Colin Hay - A Man Among Men

Life & Whatnot

May 17

My music playlists are eclectic. I strive to be well-rounded in many areas of life and music is no exception. My favorite artist in all those playlists is Colin Hay. But when I mention him to friends and acquaintances, rarely does anyone recognize his name. Yet, I guarantee most people my age—a generation mesmerized by MTV when it first started broadcasting—will recognize the face and voice. Colin Hay was the frontman of Men at Work. Remember the lead singer of “Down Under,” “Who Can It Be Now,” and “Overkill”? That’s him.

I rediscovered Colin Hay when I heard his solo work on the television show “Scrubs.” I find most of my favored music by catching obscure songs in movies and TV shows. Two of Hay’s songs graced “Scrubs” the first season, and his excellent acoustic version of “Overkill” opened the second season as Hay played a street performer who followed the main character, J.D., around providing a real-life soundtrack to JD’s day versus the ones he always heard in his head.

Colin Hay’s music may not be for everyone, but if you like Mat Kearney, Ben Harper, and Jack Johnson, then you’ll probably like Hay. At least that’s what Pandora thinks. If you’re an acoustic guitar player, chances go up you’ll like his music.

But there’s another reason to like Hay, something I didn’t realize until I saw him perform. My wife and I caught his performance at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC early on and rarely have I laughed so much during a music show. Hay entertained the audience for two solid hours, not only by performing well and singing great songs but as much by telling stories that left the entire crowd belly laughing. He’s a talented guitar player—I’d recommend seeing him solo first, without his band—but he’s also a master songwriter, adept at creating lyrical stories with depth and humor. If you like acoustic music, check out these songs from his Going Somewhere album on your favorite music streaming service: