# Human Frailty

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***Human Frailty*** is the fourth studio album by [Australian rock](/source/Australian_rock) band [Hunters & Collectors](/source/Hunters_%26_Collectors), which was released on 7 April 1986. It was a commercial and critical success. The album peaked at No. 10 on the Australian [Kent Music Report](/source/Kent_Music_Report) Albums Chart and No. 5 on the [New Zealand Albums Chart](/source/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart). Four singles were issued from the album, "[Say Goodbye](/source/Say_Goodbye_(Hunters_%26_Collectors_song))", which reached No. 24 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart; "[Throw Your Arms Around Me](/source/Throw_Your_Arms_Around_Me)" (a re-recorded version of a previous single), No. 49; "[Everything's on Fire](/source/Everything's_on_Fire)", No. 78; and "Is There Anybody in There", which did not chart in Australia but did reach No. 41 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.

At the [1986 Countdown Australian Music Awards](/source/Australian_pop_music_awards) the album was nominated for Best Australian Album.[1][2]

In October 2010, *Human Frailty* was listed at No. 18 in the book, *[100 Best Australian Albums](/source/100_Best_Australian_Albums)*.

## Background

*Human Frailty* was released on 7 April 1986 and is the fourth studio album by Australian rock band [Hunters & Collectors](/source/Hunters_%26_Collectors).[3][4] Their line up was John Archer on bass guitar, Doug Falconer on drums, Jack Howard on trumpet, Robert Miles on live sound, [Mark Seymour](/source/Mark_Seymour) on lead vocals and guitar, Jeremy Smith on French horn, and Michael Waters on keyboards and trombone.[3][4]

Seymour later told [Tracee Hutchison](/source/Tracee_Hutchison): "I remember having a discussion with [Miles] and [Falconer] in a beergarden at the Standard Hotel in [Fitzroy](/source/Fitzroy,_Victoria), and I said 'Look, you know, we should try and make a commercial record if we want to take things seriously in the long term.' I think that was a year before we even started thinking about recording this record".[5] He recalled for *[100 Best Australian Albums](/source/100_Best_Australian_Albums)* (October 2010) that all the tracks are "connected to the relationship that [my then-girlfriend] and I had".[6]

*Human Frailty* became their first Australian Top Ten album reaching No. 8 on the Australian charts[6][7] and No. 5 in New Zealand.[8] The lead single from the album, "[Say Goodbye](/source/Say_Goodbye_(Hunters_%26_Collectors_song))", was released in February 1986, and peaked at No. 24 in Australia and No. 20 in New Zealand.[7][8] A third version of "[Throw Your Arms Around Me](/source/Throw_Your_Arms_Around_Me)" was recorded for the album and was issued as its second single, which peaked at No. 49 in Australian in May 1986.[7] Eventually it became one of their most popular songs, voted in the Top 5 on the Triple J [Hottest 100](/source/Hottest_100) for 1989, 1990, and 1991.[9]

Two further singles from *Human Frailty* were released: "[Everything's on Fire](/source/Everything's_on_Fire)" in August and "Is There Anybody in There?" in October, both reached the top 50 in New Zealand (No. 44 and 41 respectively) but not in Australia.[7][8] The album included a cover version of a track originally recorded by [Sardine v](/source/Sardine_v), "Stuck on You",[10] written by [Ian Rilen](/source/Ian_Rilen) and Stephanie Falconer aka Stephanie Rilen.[10][11]

Hunters & Collectors signed a parallel deal with [I.R.S. Records](/source/I.R.S._Records) for North America, which released the album in July 1987,[12] although with a different track listing from the Australian version. I.R.S. Records also re-issued the album in a CD format, including all three tracks from the *Living Daylight* extended play (April 1987, [Australasia](/source/Australasia)-only). In July 1991 White Label Records re-issued the album on CD, also including *Living Daylight* tracks. [Liberation Music](/source/Liberation_Music) released a re-mastered issue of *Human Frailty* on 7 July 2003.

