Streets of Your Town was written in Sydney shortly before the recording of the Go-Betweens’ sixth album, 16 Lovers Lane, in 1988 by Grant McLennan (Who was in a relationship with band member & multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown when he wrote it).

It was unusual in that the band’s co-founder, Robert Forster, had not heard the song before it was brought to the group. McLennan died in 2006.

Amanda Brown (violin, guitar, oboe): “Grant and I were living together in Bondi Junction in Sydney, and that song was written very quickly in our sunny top-floor flat … It was written in, I would say, 10 minutes.

I was singing along and I sung that ‘shine’ line, which is like the call and response answer in the verses, and that’s pretty much it – that’s how it came about. And I don’t collect any songwriting royalties for that song, because that was a condition of my joining the band.”

Lindy Morrison (drums): “We were in a park in Glebe when Amanda and Grant played the song to us for the first time, and I guess I was hearing it through Robert’s reaction, because Robert was so shocked. So I was feeling his pain, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t see how magnificent that song was.”

Robert Forster (singer-songwriter, guitarist, band co-founder): “The fact that I hadn’t heard the song, it did miff me … Every other song from every other album that we’d done before that, and every album that we did after, I knew all the songs that Grant had.

"This was the one song that I didn’t. But a week later it was fine. That was the thing with Grant and I, we didn’t yell and scream at each other. There’s things that I did to him that he must have just had to swallow, too.”

Amanda Brown: “What I do remember is sitting down with [producer] Mark Wallis somewhere and Grant saying, ‘And we’ve got this one’, and then just singing it with me, and Mark hearing it and going,

"Oh, we have to record that song.’ Probably everybody concurs that it was a late addition to the album. And, I hasten to add, everybody [else] was dead against recording it as well.”

Lindy Morrison: “We all knew that it was going to be the single.”

Robert Forster: “You don’t go into an album thinking this is going to be the single. It just felt like one of the other songs. It’s only really in the studio, [when] you get to the end of the session, that you go, ooh – we’ve got this, this is the single.”

Lindy Morrison: “Oh no, that’s rubbish. Because it was so good, I mean, come on Robert! It was so hooky! It was such a standout. And to see the two of them play that together, and Amanda doing that backing vocal ‘shine’, you know, she composed that, and it’s a hook.”

Amanda Brown: “It’s kind of pointless to bear grudges about it. The band gave me lots of good things that I’m very grateful for, but at the same time there was a pretty concerted effort to erase, in particular, mine and Lindy’s contribution to the band.”

Robert Forster: “The one person who could really speak to that isn’t here to defend himself.”

Comments:

Jason Marrow

This is definitely one of the most underrated groups EVER...PERIOD.....

Mauricio Gavilanes

These are really great musicians. Australia has great musicians and groups, I had only listened to Men at work, but this is a great group, I learned about his music, because I was investigating the history of Australia and the news that arrives in South America by fires, it really is a shame what you are going through. My supportive embrace and we are all praying that these fires will soon be over, Greetings to all of Australia from Quito-Ecuador, blessings to you

Rochel Riveria

Very close to perfection: beautiful poetic lyric, awesome music, unforgettable video clip.

Barry O'Callaghan

God almighty, Amanda Brown, Amanda Brown, Amanda Brown.  That look at Grant.  The hair toss.  The smile.  Oh the smile....

Bruce Jacques

I dont know what  it is about this song , But I can hear it over & over & over. Amanda's vocals are the icing on the cake, though I'd probably pass out if she was on stage with me. ???? A great band.

Sherryl Etheredge

So how was this sound created? I count 4 guitars? 1 acoustic and 3 electric? Amazing!

Sporerokn Thelmajco

this is a whole vibe! Does anyone remember the Under the Milky Way single by The Church? A nostalgic song but a relief nostalgic.

Kozeyoiw Sherawey

One Ed Sheeran fan doesn't like this - who cares !

Finalmente. Grandiosa canção

Steph Smith

Masterpiece!, Great Australian band , Wonderful song

Theresa Vanauken

Masterpiece!

Shonta Crossman

Masterpiece! Great Australian band 

truongnhat318026 Qoysbroveahayete

Masterpiece!

Carter Noel

Great Australian band Wonderful song

José Luís Oliveira

Finalmente. Grandiosa canção.

Directed by Habbit

Chorus reminds me of Kurt Vile