Nature’s Best? 30 Great New Zealand Songs

Welcome back for the 4th and final episode of my run through of New Zealand’s 30 greatest pop songs – today we look at the final 6 songs. If you missed them, the first three installments are part 1, part 2, and part 3.

#6 – Sway – Bic Runga (1997)
I have mixed feelings on ‘Sway’ from Christchurch’s queen of pop – on one hand, it’s a good song, and remains arguably Runga’s best known, featuring on the American Pie soundtrack. But I find the arrangements of Runga’s first album dull. So I’ve chosen another Runga song instead – ‘Winning Arrow’, from 2005’s Birds. OUT.

Replace with:
Winning Arrow – Bic Runga (2005)
It’s perhaps a less memorable song, but ‘Winning Arrow’ is a more interesting record with a full sound. It features guest appearances from other notable New Zealand musicians who’ve already featured on this list – Neil Finn is on piano, Trinity Root’s Riki Gooch on drums, and Anika Moa and Shayne Carter on backing vocals.

#5 – Six Months in a Leaky Boat – Split Enz (1982)
I often find Tim Finn inconsistent as a songwriter, but outside his early collaborations with Phil Judd, this is his best moment. From Split Enz’s later, pop-oriented period, ‘Six Months in a Leaky Boat’ is a tale of Finn’s nervous breakdown, framed with nautical metaphors. It was famously banned by the BBC as its release coincided with the Falklands War. IN. 

4. Counting the Beat – The Swingers (1981)
After leaving Split Enz in 1977, Phil Judd fronted this infectious new wave ditty with its distinctive descending bass line. It’s great, but since I’m only allowed one Judd song, I’m opting for an early Split Enz tune. OUT.

Replace with:
Sweet Dreams – Split Enz (1976)
Split Enz’s early phase was their most creative, and this Judd written and fronted effort is my favourite, even if something like ‘Spellbound’ or ‘Late Last Night’ might be the canonical choice. Their costumes and make up must have been a shock – perhaps ahead of their time for New Zealand, they famously finished second to last in a National TV talent quest in 1973.

#3 – Loyal – Dave Dobbyn (1988)
‘Loyal’ is a great song and great guitar riff that drags a little at close to five minutes –  and ‘Whaling’ is already taken my Dobbyn choice. OUT. If only there was a replacement that rhymed with “Loyal”….

Replace with:
Royals – Lorde (2013)
Barely out of her teens, Lorde’s already vying with Crowded House for the highest international profile of any New Zealand musical act. ‘Royals’ is the only New Zealand song to go to number one on the US charts.

#2 – Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House (1986)
Neil Finn has written a lot of great songs, but I agree with the list voters that ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ is one of his best. Even though the lyrics are universal, and the organ solo is reminiscent of Procol Harum’s ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’, there’s a key New Zealand element – Neil Finn’s rhythm guitar employs the percussive “Maori strum”. Neil Finn later wrote that he regretted not putting “Hey now” in the title, and that it might have turned a US #2 hit into a #1. IN.

#1 – “Nature” – Fourmyula (1969)
The 1960s were a key time for the maturation of pop music in other countries but produced little of note in New Zealand. The Fourmyula were a covers band live, and never played ‘Nature’ live in the 1960s, but Wayne Mason’s charming piece of psychedelic pop still reached #1 on the New Zealand chart. IN.

And here’s my final list of 30 Great New Zealand Songs (limited to one song per writer, presented chronologically):
Blue Smoke – Pixie Williams & The Ruru Karaitiana Quartet (1949)
Nature – Fourmyula (1969)
Sweet Dreams – Split Enz (1976)
April Sun in Cuba – Dragon (1977)
Six Months in a Leaky Boat – Split Enz (1982)
French Letter – Herbs (1982/1995)
Victoria – Dance Exponents (1982)
Whaling – DD Smash (1983)
Poi E – Patea Maori Club (1984)
Pink Frost – The Chills (1984)
Husband House – Sneaky Feelings (1985)
Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House (1986)
(Glad I’m) Not a Kennedy – Shona Laing (1986)
She Speeds – Straitjacket Fits (1987)
Not Given Lightly – Chris Knox (1989)
Down In Splendour – Straitjacket Fits (1990)
Hold Me 1 – Able Tasmans (1990)
System Virtue – Emma Paki (1993)
Scorpio Girls – Supergroove (1993)
Anchor Me by The Mutton Birds (1994)
Chains – DLT featuring Che Fu (1996)
Jailhouse 4.00am by The Verlaines (1997)
Jesus I Was Evil – Darcy Clay (1997)
Home Again – Shihad (1997)
Screems From Tha Old Plantation – King Kapisi (2000)
Winning Arrow – Bic Runga (2005)
In The Morning – Anika Moa (2005)
Home, Land, and Sea – Trinity Roots (2005)
It’s Choade My Dear – Connan Mockasin (2010)
Royals – Lorde (2013)

Making a list of 30 New Zealand songs was a fun exercise. Like the original list, mine is weighted towards the 1980s and 1990s – perhaps justifiably, but there are probably a few great new acts out there that I’m yet to catch with. There were plenty of artists that I enjoy that I couldn’t fit – significant Flying Nun bands like The Clean and The Bats were unlucky to miss out, and I also enjoy albums from artists like Ed Cake and Phoenix Foundation, but couldn’t pick out individual songs to include. Probably the unluckiest omission from my list was this 1997 hit – it’s infectious and distinctively Pasifika New Zealand, but I’m a little burnt out on it:

Thanks for reading! Did I omit one of your favourite New Zealand songs?

This post is part of the collaborative blog series on compilations organised by Vinyl Connection.