Thirty years ago, on 3 June 1996, John Farnham released Romeo’s Heart, an album that arrived at a pivotal point in his career. The record became Farnham’s first studio album in three years following Then Again… and continued a remarkable commercial run that had transformed him from a veteran performer into one of Australia’s most successful recording artists. Romeo’s Heart reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart, achieved four-times platinum certification and produced one of the biggest hit singles of Farnham’s post-Whispering Jack era.
by Paul Cashmere
By the time Romeo’s Heart arrived, Farnham’s comeback story was already one of the most significant in Australian music history. While many fans associate that resurgence with 1986’s Whispering Jack, the foundations had been laid years earlier through a series of projects that rebuilt his profile and reintroduced him to audiences.
The album’s 30th anniversary provides an opportunity to place Romeo’s Heart within the broader context of Farnham’s catalogue. It was released ten years after Whispering Jack and followed a sequence of commercially successful albums including Age Of Reason, Chain Reaction and Then Again…, proving that the success of the late 1980s had evolved into sustained longevity rather than a short-term revival.
Romeo’s Heart also demonstrated Farnham’s continued ability to source material from respected international and local songwriters. The album generated five singles, A Simple Life, Hearts On Fire, Don’t Let It End, All Kinds Of People and Have A Little Faith (In Us). Of those releases, Have A Little Faith (In Us) became the standout commercial performer, reaching No. 3 on the Australian singles chart.
The song was written by American songwriters Russ DeSalvo and Arnie Roman.
Roman’s songwriting catalogue includes work recorded by artists ranging from Dusty Springfield to Celine Dion, while DeSalvo built a reputation as both a songwriter and producer in the adult contemporary market.
Elsewhere on the album, Farnham drew from an impressive roster of writers. All Kinds Of People featured contributions from Sheryl Crow before her emergence as one of the defining singer-songwriters of the 1990s. Hearts On Fire was co-written by Stan Lynch, best known as the founding drummer of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, alongside veteran songwriter Tom Kimmel. The title track Romeo’s Heart came from Jennifer Kimball and Randy VanWarmer, whose own recording Just When I Needed You Most became a global hit in 1979.
The album also included a notable Australian contribution. Over My Head was written by Richard Pleasance and Andrew Tanner. Pleasance had already established himself through Boom Crash Opera and would become one of Australia’s most respected songwriters and producers.
One of the more personal tracks was Second Skin, co-written by Farnham alongside longtime collaborators Ross Fraser and Chong Lim. The song represented one of the rare occasions on the album where Farnham received a songwriting credit, reflecting the close creative relationships that had developed within his touring and recording band.
That band remained a crucial part of Farnham’s success during the period. Romeo’s Heart featured performances from Joe Creighton, Brett Garsed, Stuart Fraser, Chong Lim, Angus Burchall, Lindsay Field and Lisa Edwards, musicians who became familiar names to Australian audiences through years of touring and recording alongside Farnham.
The album’s success also reflected the strength of adult contemporary music during the mid-1990s. At a time when international charts were dominated by alternative rock, Britpop and emerging pop acts, Farnham maintained a substantial audience in Australia through carefully crafted songs and a reputation for consistently strong live performances. Romeo’s Heart won the 1996 ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, reinforcing his standing within the local industry.
Its place in Farnham’s career becomes even more significant when viewed against the decade that preceded it. Before Whispering Jack, Farnham had navigated a difficult commercial period that included 1980’s Uncovered, produced by Graeham Goble of Little River Band. Although Uncovered reached No. 20 and achieved gold status, it did not immediately restore Farnham to the commercial heights he had experienced in the 1960s and 1970s.
His subsequent role as lead singer of Little River Band on The Net (1983), Playing To Win (1985) and No Reins (1986) proved equally important. Those albums exposed Farnham to international audiences and sharpened the rock-oriented vocal style that would later define his solo resurgence. By the time Romeo’s Heart arrived in 1996, Farnham had spent more than a decade building upon that momentum.
Thirty years on, Romeo’s Heart remains a significant entry in the Farnham catalogue.
It may not receive the same attention as Whispering Jack or Age Of Reason, yet its commercial success, award recognition and strong collection of songs confirmed that Farnham’s comeback was no longer a comeback at all. It had become one of the most enduring success stories in Australian music history.
Tracklisting:
Have A Little Faith (In Us)
Little Piece Of My Heart
A Simple Life
All Kinds Of People
Romeo’s Heart
Don’t Let It End
Hearts On Fire
Hard Promises To Keep
Over My Head
May You Never
Second Skin
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