Strait Old Line
"Strait Old Line" is a 1983 song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz from their second last studio album Conflicting Emotions. It was written by Neil Finn and released as the album's lead single on 28 October 1983.[1]
| "Strait Old Line" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Split Enz | ||||
| from the album Conflicting Emotions | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Genre | Pop, rock | |||
| Length | 4:03 | |||
| Label | Mushroom Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Neil Finn | |||
| Split Enz singles chronology | ||||
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Although the single cracked the Top 20 in the band's native New Zealand, it was a rare chart failure in Australia, not even reaching the Top 40. This was particularly surprising given the huge success of the previous year's Time and Tide album and its singles, and the more recent Top 10 placing of Tim Finn's Escapade album.
Neil Finn described the song as, "about ambition, temptation, being distracted, following your nose and not letting anything get in your way".[2]
In order to achieve the slow motion effect in the music video, the band members mimed with their instruments while the song was played back at double speed.
Track listing
Released as 7" vinyl record in Australia, New Zealand, and Holland.
- "Strait Old Line" - 4:03
- "Parasite" - 3:37
Personnel
- Neil Finn - vocals, guitar, piano
- Tim Finn - vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
- Noel Crombie - vocals, percussion, drums
- Nigel Griggs - vocals, bass
- Eddie Rayner - keyboards and machines
Notes
- Stuart Metchett (November 1983). "Allz Well that Enz Well". Countdown Magazine. Vol. 2 no. 3.
- Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W. (1993). ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "New Zealand Charts". Retrieved 2010-11-11.