Coconut Rough - Sierra Leone

[bitzdirtycreature]

i dont think this was released where i am (the uk) but i'm damn pleased i came across it - fantastic song

[TheNouveauxdecadence]

Completely legendary track. So immaculate. Over the many years I have listened to this track, every time I listen to it it's like a new experience every time. So full of energy and passion. I love you Early 80s +

[arawhaable]

Hi I was a bouncer at the Quins Post inupper hutt in the 80s choice times.

[Rebalnz]

lol nothing like the dubstep remix how the hell did they get that from this? 

[LesboPonyArmageddon]

@Rebalnz They didn't, the dubstep "sierra leone" is a totally irrelevant song. Both are awesome ^^

[evervoorst1038]

Thumbs u if you cam from the dub step version.

[mattymnz]

Epic song. It should re-released.

[blairomatic]

1983, not 1985.

[KingslyKross]

0:23 I'm so stoned man...

[Vixnn]

Im still looking for him, apparently he lives in Auckland now... There is a myspace page dedicated to them too...

haha were we not all underaged drinking... a 2 dollar bottle of marquevue wine did the trick lol

[MrGoodguyNZ]

I snuck into see them at the DBO Onerahi in Whangarei when I was 13. It rocked!!

[Vixnn]

Andrew the singer used to live at mine :)

[okiedokies]

@Vixnn They played at our school social in 83? 84? or 85?... can't remember.. was sozzled anyway.. underage drinking Tut Tut... heh.

[ThatHauntFreak]

Heard this on The Jaquie Brown Diaries. lol Love that show.

[tiarekhalo]

Awesome. haven't heard this in ages

[lunarguitars]

Nigel Latta on guitar and Billy T James on bass - this was a NZ superband - just needed Bruno Lawrence on drums - I'm joking by the way - but - I love the fade out on this song with the guitar doing a sort of sporadic solo - bit like on the Narcs "Heart and Soul".

[Dynamicdan84]

Just discovered this song on the Jaquie Brown Diaries the other day.  Love it

[novalee66]

19 years old, in a nightclub underage, Yes I love it, what fab Memories. Love NZ. Now I believe the drinking age in NZ is 18.

[jonnytt1]

very gay running scene.

[jonnytt1]

You my friend are a second hand vomit bag

[ffoulkes]

I always wondered what Nigel Latta did before he became a shrink!

[WestAucksNZ]

some please correct me if im wrong,..... but im pretty sure coconut rough opened for u2 at the logan campbell centre back in early-mid 80's..... i was there as young teenager slightly intoxicated....

what a classic NZ track...love it!!!

[starquant]

The New Zealand NAVY NEVER went to the FALKLANDS !!!. I did not say they did. I SAID that they relieved BRITISH ships that were in AFRICA, so that those vessels could then in turn GO TO THE FALKLANDS, Read my comment again. You just made an ASS out of yourself.

[blairomatic]

@starquant I don't think this song had anything to do with a NZ warship 'marooned' off the coast of Africa.

It's a nice analogy though.

I think the song is about a relationship being in a 'desert'.

[starquant]

@blairomatic a Utopian's thought and I can tell that only a KIWI made it. GAWD I would so love to give you a big HUG. My advice is this: travel, travel, travel.

[BananaBoloz]

wow! we use to do Aerobics to this song when i was in primary school. lol

never knew it was a kiwi song, this is awesome

[Majorcheks]

@BananaBoloz

You didn't happen to go to Mt Eden Normal Primary School did you? We did as well...Jazzercise, I think they called it...lol!

[bmibiketrial]

@BananaBoloz wasn't glenview primary in Hamilton was it? i remember the same thing, hated the song for years cause of that, also used to have to do aerobics to dave dobbyn outlook for thursday.

[MrWideopenthrottle]

@bmibiketrial yeah we did the kiwi aerobics down in the manawatu also- was Maxine one of them also...hated those songs from it- appreciate them now. and no mt eden's version sounds nothing like it. good thouhg.

[bmibiketrial]

@MrWideopenthrottle I believe we did do it to maxine. I thought it had scarred me for life...but the love of good kiwi music came thru!!

[mckayrj]

this was my friend Chris's favourite song growing up

[emailryanreid]

whats the significance of sierra leone in this song?

[starquant]

The year this song was made was the time of the Falklands war. New Zealand sent HMS Canterbury to relieve British Ships that were sent to the Falkland Islands. The HMS Canterbury ended up in Sierra Leone and Djbouti and other places that seemed a long way from home and extremely foreign to the kiwi sailors onboard the vessel. I believe this track has a correlation to this event. The Ship was gone for nearly a year if I remember correctly. Hope this helps.

[babcorp]

@starquant

Incorrect. In an interview he said it was about his girlfriends sister at the time who was visiting Africa and he was always baling her out of trouble.

[starquant]

@babcorp If you go back and read what it said.... it says and I quote: " This was the year......". I never said it as a statement of fact...OK?.

