If you know of the Australian new wave rock band Men at Work, then you most likely know of their song “Down Under,” too. Released in 1982 as the second single off of the band’s debut album Business as Usual, “Down Under” won the five Aussies success in the States, reaching number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in early 1983. While the unique original’s laid-back feel and flute flourishes are hard to beat, the UK’s Barricades Rise manage to do the song justice with their updated cover of the track.
The acoustic folk-rock duo stick to their genre, trading in Men at Work’s electric piano tones and fluttering flute for an acoustic piano and high-pitched guitar riffs. To top it off, Barricades Rise dress up their cover with some energetic banjo-playing. Listen (and download) for yourself below!
Check out more from Barricades Rise on the band’s website.
Men at Work were, for their two core albums, a quintet, not a quartet: Colin Hay, Greg Ham, Ron Strykert, Jerry Speiser, and John Rees.