Beautiful People (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Beautiful People


Caption =
Artist = Australian Crawl
from Album = The Boys Light Up
A-side = "Beautiful People"
B-side = "Man Crazy"
Released = August, 1979
Format = 7" Vinyl Single
Recorded = AAV Studios (Melbourne, Victoria)
Genre = Pop/Rock
Length = 2:56
Label = EMI
Writer = James Reyne, Mark Hudson
Producer = David Briggs
Certification =
Last single =
This single = "Beautiful People"
(1979)
Next single = "The Boys Light Up"
(1980)
Misc =

"Beautiful People" is the 1979 [cite web |title=Rate Your Music entry on "Beautiful People" |url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/australian_crawl/beautiful_people___man_crazy |accessdate=2008-03-02 ] debut single released by Australian rock band Australian Crawl and later appeared on their debut album "The Boys Light Up" (1980). The song was written by James Reyne and Mark Hudson,cite web |url=http://www.apra.com.au/site/public/searchworksresult.stm |title=Australasian Performing Right Association |publisher=APRA|accessdate=2008-03-05 ] former bandmates.cite web |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/a/australiancrawl.html |title=Australian Rock Database entry on Australian Crawl |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-03-06 ]

Australian Crawl caught the attention of Little River Band’s guitarist David Briggs, who helped them to a recording contract with EMI and produced their first single.cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop |url=http://www.informationbrasil.com.br/diversao/musica/biografias/AUSTRALIAN%20CRAWL.doc |format=doc |last=McFarlane |first=Ian |authorlink= Ian McFarlane |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=1999 |isbn=1-86448-768-2 |accessdate=2008-03-01] "Beautiful People" was released in August, 1979 and peaked at #22 on the Australian Singles Chart.cite book |title=Australian Chart Book 1970-1992 |format=doc |last=Kent |first=David |authorlink= David Kent|publisher=Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6 |accessdate=2008-02-19]

The song satirised the vacuous elite of mid-1970s Melbourne's Toorak society:

In 1975, Reyne was living in South Yarra, Victoria whilst attending Monash University and playing drums for Archie Slammit and the Doors.cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/27/1093518069546.html |title=Songs of Melbourne |publisher="The Age" |last=Carney |first=Shaun |coauthors=Jeff Jenkins, Michael Dwyer, Chris Beck, Martin Flanagan, Alan Attwood |date=2004-08-28 |accessdate=2008-03-18 ]

"The Making of "Beautiful People" (1979) was a mini-documentary broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) TV pop show "Countdown" and featured Geoff Cox (later hosted "Coxy's Big Break") guiding the audience from the studio sessions to the pressing of the 7" vinyl and finishing with Australian Crawl's performance on "Countdown".

The Crawl made a memorable debut on "Countdown" performing "Beautiful People" as Reyne appeared with both arms encased in plaster. He had been hit by a car in Swanston St, Melbourne breaking bones in both wrists, an episode chronicled in the song "Indisposed". [ cite web |url=http://www.countdown.com.au/the_music.asp?Page=&ArtistID=28 |title=Countdown Club entry on Australian Crawl |publisher=ABC |accessdate=2008-03-02 ] Although "Beautiful People" only reached #22, it remains one of their most popular songs.cite web |url=http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/music/2007countdown/the_countdown.html |title=Triple M's Essential 2007 Countdown |publisher=Triple M |accessdate=2008-03-02 ]

Track listing

#"Beautiful People" (James Reyne, Mark Hudson) - 2:56
#"Man Crazy" (Reyne) - 3:40

Charts

References