[stockcar269s]

@starquant For starters HMNZS Canterbury F421 and HMNZS Waikato F55 were the 2 frigates used to help out in the Armilla patrol. New Zealand was the only Country to put her hand up and ask the UK if they wanted help. Both Canterbury and Waikato did indeed visit Djibouti on the Eastern side of Africa but did not visit Sierra Leone which is on the Western Side. Both NZ Frigates only Patrolled the Indian Ocean. I hope this clarifies your statement from an ex RNZN Engineer

[starquant]

@stockcar269s thank you, it does. BTW who are you. I prolly know you.

[Milliusism]

That's a sexy keyboard intro, backbone of the song really. Stuart Pearce on keys.

[dnztnt]

this is a nz rock classic its like sorta dark n shit luv the beat

[Pippyman123]

the best nz 1 hit wonder

[Fidotux]

anger management perhaps?

[snortmanfanclub]

Want Ya Fucking Go Mate

I'll Rip Ya fucking Balls Out

[snortmanfanclub]

Harden the fuck up

I'll fucking smash ya

[siasti]

OK. You erased your comment so I'll erase mine. By the way, I'm a black belt in both judo and jiu-jitsu so you may have trouble "smashing me"...

[Bogwire]

snortmanfanclub, I'm ashamed if you are a Kiwi.

Fuck off wanker

[mumpty]

I saw this at 4am on John Torv's Music video in `85.... takes me back (snifff) oh where oh where have all the years gone!

[lunarguitars]

@mumpty I hear ya - very nostalgic.

[hamishr]

The zenith of the 80's synthpop sound... in some ways ahead of their time. To bad their record company pulled the pin on them before they got another hit out the door. Wonder if they're still involved in music business?

[okiedokies]

I saw someone comment that they moved on to doing stuff for midnight oil. Someone really should see if they can put together a concert of all these old bands even if they just do their hit song. The "big reunion fest".

[saanzacs]

Like the tapa sequence at the end!!!!!

[LanceCorporate]

LOL - Love that background shot at 00:45 - so obviously Desert Road not Africa!

[ElectricRay]

It may be an unkind myth - but it does have a ring of credibility - that the lyricist from Coconut Rough was inspired to write this song not by a visit to the wilds of darkest Africa but because his sister was called Leonie...

[zainisco]

that was a good one.{talking about your comment}he was not singing about the country itself,because there is no desert in S/L or freezing night.

[BringBackTheEighties]

Kiwi pop music at its finest. Classic!!

[LanceCorporate]

Wow - this takes me waaaaaaaay back. When I was a kid in chch i had no idea these guys were kiwis - just one more ace band on RTR!

Does anyone else remember those torturous weeks when Maggei (by Foster and Allen) was #1? Scared me for life...

[okiedokies]

Hey, I saw this band live at my school social - how great is that. 1983 or 1984.

Goodnight kiwi takes me back...

[dendrocalamus]

My little girl who is 10 months old & is called Sierra-leonie loves to listen to this song. Its a great song

[ani1616]

Is it about SIerra Leone africa or something else

[Perfidion]

Brilliant song. Banal lyrics but great beats, synths and it's incredibly catchy.

Hilarious video though. All that running on the spot must have really taken it out of poor Andrew. And the drummer looks like an Islamic terrorist.

[siasti]

The only thing that is "banal" is your comment. And attempting to connect it with terrorism is just not funny. Get a life, sad case.

[Perfidion]

Who are you? The comment police? I said the drummer looks like an Islamic terrorist. And he does. Look at him. It's the beard.

And I'll get a life when you get a sense of humour, you pretentious, po-faced turd.

[VivaciousPT]

Ah! I didn't know this was a NZ band either and I kept singing it to my husband who is english wondering why he didn't know it!!! What a tune!!! Go NZ!!!

[wjbjjpalb]

working on 80s concert contact me

[Bogwire]

Fantastic! The nostalgia....

[vandall]

you kiwis have great beat but ya gotta work on you lyrics

[siasti]

Shut up, yank.

[vandall]

I deserved that

[siasti]

You're entitled to your opinion but don't expect NZ music lovers to agree with you...

[kyleashley]

i love this song, brings back memories( of listening to the song), great song!! i didn't know it was a Kiwi song,,and im a Kiwi...shame on my undies..... marnis and spanaaaaaa...

[ani1616]

Is it about the country sierra leone

[siasti]

"The country has a tropical climate, with a diverse environment ranging from savannah to rainforests" (Wikipedia). Sorry, no desert...

[siasti]

Of course, there is no noise in space but Star Wars is still a great film (if you see my point).

[heyitsboo]

i think the song refers to more a woman named that rather the country, it could be a mix of both yet. then again who cares its catchy very good song i have it on my ipod XD

[siasti]

I have a few Kiwi songs on my Sony MP3 player such as Blam Blam Blam's Don't Fight It Marsha" which my favorite Kiwi song...

[heyitsboo]

i don't know a lot of kiwi songs i've only living here for 6 years but the ones i do know and really love to listen to are this song, some mi-sex songs like people and blue day, i also remember seeing on C4 a long time back the narcs? - diamonds on china? (they are kiwi right?) XD i thought that song was pretty hip but i can't find it anywhere! :(

[RODALCO2007]

I found my 45 and will put it up on YouTube very soon, it has a few scratches but should play ok.

