The Whitlams - Blow Up The Pokies (Official Video)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- Blow up The Pokies released 1999, from the album Love This City.
Remixed 2017, for the 'Best of' album Truth Beauty and a Picture of You.
It's a strange fact that our only commercial hit is essentially a protest song. It was played all
around the country in 2000, and one regional network would back announce its title as 'I
Wish I' so as not to offend local sponsors.
After watching the local live music scene contract in the mid 90s due to poker machines,
and then seeing our founding member Andy Lewis succumb to their allure, I penned this
story of a musician playing the pokies where a few years before, at the same spot, he was
playing his instrument.
I had gambling on my mind because Andy, who didn't play in the band anymore, had just
made me a bookcase and delivered it to my house by bus. The pokies had
managed to make everything hard work for him.
After this album was released Andy ended his life after putting a week’s wages in the pokies.
I was in Canada on my way to remix this very song in Los Angeles. When I got to the studio
on Sunset Blvd I decided to sing it again as well as re-record the piano, to improve on the
album version. The next day when it was being mixed I sat in the piano room and wrote
“The Curse Stops Here”.
Words and music by Tim Freedman, Greta Gertler Gold
Produced and engineered by Daniel Denholm at Festival and 301 Studios, Sydney.
Mixed by Jack Joseph Puig at Oceanway Studio, L.A.
Vocal, piano - Tim Freedman
Guitar - Mark Punch
Chorus guitar - Ben Fink
Backing vocals - Lara Goodridge
Bass - Alex Hewitson
Drums - Terepai Richmond
Strings arranged and conducted by Daniel Denholm
Follow The Whitlams
Tour Dates - www.bandsintow...
Website - thewhitlams.com/
Facebook - / thewhitlamsofficial
Instagram - / thewhitlams.official
Spotify - open.spotify.c...
Tour dates - thewhitlams.co...
Official merchandise - merchfan.co/co...
#thewhitlams #whitlams #blowupthepokies #pokies
LYRICS
There was the stage, two red lights and a dodgy P.A.
You trod the planks way back then
And it's strange that you're here again, here again
And I wish I, wish I knew the right words
To make you feel better, walk out of this place
Defeat them in your secret battle
Show them you can be your own man again
Don't, don't explain
Lots of little victories take on the pain
It takes so long to earn
You can double up or you can burn, you can burn
And I wish I, wish I knew the right words
To make you feel better, walk out of this place
Defeat them in your secret battle
Show them you can be your own man again
And I wish I, wish I knew the right words
To blow up the pokies and drag them away
'Cause they're taking the food off your table
So they can say that the trains run on time
Flashing lights, it's a real show
And your wife? I wouldn't go home
The little bundles need care
And you can't be a father there, father there
And I wish I, wish I knew the right words
To make you feel better, walk out of this place
Defeat them in your secret battle
Show them you can be your own man again
And I wish I, wish I knew the right words
To blow up the pokies and drag them away
'Cause they're taking the food off your table
So they can say that the trains run on time
Another man there was made the trains run on time
Should do a 2021 version called “Blow up the constant gambling ads during the footy”.
Just did my English assessment about this song, mentioned the fact that those ads fill up the screen and glorify gambling 20 years after this song was released.
Uh yeah I can't stand it, gambling ads all day long, and 10 times as many during the games. Evil leaches.
We still haven't managed to blow up the Pokies... we've got no chance with the sports gambling ads.
Paul Merson (ex English premier league player) just put out a BBC documentary on his gambling addiction. They mention that more than 400 gambling adverts are splashed across the screen during a match. Blow up the pokies
Or blow up The Greens Party HQ
My dad's pokies addiction tore apart my family and sent us crashing into poverty. This song really hits me hard each time i listen to it....
So sorry to hear.... My Dad was the same, but not to that extent. I'm sorry mate.....
My mum spent her $200k super within 2 years at the pokies, as soon as she could get her hands on it. Now she lives on the aged pension and has nothing. She still just says she just needs some 'income", as if the problem isn't that she just spends it all immediately. It's criminal what gambling does to people. I hope you are doing alright for yourself now.
Hope things are better for you now.
I hate it so much. We've lost so many good band pubs just so a handful of booze conglomerates can get rich by bankerupting peoples folks or grandparents.
