‘The Horses’ is actually a cover
IT is an Australian cult classic that’s enduring a major comeback with the younger generation, but the origin of the tune and how it came to be such an iconic hit down under is still not well known.
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We’re sorry to break it to you, but “The Horses” isn’t a Daryl Braithwaite original.
The 1989 hit, made famous in Australia by the Sherbet frontman on his 1990 solo album Rise, was originally written and recorded by US singer Rickie Lee Jones and Steely Dan’s Walter Becker.
Jones performed the song and listed it as number one on her Flying Cowboys album, but never released it as a single — instead releasing it to the universe unaware that it would quickly become one of Australia’s favourite songs.
Daryl Braithwaite hasn’t strayed too far from the original, have a listen here:
The story of “The Horses” reads somewhat like the plot of the Sixto Rodriguez-inspired documentary Searching for Sugarman, where the US guitarist is unaware until years later that he was more popular in apartheid South Africa than Elvis Presley
The Daryl Braithwaite-recorded version quickly soared to number one on the Australian top 40 charts in 1991, signalling the Sydney musician’s comeback and the start of his massively successful solo career.
RELATED: WHAT BRAITHWAITE THINKS OF THE HORSES
After taking a break in the early 2000s, Braithwaite is firmly back on Australia’s music scene — he was individually inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2017 (his band Sherbet was entered in 1990), and now travels the country playing “The Horses”, songs from Sherbet and tracks from his latest album Forever the Tourist.
Braithwaite hit the red centre of Australia earlier this month to join John Farnham at the Birdsville Big Red Bash — the world’s most remote music festival.
It has become evident that the crooner’s fan base has widened dramatically, with children as young as six following him around the festival grounds for photos before his energetic set at the base of the country’s biggest sand dune.
DARYL BRAITHWAITE ON “THE HORSES” IN BIRDSVILLE:
In front of more than 9,000 people, Braithwaite rounded his set out with “The Horses” after joking he had no more hits to sing.
“We might do something off the new album, which is a really eclectic piece of work … it’s got a bit of jazz and a bit of fusion … I think you’ll like it, no you will. Stay with us”, he teased the crowd.
Of course, when the first notes struck, the festival erupted, suggesting that catchy 90s songs may last forever.
THE HONEY BADGER ROCKS OUT TO “THE HORSES” AT THE BIG RED BASH:
After years of trying to contact Rickie Lee Jones to let her know about the success of her hit down under, the pair finally connected last year and Jones was shocked at the news.
“I had tried many times to contact her and tell her how important that song was … to a lot of people, for different reasons, and she was astounded”, Braithwaite said.
The phone call led to a joint performance of “The Horses” in Melbourne.
“The whole crowd sung it for her and she was just like, flabbergasted. I said ‘that happens quite a lot, it really does’ … but she’s perplexed as well as I am”.
RELATED: BRAITHWAITE JOINS RICKIE LEE JONES ON STAGE
Braithwaite said he has watched the song grow “in acceptance right across the board”, but he is still baffled as to why the track has been such a hit, “I wonder why, but it’s just a song. It’s just a great song that endears itself to a lot of people”, he said.
The tune still isn’t heard outside of Australia often, but If ever you find yourself wanting to watch a feel-good nineties film about US sport agents, you may be surprised to hear it pop up on Jerry Maguire which stars Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr.
Tell us when you first heard “The Horses” in the comments below and join the conversation on Twitter.