Category: 1980s

Huband / Husband House on Hope Street #flatnames

Sneaky Feelings was an early Dunedin Sound band who formed while at the University of Otago. Their hit single, Husband House (1985) which made it to 17 on NZ singles charts, refers to a house on Hope Street – the exact address is not known. The house referred to in the song was actually called Huband House, and according to legend, a group of eligible young men lived there.

The album cover and poster for the single both depict a house, but it’s not the flat itself, rather the photographer Jeremy, used the terrace houses on Dundas Street.

Poster for the release of the Husband House EP.

Poster for the release of the Husband House EP. MacLean, Lesley, fl 1985. [Maclean, Lesley], fl 1985 :Sneaky Feelings. New single. “Husband house”. A Flying Nun record. [1985].. Various artists :[Posters advertising sound and phonographic recordings made in 1985].. Ref: Eph-D-PHONO-1985-04. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /a2fd5d95f4de2537e9abb15f07d65357/records/23240531

In March 2014, a discussion formed around Ali Clarke’s blog post about the Online Casino Real Money NZ. A woman named Bronwyn commented, and to which Ali and I both replied.

“You forgot Husband house! (Huband House – donated to St Matthews Anglican Church) The sneaky feelings even wrote a song about it…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVCHn7-qBB8

“Hi Sarah, this house is important to us. The Sneaky Feelings wrote about it (held the NZ charts at#2 for quite some time) because, living in the house were a number of lads. It seemed that every time girls went around there, they ended up getting married. Prior to my husband living there, three couples from the house ended up getting married off. We were the fourth, marrying in 2005 – long after the Sneaky Feelings. Since then, St Matts has demolished the house; it was not structurally sound.”

Positively George Street by Matthew Bannister

Positively George Street by Matthew Bannister

Find out more about Sneaky Feelings on Audio Culture, or heck out Matthew Bannister’s book, Positively George Street, at your local library.

Husband House / Sneaky Feelings (1985) – lyrics

Image Source

Its been a long time since I’ve been back home where I belong

Life ‘round here means you must try to be hard and strong

One day when I want to settle down I’ll go there up to Husband House

I’ll leave my friends behind although it’s fun to stay here now

Seasons fall leaves have turned to gold and the wind blows cold from the south

Not sure what I wanted from you girl but I think it’s time that we found out

One day when I want to settle down I’ll go there up to Husband House

I’ll leave my friends behind although it’s fun to stay here now

Image Source

It’s time to go

A house at 111 Clyde Street, next to Footrot Flats, on which fans of The Clean painted the lyrics of “Sad Eyed Lady”. The flat came to be known, according to Graeme Downes, as the “It’s time to go” flat, after the final line in the song.

Great photo here of a bit of Clean graffiti by Allisonwonderlandz on flickr.com.

It’s time to go

Sneaky Feelings, Husband House

Sneaky Feelings, Husband House, 1985. (17 on NZ singles chart)

“Sneaky Feelings, ‘Husband House’ single also on Positively George St best of. Sneaky Feelings were one of the earliest Dunedin / FN bands. The song is from the point of view of a woman from a flat where the six women were going out with the six guys at a flat called “Huband House”, which, of course was named “Husband House”. Ref.