial year. The album peaked at
#15 on the Kent Music Report for the Australian albums chart, and
released in 14 countries. It provided three singles, "(Forget about
the) Working Week", "Clarity of Mind" and "Waiting". None of the
singles peaked in the Top 40 of the Kent Music Report for the
Australian singles charts.
vSpy vSpy’s timely release during the Australian Bicentenary year
of white-mans habitation of the island: Terra Australis. This album
contains some poignant tunes that were relevant to the changing
times in Australia & the world. This album was recorded at
Rhinoceros studios in Surry Hills, Sydney, with Les Karski & David
Hemmings on the control board. The band was at it’s height in
popularity in Australia and the strong themes in this record were
taken on the road internationally for the first time after it’s
release. The night of it’s final mix at the studio, Les and I went
on an infamous all-night drinking session with took us to the
Balmain "early openers" for breakfast of eggs, beer & vodka. We
eventually found ourselves at the British Lion in Glebe about 11 am
still drinking, and Les fell asleep on the bar. This was back in the
days where sleeping on the bar was tolerated so to avoid his beer
from getting warm while he dozed, I helped him out by drinking it
down. Les awoke not long afterwards and accusing me of stealing his
beer: tried to punch me in the head. As luck would have it, my
girlfriend at the time entered the pub at that very moment after
searching for us all night long and saved me from Les’ fists buy
pulling me safely into the street. Once outside, she berated me with
justifiable abuse for being a dirty, drunken goose until I sat down,
pissed & despondent in the gutter whereupon I decided to lay down
and sleep where it was "nice and cool". So there I lay in the
gutter, drunk & incoherent at the completion of our poignant and
challenging 3rd vSpy vSpy album Xenophobia Why?. And that’s the
truth so help me God. Craig Bloxom.
Singles from Xenophobia (Why?)
"Forget about the Working Week" Released:
December 1987
"Clarity of Mind" Released: May 1988
"Waiting" Released: August 1988
v. Spy v. Spy members
Craig Bloxom — bass guitar, vocals
Cliff Grigg — drums, percussion
Michael Weiley — lead guitar
Lyrics from Trash the Planet
Album Credits
Produced by Les Karski and Guy Gray
Engineered by Guy Gray and Paula Jones.
Recorded at Rhinoceros Studios, Sydney.
All songs written by V. Spy V. Spy.
V. Spy V. Spy are:
Michael Weiley – Guitars and Vocals,
Cliff Grigg – Drums,
Craig Bloxom – Bass and Vocals,
Gary Morris – Facilitator.
"Working Week" Horns by:
Ian Jones – Tenor,
Glad Reed – Trombone,
Cathy Weymyss – Trumpet.
Backing Vocals on "Back on Track" by:
Patrick Powell.
Emulator by L. Swamp Moose.
Lyrics Reproduced by kind permission of
Warner Bros. Music.
Thanks to:
All the people at the office and the Boogie Queen.
Publicity: Denise Officer.
Cover Concept: Gary Morris.
Design & Art Direction: Bob Withers.
| Test of Time Father always tell you If a job’s worth doing It’s worth doing well You never rush a good job So what’s happening anyway When I buy something I want it to last I really want it to last So will the work you do today Stand the test of time Will the work you do today Stand the test of time Is a calloused skin Growing soft Do we just clock on And just clock off Have we been and gone Competition’s getting tough Do we accept the fact That close enough Is really good enough So will the work you do today Stand the test of time Will the work you do today Stand the test of time |
The Golden Mile The whole town’s on the loop line Two up rules the day Pennies rising with the sun Except for the day that mum gets her pay The black man And the white man Are scratching their sunburnt face While digging themselves A hole in the ground To find a better place Everybody wants a holiday With a full day’s pay Some people need it Some people steal it Some people have it anyway Children watch a father Twelve hours full of sweat Look in his eye and see the future In the leather skin spinners bet While the black man And the white man Are scratching their weary face While they’re digging themselves A hole in the ground To find a better place Everybody wants a holiday With a full day’s pay Some people need it Some people steal it Some people have it anyway Can you see your children falling Down Kalgoorlie’s hill Can they see the future in the miner’s Golden swill golden swill Golden swill golden swill It’s been a long time sweating When you run the golden mile The golden mile Oh Kalgoorlie When’s it gonna rain Oh Kalgoorlie When’s it gonna come |
