Man Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)
Encyclopedia
"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 guitar
ist Helen Carter and guitar
ist Stephen Philip. "Man Overboard" made its first appearance on the 1982 EP
The Waiting Room
and was re-worked and released as a single in 1985 to become a surprise top 5 hit. It is the first Australian hit to include lyrics referring to anal
humour
, penis envy
and pubic hair
; it also had no chorus. The single version was produced and engineered by Gavin McKillop.
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
which released in August 1982. Phillip was asked to join formally with Do-Ré-Mi. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room EP which was released in January 1983. "Man Overboard" had its first appearance on this EP but was later re-worked and released as a single in June 1985 and peaked at #5 on the Australian singles charts. Lyrical content included references to anal humour, penis envy and pubic hair, which was a first for an Australian chart hit. In 2001, Carter recalled the problems Do-Ré-Mi had with their record company over "Man Overboard" for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
TV series Long Way To The Top
.
Recording details
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 June 1985. The 7" vinyl version has three 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. "Man Overboard" made its first appearance on the 1982 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...
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...
and was re-worked and released as a single in 1985 to become a surprise top 5 hit. It is the first Australian hit to include lyrics referring to anal
Anus
The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,...
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....
; it also had no chorus. The single version was produced and engineered by Gavin McKillop.
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, 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...
which released in August 1982. Phillip was asked to join formally with Do-Ré-Mi. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room EP which was released in January 1983. "Man Overboard" had its first appearance on this EP but was later re-worked and released as a single in June 1985 and peaked at #5 on the Australian singles charts. Lyrical content included references to anal humour, penis envy and pubic hair, which was a first for an Australian chart hit. In 2001, Carter recalled the problems Do-Ré-Mi had with their record company over "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.- "Man Overboard" - 4:08
- "Fish Tank" - 2:43
- "Black Crocodiles" - 3:12
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...
Recording details
- Producer, engineer — Gavin MacKillop