Mister Bump UK

Song Lyric Sunday (3 November 2019) – Direction

Last week, Jim (NewEpicAuthor, A Unique Title For Me) set the subject of lost and found (my attempt). This week he gives us the subject of direction.

So I decided to go for a real foot-tapper from Men at Work. Men at Work have been going for forty years, although in that time, the lineup has changed. Down Under hails from the early days – it was actually released in 1980, but took a few years to travel around the world, reaching #1 in both the UK and the USA along the way.

The song was penned by Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, founder members of the group, and is loosely about an Aussie who travels the world.

Traveling in a fried-out combie
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast

And she said Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover

Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscles
I said, “do you speak-a my language?”
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich

And he said I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah

Lyin’ in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, “are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?”


And he said Do you come from a land down under? (oh yeah yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover

Living in a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover

Colin Hay, Ron Strykert

Published by Mister Bump UK

Separated with a grown/flown daughter. In life, I designed IT systems, taking a career break as a bicycle mechanic, until interrupted by a stroke in 2016, aged 48. On my way back into full-time work, I developed health-related apps and performed voluntary work. I enjoy composing limericks and flash fiction in my spare time.

20 comments

    • Yes it was very grey here this morning so I wanted to post something cheery. But it just brightened up this last hour so we went out for a walk – I might post photos later if they are any good. It’d be great if you joined in too – Jim seems a lovely old boy and posts his prompts weeks in advance. I’ve only been doing it for six weeks or so. The only thing – the music tends to give away our ages!

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        • It’s weird because mostly I post for myself, but for this one I’m aware that I have an audience, so I try and pick something I think my audience will like. I still haven’t worked out what that is, so when I am able to think of several songs (as has been the case these last few weeks) I’m always left wondering whether one of my other picks might have been more popular. A small thing, but I like to try and give a good memory.

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