On 20 September 2007, [SBS](/source/SBS_Television) in Australia aired a one-hour documentary on Hunters & Collectors and *Human Frailty* as the part of their *[Great Australian Albums](/source/Great_Australian_Albums)* series. The series was subsequently released on DVD on 22 October 2008.

## Reception

In May 1986 Pollyanna Sutton of *[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times)* reviewed *Human Frailty*, she felt that their "early rythmical [*sic*] drum beats, abstract music and sometimes inaudible lyrics have been turned around to produce [the album], something of a showpiece for lead singer, Mark Seymour".[13] The album had "broadened the band's audience, taking away the uncertainty which manifested itself" earlier.[13] In the next month her colleague, Lisa Wallace, declared it "the best album I have heard in a long, longtime. It's clean, fresh, emotional and very, very good. Not for many a moon (far too many) has there been an Australian band which has proved itself such a consistent winner".[14]

Fellow Australian music journalist, [Ed Nimmervoll](/source/Ed_Nimmervoll), noted "Seymour's themes of alienation and sexual politics came to the fore" with this album.[15] He described how the group "had discovered how to tap the unique vein they had unearthed; where, in a sweat-dripping venue packed to the rafters with a beer swilling macho rock fans the audience would and could at the top of their voices unselfconsciously sing along to a chorus like 'you don't make me feel like a woman any more'".[15] While [Ian McFarlane](/source/Ian_McFarlane) saw it showed "further refinement of the sinewy and dynamic approach established on *The Jaws of Life*".[4]

[Allmusic](/source/Allmusic)'s Steve Kurutz saw the group had "finally discovered their true strength; a balance of bass and drum-driven grooves set below punchy horns and counterpoint melody lines".[16] In October 2010, it was listed at No. 18 in the book, *100 Best Australian Albums*.[6] Its three authors, [John O'Donnell](/source/John_O'Donnell_(music_journalist)), [Toby Creswell](/source/Toby_Creswell), and [Craig Mathieson](/source/Craig_Mathieson), praised "the immense power of [Archer's] bass and [Falconer's] drums set against Seymour's inventive guitar playing ... the songs were still esoteric, the massive bottom end made [them] an increasingly popular band around the pubs".

## Personnel

Credited to:[3]

**Hunters & Collectors members**

- John Archer – [bass guitar](/source/Bass_guitar)
- Doug Falconer – [drums](/source/Drum_kit)
- John 'Jack' Howard – [trumpet](/source/Trumpet)
- Robert Miles – [live sound](/source/Audio_engineering), [art director](/source/Art_design)
- [Mark Seymour](/source/Mark_Seymour) – [vocals](/source/Vocal), [lead guitar](/source/Lead_guitar)
- [Jeremy Smith](/source/Jeremy_Smith_(Australian_musician)) – [French horn](/source/French_horn)
- Michael Waters – [trombone](/source/Trombone), [keyboards](/source/Keyboard_(instrument))

**Additional musicians**

- Shellie Conway – additional vocals
- Dianne Howard – [piano](/source/Piano)
- Gavin MacKillop – additional vocals
- Debbie Waugh – [marimba](/source/Marimba), [xylophone](/source/Xylophone)

- **The Como Quartet**

- Alex Black – [violin](/source/Violin)
- Adam Duncan – [viola](/source/Viola)
- Sue Hadlee – [cello](/source/Cello)
- Peter O'Reilly – cello
- George Vi – violin

**Recording details**

- Producer – Hunters & Collectors, Gavin MacKillop
- Engineer – Gavin MacKillop - Assistant engineer – Doug Brady, Michael Streefkerk
- Recording/mixing engineer – Robert Miles
- Studio – Allan Eaton Sound, [St Kilda](/source/St_Kilda,_Victoria) (recording); [AAV Studio One](/source/Armstrong_Studios), Melbourne (mixing)

**Art works**

- Art director – Robert Miles

## Charts

Chart (1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7][17] 10 New Zealand Albums Chart[8] 5

## References

1. ["Australian Music Awards"](https://archive.today/20120630220831/http://users.ncable.net.au/~ronjeff/top40/oz_king.htm). Ron Jeff. Archived from [the original](http://users.ncable.net.au/~ronjeff/top40/oz_king.htm) on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2010.