This song still rips my soul in half after all these years. With a father (who is now estranged for over 20 years, minus three days of brief contact after the first decade) who was/is a chronic gambler, I can feel every plead in this song. We constantly would pack up and move home because of rent refusing to be paid. When I was not even a year old, I was fed on nothing but Weetbix (gifted by a charity org) because he'd put all of both his and my mother's income into the pokies. At 4, I was dragged to gambling venues so he could throw money on the horse races, and after the owners complained I was "too loud", so I was made to stay outside in the street for hours. We were already in poverty (both parents on the disability pension) and he just made it worse. This song brings tears to my eyes every time because of the heartbreak it caused that was one of the foundations of his growing abuse toward me. How The Whitlams are so underappreciated and just a footnote in music because of this song, I will never understand. For me, it is right up there with Everclear's "Wonderful." Both songs sum up the entire first dozen years of my life.
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you've found ways of healing and have support and love around you now.
With you mate, everclear albums were my best friends for a while, and this song hits way to close to home, similar as you, pokies caused alot of poverty, first name basis with sherrifs officers, even got a ride home one day by one of them
my god, what a terrible story, thank you for sharing
No words for this, it's a masterpiece
Couldn't agree more. This guy is most underrated song writer. Sad sad song,
@@stevenroy9558 agreed, Tim Freedman is a genius
So quintessentially Australian and so beautifully written 🙌🏻
@@RstewSurfSkateHistRetro hit the nail on the head mate.
One of the songs that should definitely be played for a larger audience.
Tim must be among the most profound lyricists of our generation.... I wish these guys had a greater global reach, the world could learn so much simply by listening!
Very evocative- i always think of the Sando in Newtown when i hear this.
I hear it was sold again earlier this year, hopefully the new owners will recognise it's value as part of the cultural fabric of
Newtown and resurrect it as pub/ music venue.
Tim is right up there with Paul Kelly as a songwriter - they are both national treasures.
The alternative new song of no aphrodisiac doesn't need the rap section but is what these songs can do to appeal to a wider audience. Because i prefer the newer one but my family like the originals that didn't quite hit the mark with me because the sound stuff matters most to me where as they like lyrics.
I saw them on the weekend doing a 25th anniversary tour of eternal nightcap. He still sounds exactly the same
He's literally a murdering psychopath!
Not often you hear Mussolini referenced this catchily
I really like Sydney, it's a great place to live. But he's right - 23 years on and we still haven't sorted out our society's addiction to these machines. I made the mistake of wandering in to the pokies room just to get out of the cold. It was extremely depressing seeing those zombies just slapping away. Thanks Clubs NSW.
Clubs NSW - the biggest mafia in Australia
Today I wish I could do just that: Blow up the pokies. Love you Tim.
just do it cobba!
Let's fucking do it #FreeTroy
As a father and a working class man, this song always hits hard. Even at the best of times it's hard for many of us to be the type of parent that we would hope to be for our children.
@gpurkeljc - such true and heartfelt words.
Normally songs are about love and relationships and I love that this song is about a subject that doesn't come up a lot in music.....It's saw raw and honest.
"So they can say that the trains run on time" - that line gets me every time. We still say that.
I think you missed the point, If you blow up the pokies, you can not play them any more on the way home from work and spend all the money, and use the excuse the Train's where Late, As you now come straight home and say " that the trains are running on time"
@@MrJaz8088 Also, the government justifies allowing pokies to be everywhere by saying they fund health and transport etc.
@@jimzafiriou7808 it makes sense if "they" is used to mean a "transgender" member of the family who is the only one bringing about the necessary confrontation to the person with the addiction. My parents aren't really drinkers or smokers or drug users but didn't manage finances particularly well even if things were tight. It makes sense wheel the commenter here refers to that as all the excuses the person Congress up with. I love hearing all the intepretations. I can read different meanings into things.
@@MrJaz8088 like Tim could be singing what the Dad says "you can't be a father" to a transgender person who was born female. I can read different meaning into this song if i try to relate it to my life.
@@Lee-nh5bb if they took it up just a notch or i worked on my lowest low note this might be within my range. It would sound better to go up a touch. Maybe the artist who covers no aphrodisiac is doing it on a slightly different spot but if have to go compare. 'Cos i could song along with him.
