Left Hand (Afterglow version)
Neil Finn
It was typical of you
To give it to me plain
The sign on your door
Said make your mind up or go away
It was difficult for me to single you out
Left hand wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We’re free but there is one thing we’re not facing
It was typical of you to feather your nest
I try to explain but me and my big mouth
Were laid to rest
There’s nowhere to go
I’m not hanging around
Left hand
You pick me up then you put me down, put me down
Left hand wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We’re free there is one thing we’re not facing
Left hand
Left hand
Wants to know what the right is doing
Song appears on:
Crowded House - Afterglow (compilation, 1999)
“Left Hand is a song we performed on stage quite a bit. This recording comes from Periscope in Melbourne, Tim’s studio, and was done in an afternoon. Really not touched at all much after that but it just struck me as a very spirited rendition and a kind of good example of the way we would play together before production and values set in and the polishing process began.”
“There are some songs that fall into the I-don’t-know-what-they’re-about category and that’s definitely one of them.”
Left Hand’s verse was also once married to the chorus of Fall At Your Feet.
An earlier version of Left Hand was performed in gigs by The Mullanes (Neil Finn, Paul Hester, Nick Seymour and Craig Hooper) in 1985.
Craig Hooper and Neil Finn at the Tivoli, Sydney, 29 May 1985. Photo by Sue Johnson-Ham.
Left Hand (Mullanes version)
Neil Finn
Here we go again, it's time to make decisions
That come out of the blue
Though I'll forgive myself with open-hearted pleading
I'm tried and I am true
Love to impress myself, no end to false allegiance
I stagger to the cause
Now we've come this far I'll never want to leave here
The sound of wild applause
Left hand
Always wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We're free
But there is one thing we're not facing
We're not exactly happy
Love to impress myself, no end to false allegiance
I stagger to the cause
Now we've come this far I never want to leave here
The sound of wild applause
Left hand
Always wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We're free
But there is one thing we're not facing
We're not exactly happy
Well here we go again, it's time to make decisions
That come out of the blue
Though I'll forgive myself with open-hearted pleading
I'm tried and I am true
No end to false allegiance
I stagger to the cause
Now we've come this far I'll never want to leave here
The sound of wild applause
Left hand
Always wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We're free
But there is one thing we're not facing
We're not exactly happy
Paul Hester’s “Creek Song” (aka “Song for Mulga”) was also performed on the Mullanes tour. Five years later, Crowded House recorded a take in the studio, combining the verses of Creek Song with the chorus of Left Hand.
Crowded House - Creek Song/Left Hand (aka Song for Mulga, aka Taking Water)
Neil Finn/Paul Hester
Taking water ‘cross the desert to my Dad
Taking water ‘cross the desert to my girl
Drive across in any direction
When I get back I don’t even know where I’ve been
And the reasons flow
Against my will
Now the twelve man jury is hung
Left hand always wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We’re free
But there is one thing we’re not facing
Drinking water in the desert is so good
I hear nothing, just the sound of my throat
If you find footsteps, you’ll find me
When I get back I don’t even know where I’ve been
And the reasons flow
Against my will
Now the twelve man jury is hung
I was woken up screaming and the lizard man sung
Left hand always wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We’re free
But there is one thing we’re not facing
Left hand
Left hand always wants to know what the right is doing
Whichever way we miss out on something
We’re free
But there is one thing we’re not facing
We’re free
Green is the colour of envy
Left hand always wants to know what the right is doing