Splitz Enz: I Got You

Some of my international friends won’t understand my placing Split Enz single “I Got You” in the bubbling under category for this Saturday; however, the answer is simple. While this single was a number one record in Australia and the band’s home country of New Zealand, it only peaked at #53 in 1980. I’m not sure where I heard this song first, but it probably wasn’t played on the radio here. I may have heard it in this little record store in Barboursville, WV that carried the most interesting records.

Come to think of it, I may have just purchased it based on a whim – I would do that with singles as it wasn’t a big investment. I remember buying it in Barboursville back before the Huntington Mall opened. I got it home, placed it on the turntable and loved every minute of it. It still holds up 31 years later. Several of the members of Split Enz went on to form Crowded House – another band that I liked in the 80s. In fact, when I was younger and had a much higher range, I used to sing their hit “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”

“I Got You” has great synthesizer work by Eddie Raynor and Neil Finn’s guitar reminds me of Elliot Easton of The Cars. Tim Finn sang lead on this one and his brother Neil added the backup vocals. It’s music literally from the other side of the world.

I am not sure if their LP “True Colors” was the first album to be released with multiple covers; however, if it isn’t, it probably is the one that had the most covers – nine to be exact. I am told that it was the first album that came with laser etched vinyl. There were several releases in the early eighties that copied this technique. It was quite unique and beautiful to behold. I’m a sucker for weird shaped, colored, and etched vinyl – so yes, I have a copy of the LP.