1. ["Final episode of Countdown"](http://1970scountdown.atspace.com/1987.html). *1970scountdown*. Retrieved 23 October 2020.

1. Holmgren, Magnus; Warnqvist, Stefan; Bamford, Alan. ["Hunters and Collectors"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120612041801/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/h/huntersandcollectors.html). [Australian Rock Database](/source/Australian_Rock_Database). Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from [the original](http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/h/huntersandcollectors.html) on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2014.

1. McFarlane, Ian (1999). ["Encyclopedia entry for 'Hunters & Collectors'"](http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=931). *[Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Australian_Rock_and_Pop)*. [Allen & Unwin](/source/Allen_%26_Unwin). ISBN 1-86448-768-2. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20040829235219/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=931) 29 August 2004 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Hutchison, Tracee (1992). *Your Name's on the Door*. Sydney: ABC Enterprises. [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation) (ABC). p. 113. ISBN 0-7333-0115-0.

1. O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). *[100 Best Australian Albums](/source/100_Best_Australian_Albums)*. [Prahran, Vic](/source/Prahran,_Victoria): Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9.

1. Kent, David (1993). *[Australian Chart Book 1970–1992](/source/Kent_Music_Report)*. [St Ives](/source/St_Ives,_New_South_Wales), N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.

1. Hung, Stefan. ["Hunters & Collectors discography"](https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Hunters+%26+Collectors). New Zealand Charts Portal (Hung Medien). Retrieved 9 April 2014.

1. "Throw Your Arms Around Me" has been listed on Triple J's Hottest 100: * In 1989 at No. 2: ["1989 Hottest 100"](http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1989.htm). [Triple J](/source/Triple_J). [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation) (ABC). Retrieved 8 April 2014. * In 1990 at No. 2: ["1990 Hottest 100"](http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1990.htm). Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Retrieved 8 April 2014. * In 1991 at No. 4: ["1991 Hottest 100"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100115013249/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1991.htm). Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Archived from [the original](http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1991.htm) on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2014.

1. ["'Stuck on You' at APRA search engine"](http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Stuck%20on%20You). [Australasian Performing Right Association](/source/Australasian_Performing_Right_Association) (APRA). Retrieved 10 April 2014. Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Stuck on You; or at 'Performer:' Sardine v

1. Holmgren, Magnus. ["Sardine v"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131105161305/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/sardinev.html). *Passagen.se*. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from [the original](http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/sardinev.html) on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.

1. Seymour, Mark (2008). *Thirteen Tonne Theory: Life Inside Hunters and Collectors*. Melbourne, Vic.: [Penguin Group Australia](/source/Penguin_Books). ISBN 978-0-670-07165-4.

1. Sutton, Pollyanna (22 May 1986). ["The Good Times: Music from Kitchens and Bedrooms"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131705269). *[The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)](/source/The_Canberra_Times)*. [National Library of Australia](/source/National_Library_of_Australia). p. 10 Supplement: a Supplement to The Canberra Times. Retrieved 10 April 2014.

1. Wallace, Lisa (29 June 1986). ["*Human Frailty*: So Many Strengths"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118128589). *The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)*. National Library of Australia. p. 16. Retrieved 10 April 2014.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed. ["Hunters and Collectors"](http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/huntersandcollectors/huntersandcollectors.htm). HowlSpace – The Living History of Our Music. [Archived](https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120726191200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20120727-0512/www.howlspace.com.au/en/huntersandcollectors/huntersandcollectors.htm) 26 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 22 January 2014.

1. Kurutz, Steve. "*Human Frailty* – Hunters & Collectors". [Allmusic](/source/Allmusic). Retrieved 10 April 2014.

1. Ryan (bulion), Gary (31 October 2008). ["Albums Pre 1989 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)"](http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&search=Hunters&id=23462&pages=15#699062). Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung). Retrieved 9 April 2014.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Human Frailty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Frailty) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Frailty?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.