“Death Defying” (1985) – Hoodoo Gurus * Written by Dave Faulkner * Single: “Death Defying” / “Turkey Dinner” * LP: Mars Needs Guitars * Produced by Charles Fisher * Label: ElektraAustralia’s Hoodoo Gurus developed a healthy US alt rock following in the eighties with songs like “I Want You Back” and “Bittersweet.” Their 1985 song “Death Defying” seemed to indicate a turn toward reflective metaphysics in songwriter Dave Faulkner. What if more of their songs merged the thoughtful wisdom you hear in these lyrics with their “oo-wee” sound? “What’s My Scene” from 1987 was the only other one that delivered in that same way, though, and the group mostly carried on with their usual party/love/anti-hypocrisy themes. But no one really complained. (The single version on the Electric Soup compilation is different from the one on the Mars Needs Guitars album, which is the one you want.)