My son turned 18 in September. He's reached out to me because he's stuck on the pokies. Breaks my heart. I nearly wanna take this songs title literally and do some next level terrorist stuff to pokie venues. I remember when I was younger the Whitlams came to my town and played at a pokie venue and played this song. Most awesome flex ever!!
Thanks for sharing mate. You've done something right if he can confide in you. My brother had a pokie addiction, he went in my room and stole the $50 that my grandma gave me and I kept in my draw that I saved to buy something nice that she'd be happy with. He's got a bunch of other battles still but the Pokies are thankfully not one of them. Blow up the pokies. All the best for your family x
Oh, wow, that was a long time ago when I was working with Groundswell Productions and Paul Brown from The Nightwalkers took me to The Sandringham in Newtown to meet Tim Friedman. It was then that I mentioned what we were endeavouring to do to put live music back on the menu - and mentioned those immortal words "I wish I knew the right words to say, to blow up the pokies and throw them away". Tim asked if he could borrow that line, and I let him.
The thing was that we did achieve the goal from it too, by showing how live music can pay.
Now I have the fledgling London Charm here in London, England, but this time it's more about finding ways for people to just safely meet up in general around the love of the right type of live music played at the right place with the right atmosphere.
IDGAF how many years go by, this song is STILL a goddamn masterpiece and STILL hits me square in the feels.
God damn guys...... I remember this song hit the scene in the year 2000 when I was only 9 going on 10. the radio stations here in Aus absolutely belted this song to hell to the point where I actually got sick of hearing it played... 21 years later finding out the subject matter of the song it's one of the deepest and best Australian songs ever written and it takes me right back to when I was 9-10 years old. A massive throwback that i'm very appreciative of. Thanks a bunch from New South Wales!
I think we must be about the same age and I've just had the same realisation. Didn't mean much to me then as a kid, as an adult it hits hard...
It was so great seeing the boys play the beautifully restored Princess Theatre tonight (March ‘22) - they opened with this song for obvious reasons. It was really special to be there, in that space, a sold-out crowd and that song. Amazing.
The good news to this video...the Princess Theatre in Wooloongabba (Brisbane) where this was shot has now been restored to its former glory, reopened in 2021 as a music arts venue...the Whitlams are playing here 18 March 2022...Can't wait!!!
Every time I hear "the little bundles need care and you can't be a father there" I can't help but tear up.
Right well, I'm 35 and up until this day I didn't even know what the lyrics actually were, let alone wtf this song was about. But learning the lyrics, and finding the truth behind this song has been an incredibley eye opening and relevant subject, to which is still very prominent even today. Wow, Whitties. Out of the ball park!
I came here shocked to find out the Whitlams are not nearly as popular as I imagined them to be.
Remember seeing you guys a decade ago... the hall was filled, I remember Tim sharing his wine with an audience member.... memories...
really, only 3.5k subscribers? There were more people at the concert lol.
This song really touches me, I know too many people who have lost their minds to the pokies...
one of the most under rated social songs of all time.....
Song applies to all addiction. You can’t ‘shine the right words’, to anyone. Cause addiction is about something else. I love this song cause it is honest about the situation addicts are in and how it is dismissed as ‘their’, problem when there is a whole system it holds up.
Great comment. Most of us have some kind of addiction. Of course some are more harmful than others - and some are good at hiding them.
Shine the right words? What?
I wish iwish i knew, sounds like Shine though
Tim Friedman, Paul Kelly and Tim Minchin are the the 21 century what Henry Lawson, CJ Dennis and AB Patterson were to the 20th century. May we know their like again
I absolutely agree with you mat., Paul Kelly ,Richard Clapton, Don Walker and co. document the Australian social landscape with broad brushstrokes, but Tim Freedman has the ability to observe the minute details of everyday life , and transform those into a work of art. Very evocative, and as relevant today as when it was first written .