[heyitsboo]

i think you can take it to local radio station and they can clean it or somehow manage to whip up a good copy of it, i'm not too sure but it would be worth checking out!

[RODALCO2007]

I cleaned my 45 and played it wet. And it did not skip or jump any grooves.

The recording is made and I will put it up on YouTube tonight.

Thanks for your advise.

[heyitsboo]

Cool! your welcome. i did it with some of my parents records XD

[novalee66]

I love this song, must have been around 17/18 years old when this came out. bting on the Kiwi Music, lived in Aussie for nearly 18 years, but I never forget the classics.

[AJatethewaffles]

Brilliant - Absolute pop genius

[datoobster75]

This song from '83 I remember from this band from my home-country of New Zealand. I'm now living in Aussie, been there nearly three years now and I miss it dearly, along with so many other songs that didn't (or hardly) ever cracked the Aussie charts in those times. Definitely one of my all-time faves.

Always love to hear the great songs of NZ and I always miss 'em. Going to be going back there for a holiday soon, so I'll be turning them Kiwi sounds up full-bore when I get there again!

Luv ya's!

[joh2]

It was 1983 - analoguewings obviously doesnt read his comments - as for the lead singer, Andrew "Snoid" McLennan, he was also a singer in The Swingers (later in their career, before Phil Judd split the band up in early 1982) and Pop Mechanix (main hit was 1981's "Jumping out a window"

[markofish]

This guy was in 'Pop Mechanix' and they had a hit in Aus called 'Jumping out a Window'...anyone got a copy to post?

[jaycodunco]

singing bee hit

[h1aa]

Great New Zealand pop.

[wizardschool]

Love this song but had a "B" of a task trying to locate it cos I didn't know who the group was. I was drawn to it again recently when it appeared as the song that was playing in the background in a couple of scenes of the movie "Out of the Bue" about the Aramoana shootings in the Dunedin region.

[datoobster75]

This song wasn't from 1985 but fairly close. It actually hit the Top 10 during September 1983, and is still one of my all-time favourites and I never get tired of listening to it whenever I hear it come on. (Probably no chance of hearing it again, since I moved to Aussie a couple of years ago, but how I wish I was back in NZ to hear some of the sounds of home again!)

[datoobster75]

Cor, this song's brilliant. I remember it well and it still (for some reason) gives me the shivers each time I hear it. I think it's because it's quite catchy and unique.

[WhaleTailProjects]

andrew mclennan is my uncle but i dont like him that much

[conjack01]

This was my favourites back in the day growing up in NZ. But now that I'm grown up, I feel a bit ripped off. I lived in Sierra Leone for a year and there is no desert in Salone(as it it is known local).

[vixxnn]

Woohoo - awesome, Andrew, the lead singer used to live with us in our flat above our garage back in about 1984 in south shore chch...

Im putting this on my myspace... cool

[DarrenToledano]

This is a great song. It looks like it was inspired by Toto's "Africa."

[babcorp]

kinda true, it was actually about his at the time girlfriends sister.

[Majorcheks]

Awesome. Looking for an electronic copy of this song. My Dad is the bass player, and only kept an a-track recording of this song. I might even give him a surprise with the clip. Cheers.

[bluetonguefish]

one of my best songs. love nz music. of course its on my comp. play it often.

[bigsugar316]

You're No Good for me, I don't need nobody... lol

[krushsister]

NO WAY!! OH MY GOD!! This is one of my top ten favorite songs of all time and I (a.) cannot believe there's a music video for it and (b.) am totally stunned in awe that I'm actually seeing it here. OMG, I'm crying! You have made my life, analoguewings!

[BuddyEatsGanymeade]

I'd forgotten how shite the video was, great song though.

[quogirl1]

Hail to the Kiwi Classics, always in my Heart.

[littlemuppet]

does anyone have this song on their computer? that they could send to me or something its a great song ... from like 5 years before i was popped out LOLOLOL so yeah, anyone? :(

[chanelbt]

I'm a bit baffled? Is he talking of the country Sierra Leone?? If so then stick that in ya pipe & smoke it Mr K. West...

[SprigScar]

I totally forgot about this song.Mainly because I moved to the USA to become a huge porn star in 86.This song sounds fresh amongst the songs out now.Thanks for posting this.Fond memories.

[80skiwi]

Isn't it amazing what you can learn from the internet. I know this band were Kiwis and I also know that the song was released in 83, but I didn't know that some of these guys went into Midnight Oil. I always thought Oil were a complete Aussie package

[FootLongSub]

Didn't know that they were even Kiwi's. Awesome song still hear it now and then from Auckland Classic Hits 97.4 FM.... Thanks for the post man.... Love it

[blairomatic]

It was from 1983.

Certain band members came from 'The Swingers' (Counting The Beat, One Good Reason) and after Coconut Rough, went into Aussie legends Midnight Oil.

Sierra Leone, was, and still is, one of the all time classic Kiwi songs.

[chchpress]

an oldie but a goodie.