| Free the Future For forty-two years We’ve been living In a shadow A frozen picture One they say is of tomorrow I don’t want to see Any scenes in their movie I just want to be Involved in the victory For so long We have seen All the writing on the wall Seems to come Before too long Something will fall After all this time Do we ever get the real picture Not sure myself I’m waiting for the leader There are people who care And they’re a pleasure to see I don’t want to be butchered Set free the future And let us live our lives Set free the future We don’t want to be Involved in a fight Set free Set free the future |
Waiting We used to talk of things outspoken We used to talk of things unsaid Late nights together We did wonder To what use and means Our lives had led Cos’ I miss you I miss you But was there ever a day We didn’t argue Argue But I can surely say Tomorrow I’ll be waiting Tomorrow I’ll be waiting Waiting I remember the times When I could read you And I remember the times When I could not Days spent together In the sunshine Nights spent together On the frost Cos’ I like you I liked you But there were some days I could not reach you Reach you But I can surely say Tomorrow I’ll be waiting Tomorrow I’ll be waiting Waiting for you |
| Working Week We do it nine to five Put petrol in the car It’s a 45 minute drive And it’s a bit too long And much too far 6.30 rise and shine With the traffic weaving into town The clock that rules my life It picks me up and puts me down But something I remember I remember To forget about the working week Forget about it Forget about the working week Got my work clothes under iron It makes me feel like such a bag Appearances are fine But underneath I feel a dag But something I remember I remember To forget about the working week Forget about it Forget about the working week The afternoon drags on Sometimes it goes so fast I’m just dreaming time away As I watch the minutes ticking past To forget about the working week Forget about it |
Clarity of Mind Been years gone by, I’ve just abused my mind My body’s paid the price, Come to a fork I can go up or down, Or use my mouth too much, Oh Lord, protect my words Reality’s a matter Of a clarity of mind Take the things away, I like the look of that, It makes my mouth water, Lift in the air All the things I’ve said You know they don’t all add Now, who’s a muddle head... Reality’s a matter Of clarity of mind |
| Soldiers Well there’s nothing good In morbid nationalism I got a cynical attitude About patriotism But don’t get me wrong There’s very large doses Of mass psychosis And after trying with all out might There’s still no end in sight The trouble is We’re all too touchy Fed enough crap It’s making us mushy And for all we know We’ve got enough troubles Of our own So send the soldiers home Put down the guns Throw them down Send the soldiers home Put down the guns Melt them down Send the soldiers home Because We are water From the same springs We all breathe And need the same things We are all just the same If we aim for the light In the labout of humanity Instead of riding A wave of insanity Maybe we can get it right Collective voices Could stop the fighting We’re only weak But the weak will be mighty Have we lost our souls Do we always do Just what we’re told |
Mingle ’n’ Mix Tony is an angry boy He doesn’t like The people next door Doesn’t understand them Doesn’t understand What they stand for Looking through the fence He sees things Simple and strange Different colours than him With different eyes And different names Whoah We tread the same earth together Whoah We’ve got to mingle and mix Jerry is a sad boy He doesn’t like The things they’re saying People stir and stare Naming names Fingers He’s getting nowhere All he wants to do Is mingle and mix Won’t people greet him With open arms Instead of closed fists Whoah We tread the same earth together Whoah We’ve got to mingle and mix |
| Back on the Track Back on the track And I’m comin’ back home There’s nothin’ for me But fungus for tea (Baked beans with fungus) Bog house out back Mosquito attack Fridge on the blink A smell in the sink He’s on the right track And he’s coming back home Slack mac attack And I’m getting hungry Fungus abound like nuns in a scrum Rags in my head, rats in my bed Hole in the roof And I’m getting soaked through He’s on the right track And he’s coming back home 5.30 bang get outta my bed boy Boys in blue are coming for you If I see them again I’m gonna let on boy So get off of the track ’Cos I’m coming through He’s on the right track And he’s comin’ back home |
Relax The trouble is That your life’s gone cold No friends And you’re all alone You’ve got to find a place And just look around See the things Find the things That there are to be found Please Just relax Please Just relax The trouble is That you need to find Something calm In these troubled times Use your eyes And your mind Most of all You’ve got to Pull yourself from the bind You know that your trouble is That your life’s gone cold You’ve got no friends And I think you’re bored You’ve got to find a place Where you can look around See the things Find the things That there are to be found |