What’s The Matter With You
Neil Finn
What’s the matter with you?
Look down on everything we do
I really wonder if you see today like I do
What’s the matter with you?
What’s the matter with you?
You don’t look cool in shades of blue
I really wonder if you see today like I do
What’s the matter with you?
When I got up today I felt so much brighter
My head was swimming with delight and I told her
But she said “What’s so good about today?”
And she walked away
She’s down in the dumps without a reason why
What’s the matter with you?
Look down on everything we do
I really wonder if you see today like I do
What’s the matter with you?
Gonna keep an eye on you, I’ll be your dictator
So you better buck up or I’ll deal with you later
So beat the drum and let the trumpet blow
You gotta let go
In the heat of the moment you reap what you sow
What’s the matter with you?
Look down on everything we do
I really wonder if you see today like I do
What’s the matter with you?
The worried look that’s on your face makes you older
You realise that things have never been better
Yes sir, the weather’s clear
There’s Eskimos, in summer clothes
I don’t suppose you’d like to laugh with me
What’s the matter with you?
You look down on everything we do
I really wonder if you see today like I do
What’s the matter with you?
Song appears on:
Split Enz - True Colours - album, 1980
Live: Fangradio webcast, 23 May 2020
“What’s The Matter With You - I love that song. It reminded me of a 60s Beatles song, or someone said at the time The Hollies. That song had a fabulous energy. We decided to do it as a duet with Tim singing the choruses and Neil singing the verses. When we went to do the vocals, I felt it sounded flat - it wasn’t really kicking. I realised that what Tim was singing was very comfortable for him, and what Neil was singing was very comfortable for him in the verses. So I asked them to switch what they were doing and have Tim sing the verses and Neil sing the choruses. At first it was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do that because that’s out of my range.’ I said ‘Great! Let’s try it out’.
It really pushed their vocals, but it had so much more passion and energy and came through with more tension in the song.”