So true bloody true this song! I wish all pokie machines break down all over the world 🙏😒
Wow, I've listened to this song for years but I'm so glad I stopped by here and finally read the official backstory. Very saddening. I'll always hear this song differently now, thank you for taking the time to tell us the story. RIP Andy.
great song, heard it for first time when I asked God for a sign. Prophetic to say the least.
such a powerful song, i have always rated The Whitlams as one of my favourite Australian bands, it's a CD that gets a lot of use in the car when I'm driving long distances
I played pokies today and walking around the pokies now feeling low and devastated at how horrendous these machines are. They did my head in today and I feel so depressed, ran out of my money on them and I too wish to blow up the pokies. They just make the owners and government richer and the gamblers poorer and sad. I hate the pokies of what they do to people. This song is awesome, thank you to The Whitlams x
awful machines. there's at least one venue within walking distance of anyone who can't afford to play them here and it's disgusting how the hotel lobby groups shroud them in the guise of "protecting jobs" and "supporting communities". utterly revolting. i hope you're doing better these days
@@charleslaw1990 thank you Charles, I appreciate your reply. Yes, Pokies are so disgusting, the government should be ashamed of themselves robbing poor innocent people. I thought I was playing fun games in the beginning, I had no idea it would lead to addiction, yet the sneaky government knew this all along and their justification is the ads on TV and signs in the venues “Gamble Responsibly” Just awful.
this is why australians cant have nukes. you literally have a problem with something called the pokies. i mean, come on.
Dumb comment, African continent doesnt have issues with pokies yet many other problems, I dont know where youre from but please dont say America, you cant comment on this topic.@@Mindstangle
What an absolute underrated masterpiece.
I GIVE THIS SONG THE STATUS OF BEING A MASTERPIECE. JUST FANTASTIC.
20 years after this song we are now close to having gambling reform. This song was a catalyst. Good on yas. In 2003 I walked into a pokies sat down and asked " think about what your doing?" Venue called jacks on me. I was locked for the night. Whitlams inspired me to do that. Now we know more about gambling addiction. Fuck nsw gambling lobby
I wish i never met those stupid machines......love this song and his voice just beautiful xx
What a masterpiece
I love this song.
Amongst their best songs ever.
This is certainly one of the best songs to ever come out of Australia, (in a general consensus kind of way). Oddly not a lot of views.
Still so relevant in Australia. The pokes and Charlie... so fun but so dangerous
I have shoved $2 (australian) into a pokie. Didn't get anything out of it... another stupid computer from my perspective.
@@gorillaau you literally wrote this on a computer... To voice your perspective..And here I am commenting so you get something out of it.
No pokies in pubs or RSL's in WA. Thank god.
@@tonymeman9041 Nope. I wrote that on a tablet or my phone.
@@gorillaau I’ve put $20 through in my whole life but I’ve struggled with other addictions. Gambling appeals to a lot of people and substances / alcohol does too so I never understood it but I get a gambling addict wouldn’t get why I take prescription meds everyday.
Different people have different vices.
Everyone needs a break. A distraction here and there. So if a person runs to get those highs or a person slaps the pokies all night or someone takes pills they know they shouldn’t it’s all different but the same. And it leads to the same place and that’s hell.
Anyway I just think a little empathy could be applied here. You may not understand it but to understand it you have to experience it. So be glad you can’t understand it.
Wish you all the best
Can't remember when the last time I heard this song but at 3.30am a random memory of a couple of words of the song and Google got me here. Great song
❤❤Thanks Tim .. forwarding vid to problem gambler mates
They should so make a jukebox musical with their repertoire! Such immersive storytelling in these songs, I feel like its translate beautifully to the stage
Doctors lose patients. Tim can reach people and should have another go at this sort of thing. People need to be confronted sometimes when their addictions have started to have an impact on others. I know people who need to be confronted about some of their antics actually love this band. I think his talent might be his way with words. I am not very successful at confronting others. In a situation with a gambler maybe a better team effort helps. What does everyone think? I don't like coddling people, i like people to have their freedom. Are we doing enough to support problem gamblers away from their problem behaviours in the community?
This made me cry. A beautiful and important song
this has to be one of the Whitlams most underrated songs
I am aware this song is a little old now, and that there are multiple versions out there on RUclips. But It still saddens me that this video has been viewed people in the thousands, whereas a lot of other songs out there have been viewed in the billions.
An ode to the many afflicted by pokie misery.great Aussie song.
