"Six Months in a Leaky Boat" is a song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in May 1982 as the second single from the group's eighth studio album, Time and Tide.
| "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Split Enz | ||||
| from the album Time and Tide | ||||
| B-side | "Fire Drill" | |||
| Released | May 1982 | |||
| Genre | Pop, rock | |||
| Length | 4:21 3:48 (edited version) 3:14 (US edited version) | |||
| Label | Mushroom Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Tim Finn, Split Enz | |||
| Producer(s) | Hugh Padgham, Split Enz | |||
| Split Enz singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" on YouTube | ||||
The song became a top-10 hit in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, going on to be voted the fifth-best New Zealand song ever in the 2001 Australasian Performing Right Association list.[1] Its chart performance was less successful in the United Kingdom, owing to its release during the Falklands War. Despite being recorded prior to the outbreak of the conflict, some in Britain considered the song to be veiled criticism of the war with Argentina.[1] The song was consequently removed from many radio playlists in the United Kingdom, including the BBC,[2] since it was considered that references to leaky boats were inappropriate during the naval action in the war.[3]
At the 1982 Countdown Music Awards, the song was nominated for Best Australian Single.[4][5]
Music video
editThe video shows band members dressed in nautical gear, and Māori artists performing traditional Māori poi dance.
Track listing
editAustralian/NZ 7" single
- "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" (edited version) – 3:53
- "Fire Drill" – 3:53
US/European 7" single
- "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" – 3:05
- "Make Sense of It" – 3:30
Personnel
edit- Tim Finn – vocals, piano
- Neil Finn – vocals, guitar
- Noel Crombie – drums, percussion
- Nigel Griggs – bass
- Eddie Rayner – keyboards, percussion
Charts
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] | 2 |
| Canadian Singles Chart[7] | 7 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] | 7 |
| UK Singles Chart[9] | 83 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[10] | 104 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[11] | 81 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (1982) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[12][13] | 18 |
Covers
edit- "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" was covered by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy, and appears on the 2005 compilation album She Will Have Her Way. They also played the song during their set at the Sydney Sound Relief concert.
- The song was performed by Ted Leo and released on Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead in 2003. He also occasionally performs the song live.
- Australian children's entertainers The Wiggles covered this song on their album/video, It's a Wiggly, Wiggly World, with Tim Finn singing back-up and appearing in the video, but with the lyrics significantly altered to be about Captain Feathersword.
Legacy
editThe song was voted the fifth-best New Zealand song of all time in 2001 by members of APRA.
The song was used as the funeral song for explorer, environmentalist and sailor Sir Peter Blake, sung by Tim Finn with acoustic guitar, at Blake's service.
References
edit- ^ a b Ministry for Culture and Heritage. "Split Enz". New Zealand History. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "Banning songs not a rare occurrence for the BBC". NZME Publishing Limited. 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ Rees, Dafydd and Crampton, Luke. The Q Encyclopedia of Rock Stars, Dorling Kindersley 1999, p. 938
- ^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ^ "Final episode of Countdown". 1970scountdown. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 288. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
- ^ "RPM Canadian Charts". Retrieved 23 July 2011.
- ^ "Split Enz – Six Months in a Leaky Boat". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "UK Singles Chart". Official Charts. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1998). Bubbling Under Singles & Albums (1998 ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wis., U.S.A.: Record Research. p. 190. ISBN 9780898201284.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100, 19 June 1982". tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. 3 January 1983. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 434. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
