Wish I knew what you were looking for

 
The writer of the song, Steve Kilbey, is a unique figure in Australian music, who is often highly critical of lots of things, most of all the Australian music industry. When this track won Single of the Year in 1989, he refused to accept the award, saying "I don't give a fuck about winning that award."

1988 was an interesting year. A lot of the classic rock bands were celebrating 20 year anniversaries and gaining a resurgence from a younger generation who were sick and tired of the bloated, over-produced crap that was being churned out on FM radio. Old music was in, new music was banal and mediocre.

But there was also something important starting to happen in the alternative music scene, which wouldn't really hit big for a couple of years.

The Church had been around since the early 80's, contemporaries of the British Goth scene that spawned iconic acts such as The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Siouxsie & the Banshees. Moving away from the highly-polished produced sound, their music was dreamy, mellow, and melodic. And there was a subtle undertone of "rock" to be heard in guitar breaks.

For me this song held the promise of something different in a modern sound. It had all the stylings of pop music, but could break out into a great guitar solo. It was the idea that a Rock band could play more than just heavy, rock music.

 
I tried to find a version of this song with a symphony orchestra accompaniment, as it is truly amazing to hear. The 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne featured this in their Closing Ceremony, and that has haunted me ever since. Luckily, The Church released a live album recorded at the Sydney Opera House. I highly recommend listening to it.

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Enjoy the tunes!
😊🙏🏽☯️