cargo

Men At Work recorded their second album quickly but kept it in storage while their debut continued to dominate charts around the world.  The sessions for 'Cargo' took place during the summer of 1982 and were produced by Peter McIan with Greg Ham on flute, keyboards, saxophone, background vocals, and lead vocals; Colin Hay on guitar, lead vocals, and synclavier; Johnathan Rees on bass and background vocals; Jerry Speiser on drums and background vocals; and Ron Strykert on guitar, background vocals, and lead vocals.  

With the massive success of 'Business As Usual'  the band was convinced to keep their new album on the shelf while the debut was making waves in the UK and the US.    Hay considers:    "We actually released 'Who Can It Be Now?' and then I think we released 'Down Under' and then 'Overkill' and then 'It's A Mistake'. But to me, they weren't that different at all, really. People's perceptions of other people's songs are very different. To me, all music is political in one way or another, either obviously or not so obviously. But 'It's A Mistake' was a very 'Dr. Strangelove' kind of thing. Men At Work were sugar-coated in lots of ways. In another light we were more subversive than a lot of people gave us credit for...I think we made the classic mistake of releasing 'Cargo' too soon in America. But, we were being loyal to all our fans. We'd been loyal to our Australian fans 'cause our first album had been out for a long time. We felt we should release the second album because people wanted it. "

Ham said at the time:   "I think that the basis of the success of our music is that the melodies that are in the songs are a universal thing.  I think that's the important thing about music is melodies that people can remember and sing along and that's the essence of the best songs that we've got." 

'Cargo' was conveyed to number eight in Sweden and the UK, four in Norway, three in the US, two in New Zealand, and number one in Australia.  It has been certified triple platinum in Australia, Canada, and the US.  







http://www.colinhay.com/







"Overkill"  hit number thirty in Germany, twenty-four in New Zealand, twenty-one in the UK, fifteen in the Netherlands, nine in Ireland, five in Australia and Norway, and number three in the US.  







"It's a Mistake" made it to number forty-three in New Zealand, thirty-four in Australia, thirty-three in the UK, nineteen in Germany, eleven in Ireland, and six in the US.  





"Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive"  went to number thirty-one in the UK, twenty-eight in the US, twenty-five in Ireland, sixteen in New Zealand, and number six in Australia.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc0hplwgNtI





"High Wire"    
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vlSPRtZpQg



"Blue for You"  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6ebaWdDys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqSBmqcfV6Q









'Cargo'
full album:





All tracks written by Colin Hay except as noted.


1. "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" 4:38
2. "Overkill" 3:47
3. "Settle Down My Boy"  Ron Strykert 3:31
4. "Upstairs in My House" Hay, Strykert 4:03
5. "No Sign of Yesterday"  6:15
6. "It's a Mistake" 4:34
7. "High Wire" 3:02
8. "Blue for You" 3:55
9. "I Like To" Strykert 4:03
10. "No Restrictions" 4:31