Domestic Harmony
Encyclopedia
Domestic Harmony is the debut LP album by Australian rock
/pop
group Do-Ré-Mi
which was released by Virgin Records
in August 1985. The album has ten tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway
, drummer
Dorland Bray, bass guitar
ist Helen Carter and guitar
ist Stephen Philip. The single "Man Overboard
" had made its first appearance on 1982's The Waiting Room
EP
, but was re-worked and released as a single from this album to become a surprise top 5 hit, it included lyrics referring to anal humour
, penis envy
and pubic hair
; and had no chorus. The album was produced in London by Gavin MacKilop and peaked at #16 on the National album charts. It was released in different forms for UK, German and North American markets, the Australian 1988 CD version had five bonus tracks.
in 1981 when Deborah Conway
(lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals), both previously in Melbourne-based group The Benders, joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) ex-Friction. Stephen Philip (guitar), ex-Thought Criminals, was initially a studio musician for their debut EP
, Do-Ré-Mi
released in August 1982 and was asked to join formally. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room
EP which was released in September 1982. Paul Hester
, later drummer for Split Enz
and Crowded House
, was living with Conway and guested on timbales
for the track, "(Just Like) Hercules" from The Waiting Room. "Man Overboard" had its first appearance on that EP but was later re-worked and released as a single in 1985 from the Domestic Harmony album, it peaked at #5 on the Australian singles charts. Lyrical content included references to anal humour, penis envy and pubic hair. In 2001, Carter recalled the problems Do-Ré-Mi had with their record company about "Man Overboard" for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
TV series Long Way To The Top
.
Australian 1985 original release
Bonus tracks for 1988 Australian CD release
Additional musicians
Recording details
Art work
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Do-Ré-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (band)
Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray joined Helen Carter and later recruited Stephen Philip...
which was released by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in August 1985. The album has ten tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
, drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Dorland Bray, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Helen Carter and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Stephen Philip. The single "Man Overboard
Man Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)
"Man Overboard" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in June 1985. The 7" vinyl version has three tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
" had made its first appearance on 1982's The Waiting Room
The Waiting Room (Do-Re-Mi album)
The Waiting Room is the second EP by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi and was released by independent label Larrikan Records in January 1983. The album has six tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, but was re-worked and released as a single from this album to become a surprise top 5 hit, it included lyrics referring to anal humour
Humour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
, penis envy
Penis envy
Penis envy in Freudian psychoanalysis refers to the theorized reaction of a girl during her psychosexual development to the realization that she does not have a penis....
and pubic hair
Pubic hair
Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area, the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region....
; and had no chorus. The album was produced in London by Gavin MacKilop and peaked at #16 on the National album charts. It was released in different forms for UK, German and North American markets, the Australian 1988 CD version had five bonus tracks.
Background
Do-Ré-Mi had formed in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1981 when Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
(lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals), both previously in Melbourne-based group The Benders, joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) ex-Friction. Stephen Philip (guitar), ex-Thought Criminals, was initially a studio musician for their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Do-Ré-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (Do-Re-Mi album)
Do-Ré-Mi or Standing on Wires is the debut EP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by independent label Green Records in August 1982. The album has four tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and...
released in August 1982 and was asked to join formally. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room
The Waiting Room (Do-Re-Mi album)
The Waiting Room is the second EP by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi and was released by independent label Larrikan Records in January 1983. The album has six tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
EP which was released in September 1982. Paul Hester
Paul Hester
Paul Newell Hester was an Australian musician and television personality; he was the drummer for the related bands Split Enz and Crowded House.-The early years:...
, later drummer for Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
and Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
, was living with Conway and guested on timbales
Timbales
Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
for the track, "(Just Like) Hercules" from The Waiting Room. "Man Overboard" had its first appearance on that EP but was later re-worked and released as a single in 1985 from the Domestic Harmony album, it peaked at #5 on the Australian singles charts. Lyrical content included references to anal humour, penis envy and pubic hair. In 2001, Carter recalled the problems Do-Ré-Mi had with their record company about "Man Overboard" for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
TV series Long Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era.-Production:...
.
Tracklisting
All tracks were written by Deborah Conway, Dorland Bray, Helen Carter and Stephen Philip, except where indicated.Australian 1985 original release
- "The Theme from Jungle Jim"
- "After the Volcano"
- "Idiot Grin"
- "Cuttlefish Beach"
- "Warnings Moving Clockwise"
- "Man Overboard"
- "Big Accident"
- "Racing to Zero"
- "New Taboos"
- "1000 Mouths"
Bonus tracks for 1988 Australian CD release
- "Black Crocodiles"
- "No Fury"
- "Shake this Place"
- "Man Overboard" (12" version)
- "Burning the Blues" (Dorland Bray)
Personnel
Do-Ré-Mi members- Dorland Bray — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals - Helen Carter — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Deborah ConwayDeborah ConwayDeborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
— lead vocalist - Stephen Philip — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Additional musicians
- Roger Freeman — tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Steve HogarthSteve HogarthSteve Hogarth also known as "h", is the lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist/guitarist with the British rock band Marillion. Hogarth was formerly a keyboard player and co-lead vocalist with The Europeans and vocalist with How We Live...
— keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Recording details
- Producer, engineer — Gavin MacKillop
- Assistant engineer — Chris Potter, Mike Bigwood, Steve Chase
- Studio — Townhouse III Studios London
- Mixing studio — Maison Rouge Studios London, Genetic Studios Reading
Art work
- Cover design and illustration — Cathie Felstead
- Photography — Thomi Wroblewski