Men at Work - Overkill

My friend Tom and I almost got into a fight over this song. That’s a little dramatic, but Men at Work’s “Overkill” came on while we were in a store and we started arguing about it. We tussled because obviously the song playing was the original version, but he, like a lunatic, said it was a re-recording. So like any two normal fifty-plus year old men, we dug in and went round and round, surrounded by tourists shopping for cute pickleball-themed kitchen magnets. We fought over the tempo, the voice inflections, the tone of the guitar solo, every little nuance that you never paid attention to. The disagreement ended inconclusively with neither of us admitting defeat, so in retrospect, it was a good use of everyone’s time and energy.

I’d like to think that I became so stubborn because I have loved “Overkill” for more than forty years, but I’m also a Scorpio, and we can be small, jealous and petty — so maybe it was just that. I have loved “Overkill” because there is something beautifully small about. It’s about a guy who can’t get to sleep because his mind is racing. We’ve all been there, obsessing over an email either received or sent, or a meeting in the morning, or the bills, or the kids, or the parents, or whatever. The song itself is also small and not overproduced or bombastic. The guitar solo is muted, the saxophone gentle, it’s only towards the end when our protagonist has had enough of his insomnia and cracks up a little.

For decades I considered “Overkill” my song. While 80s compilations always went for Men at Work’s “Land Down Under,” the real heads knew “Overkill” was the band’s real jam. It’s the band’s best work because it is so small and still feels so personal to this day. But then I saw some episode of Scrubs that had Men at Work singer Colin Hay performing an acoustic version of the song and I realized — oh, this actually isn’t mine. Lots of people like this song. Ultimately that’s good. And nothing to fight about.

Like 3-6-5? Forward it to a friend.
Or an enemy you want to turn into a friend.

Follow the entire 3-6-5 Playlist

Stay cool. Have a great summer.
Class of ‘90 rulez.