Jeez! This song and the story of Andy that's behind it makes my heart so heavy. I had a father who drove my family to ruin with his gambling addiction. While he bet on the horses rather than the pokies I can relate to a lot of the sentiment in the song.
My heart goes out to those battling addictions of any type and to their loved ones who are suffering the most.
Take care of each other ❤️
I heard it first on the ABC radio.A kind of anthem for those going through secret battles. I won mine.
I went to the (what was known as) Harbord Diggers today. Massive redevelopment and apartments on that beautiful waterfront land. I kept thinking, "My grandpa paid for this." Would have pumped half a mil in the pokies I'd say.
I worked in a Diggers club in the western suburbs for 16 years,the pokies just bleed people dry of their savings,happiness,life and well being.You see all these adds about clubs and every one is happy and laughing,and having a good time ,what a misleading crock load of shit!.They say (clubs,that is),how much they do for the community,that statement is reprehensible,what they take off people,and what they give back to the community,has got a mile wide gap in it.I experienced so many people destroying their life with the pokies,unable to pay for rent,bills,food,and having a normal grip on life.It breeds depression among the pokie addicts,and the bloody clubs know it,giving free food and drinks at the machines so people dont leave their seat.They are criminally responsible these clubs.I am so glad that I dont work in a club any more.I never eat at clubs,never go to clubs,they are just SHIT!,with the covid19,going on at the moment,and the clubs not being able to open,I bet that many,many,many people would b e saving an absolute fortune!
I watched a good mate of mine chase the last of his rent money into one of those bloody machines
I'll hear about a grandmother (looking after her grandkids), piss all the pension money on the pokies, and I'll get a call for a loan (she never pays back) or to at least feed the kids. Been kicked out of multiple homes (not paying rent), and yet she still gets tons of assistance from welfare eg. TV, fridge, furniture etc. (brand new) not charity. Have no idea how she dodges the welfare checks on the kids, or why they won't listen to the kids, eventually it got to the point where the kids would come to my place for a feed, until I moved further away, and now all the kids are junkies or in jail. It doesn't just effect the individual, it destroys the family.
This song just burst in2 my head after 20 yrs. Cool to know the backstory. 20 year delay earworm...
What a story. Rest in peace, Andy.
And I wish I wish I
knew the right words.
To make you feel better
walk out of this place.
And defeat them in your
secret battle.
Show them you can be
your own man again.
Still gets to me after all these years, bittersweet memories.
This song is timeless
I might be 16 but this song is so good👍
RIP the two members of The Whitlams
Stevie Plunder (August 15, 1963 - January 25, 1996), aged 32
Andy Lewis (June 16, 1966 - February 12, 2000), aged 33
You both will always be remembered as legends.
Loved this track when living in Sydney 20 yrs ago, still sounds great
Great song with an important message. Blow them up indeed!
This is Australia. I miss it. 😢
Such a great song and so glad you've shared the powerful story behind it
this song brings back sad memeories for me but a very good song my x used to be at the pokies all the time and we had two beautifull boys he spent all of his money there at the pokies i still love this song though its 2021 im 60 now
Personally painful memories of my father. Poignant song.Gambling reform is desperately needed in Oz.
i remember all the pub gigs i went to and now they are pokie machine venues, hate those bloody machines!!!
I love you guys. Thank you so much ! You make Australia proud.
Such a brilliant, moving song!
2021 still lives on
Such an amazing song, such a tragic story..
In my country, we lose more money on gambling than any other country on Earth. It's worse than heroin.
The state governments are the ones who needs to break their addiction to gambling revenue.
@@bentleighboy Add the AFL, NRL and all the clubs to the list.
if you need pokies to stay open then you need to shut.
@@trevorconnor6623 they need to address the other sort of gambler more like pumped up kicks or with the "music is a dr" vibe but giving a different message to hook into the positive mood. I imagine this album achieved that a little bit with the hamburger song in that it is probably unrealistic about expectations like the hopeful gambler. Mum chucked out a bunch of important things of my Dad's belongings perhaps in relation to unrelated matters and so you'd be right to steer clear of home.
I always appreciated this track and the sentament behind it - I remember the times when things started to change in the live music scene due to ...... Now I read from the songwriter themself the story and it resonates well.. Thank you for sharing.
This song just holds a special place in my heart.
