Five must-hear songs from Split Enz

Led by Neil Finn, Crowded House was one of the most popular groups in the world through the 1990s and beyond. With hits like “Don’t Dream it’s Over,” the group earned a legion of dedicated fans. Crowded House continues to this day, still led by Finn and now with a lineup that includes producer Mitch Froom and several members of Finn’s family.

But Crowded House didn’t spring from nowhere: two of its founding members – Neil Finn and original drummer Paul Hester – had been in a previous group, Split Enz. That group, co-founded by Neil’s older brother Tim, was based in New Zealand and Australia since their start in 1972. Split Enz’s arty approach bridged the style of acts like Roxy Music with the new wave to come. The group moved in a more mainstream direction when Neil joined in 1977. Split Enz’s subsequent sound provided a foundation for the work Neil Finn would create with Crowded House. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Spilt Enz’s aptly-named final studio album See Ya ‘Round, here’s a look at five essential tracks from New Zealand’s musical heroes.

“I See Red” from Frenzy (1979)
Guitarist and singer Neil Finn was all of 19 years old when he joined brother Tim’s band. His entrance coincided with the band’s shift away from the angular and somewhat bizarre lyrical and music approach and toward a more streamlined, pop-oriented style. The first single recorded after Neil’s joining was “I See Red,” written by Tim Finn; it reached #15 in Australia and #43 in New Zealand. A hyperactive, almost punk song, it hinted at the new direction. Neil played lead guitar and provided backing vocals; he’d soon take a larger role in the band.

“I Got You” from True Colours (1980)
Split Enz’s worldwide breakthrough came with their sixth studio release, True Colours. Neil Finn would write three songs for the album; the remainder of the album featured six Tim Finn songs and a pair of instrumentals. But it would be Neil’s alternately moody and impassioned “I Got You” that helped pull the album to the #1 spot on the Australian charts, and to #40 on the Billboard album chart in the U.S. As a single, “I Got You” nearly cracked the U.S. Top 40.

“History Never Repeats” from Waiata (1981)
Released as Waiata in the U.S. (and everywhere else as Corroboree), Split Enz’s seventh studio LP was a moderate commercial success. Two songs from the album would be promoted with music videos; both “History Never Repeats” and “One Step Ahead” – both written by Neil Finn – were featured on the brand-new MTV, helping expose the group to a new audience. Released as a single, “History Never Repeats” made it into the U.S. Mainstream Rock Top 40 (#33). The song’s title would later be used for a Split Enz greatest-hits collection.

“Message to My Girl” from Conflicting Emotions (1983)
A sign of Neil Finn’s growing maturity as a songwriter, the evocative balladry of “Message to My Girl” is peak late-period Split Enz, and hints at the style of Finn’s later work leading Crowded House. While he wasn’t a member of the group when they recorded the song, drummer Paul Hester appeared behind the drum kit for the music video for “Message to My Girl.”

“I Walk Away” from See Ya ‘Round (1984)
Tim Finn left Split Enz in early 1984 to focus on a solo career, and Neil Finn briefly kept the group going as de facto leader. The band’s final studio album, See Ya ‘Round wasn’t released in the U.S., reportedly because Conflicting Emotions hadn’t sold well in the States. Half of the album’s songs are Neil Finn originals, including “I Walk Away,” a tune that he’d remake in a substantially different style – and with altered lyrics – when he launched Crowded House a few years later. A hit single in Australia and New Zealand, Split Enz’s original version of “I Walk Away” has charms all its own.