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Man Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)

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"Man Overboard"
7" single cover
Single by Do-Ré-Mi
from the album Domestic Harmony
A-side"Man Overboard"
B-side"Fish Tank", "Black Crocodiles"
ReleasedMay 1985
RecordedSydney, 1985
GenreNew wave
Length4:08
LabelVirgin Records
Songwriter(s)Deborah Conway, Dorland Bray, Helen Carter, Stephen Philip
Producer(s)Gavin MacKillop
Do-Ré-Mi singles chronology
"Man Overboard"
(1985)
"Idiot Grin"
(1986)

"Man Overboard" is a song by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi recorded in 1982 for the EP The Waiting Room. The song was re-recorded in 1985 and released in May 1985 as the lead single from the group's debut studio album, Domestic Harmony.[1][2] 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.[3][4]

The song is the first Australian hit to include lyrics referring to anal humour, penis envy and pubic hair;[1] it also had no chorus.[5][6][7] The single version was produced and engineered by Gavin McKillop.[1]

At the 1985 Countdown Music Awards, the song won Best Debut Single.[8]

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, "There was a real hit-maker mentality ... people would say 'It can't be a hit – it doesn't have a chorus... You're talking about pubic hair, oh my God!'"[9]

Track listing

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All tracks were written by Deborah Conway, Dorland Bray, Helen Carter and Stephen Philip.[3]

  1. "Man Overboard" – 4:08
  2. "Fish Tank" – 2:43
  3. "Black Crocodiles" – 3:12

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for "Man Overboard"
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10][11] 5

Year-end charts

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Year-end chart performance for "Man Overboard"
Chart (1985) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 42

Personnel

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Do-Ré-Mi members

  • Dorland Bray – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Helen Carter – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Deborah Conwaylead vocalist
  • Stephen Philip – guitar

Cover versions

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References

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  1. ^ a b c McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Do-Ré-Mi'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Archived from the original on 30 September 2004. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
  2. ^ Nimmervoll, Ed. "Do-Ré-Mi". HowlSpace – The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Australasian Performing Right Association". APRA. Archived from the original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2008. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. MAN OVERBOARD
  4. ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "Do-Ré-Mi". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Long Way to the Top article on Helen Carter". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  6. ^ "Deborah Conway Official website". Deborah Conway. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  7. ^ Harris, Anna (30 January 2004). "Deborah Conway – still alive and brilliant". Archived from the original on 14 May 2006. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  8. ^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  9. ^ "Helen Carter video interview for Long Way to the Top". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  10. ^ a b "Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 23 January 2023 – via Imgur.
  11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 91. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.