I wish I knew the right words to blow up the bookies.
I can remember a time where love music was the thing,80sand early 90s were great...and no the trains still don't run on time
One of the best Aussie songs made political,but reaches deep into your chest n really sums up the feelings we all get from the flashing lights n so think of what your really gambling with you'll feel better walk out of that place ,gambling is an addiction an affliction a horrible way to rob our elderly n those who are or have an addictive nature they cater to that by making you feel like your liked n U arnt it's your hard earned so take the step towards freedom n I hope this song reaches out to all who've experienced loss n tragedy cause of these evil machines it's a shame but blow up those pokies n walk aw ay
@ 3.42 lovely Sydney architecture on display here. Late Victorian residences alongside a superb Art deco red brick industrial building circa early 1930s.
Annandale?
The white building in the middle is the Princess theater in Brisbane. But I don't think the neighbouring buildings are there. Must be added in
I remember when this song was released in 2000. Originally I thought it was just a cheeky jab at how lame the pokies were. Had no idea it had such a sad back story to it.
This song was hitting the airwaves around the time I was finishing high school and it helped keep me away from those infernal machines. I didn’t want to find out the hard way that I was susceptible to their influence. Just today I heard from someone who has been playing them and has been keeping his losses small and self contained (his claim) while a friend of his is sinking even more money into them and is deeply hooked. I feel bad for both of them and hope they seek help to put an end to that particular past time before it costs them any further
Is that the Princess Theater in Brisbane?
Wait, is this the first official music video for this song? Finally?? ❤️❤️❤️😍😍😍
"ANYONE WHO CAN COUNT MATHS WHILE DISTRACTED BY LOSING THEIR MONEY IS A LOOKER!"!! !
I was just thinking about how we should blow up all the pokies and so had to revisit this song
Great song great clip too
The pokies are evil! Keep fighting the battle!
Thanks for bringing the problem into the face of Australia.
Here at the end of 2021, remembering listening to this when I was little driving through the Dandenongs with my parents, listening to Magic693. Never forget that
Known a couple of people have their lives completely derailed due to these evil machines. Drinking or drugs didn’t play a part, just pokies. But Australian’s just accept it. Mobile phone gambling apps and the constant Ladbrokes, Sportsbet ads etc are making things even worse.
What A Great Idea 💡They called me a Loser hey Tim, then booted me out. I’d had one drink only 😂
And I wish, wish I knew the right words to make you feel better walk out of this place and defeat them in your secret battle, show them you can be your own man again.
😢 A place we meet but never socialize and it's even easier these days 😢
2022. Still one of my favorites.
In the video description, you say that, "Blow up the pokies", was the Whitlams only commercially successful song.
"No aphrodisiac", wasn't commercially successful?
I've read it sold 80,000 copies and from what I remember, that qualifies as a platinum record.
Such an underrated song
Such a underrated murderer you mean? Don't be lazy, Google it!
@@aaronmcdonaldfulthose theory’s have been debunked. Don’t call me lazy you cunt
@bbcsoaphistorian123
Nope, far from under rated per the video comments from the band. Rather, it's been a commercial success for them.
I tried to put more food on my table with a BIG RED 5 croc feat in a feat, lost everything unfortunately because I didn't take this these lyrics to heart at first.
You are a legend Tim and I wish this song was used more to advocate a ban on gambling and more so the pokies than any other form of it.
Covid blew up the pokies 💥
Covid forced gamblers online. Which is probably worse as it's even less social than at a venue.
"a man has as many masters, as he has vices".....Saint Augustine.
i have to evaluate on this for my English class
Blow up the push buttons!!!!!
Every parent in 1999 wishing their kids would stop talking about Pokemon nonstop be like...
Still so pertinent!
jordies brought me here
Vale Andy Lewis.
All NRL grubs (players officials sponsors and every other stooge in the background) should watch this video and spare a thought for those who committed suicide and left children behind with no explanation while you earn your blood money. Your are all a disgrace.
Pub Choir brought me here 🥰
When the clock strikes midnight and Sydney’s lockdown ends for the vaccinated, one of the very first things to resume normal transmission will be the flashing lights and festive sounds of the pokies at 12.01am.
I can see myself in this song. Different vice.
More meaningful song when as a child your parents did gamble