I have an Australian friend coming for Christmas. This is her first Christmas away from home, and I thought it would be good to get some Australian Christmas songs to play as part of the music mix.
The problem is, there are about 40 gazillion versions of “Six White Boomers” and “Christmas Where the Gum Tree Grows.” How do I tell which one is the best?
Are there any singers or groups who immediately come to mind when you think Australian Christmas time?
She’s in her late-40s, if that helps, and is from Sydney.
She’s already homesick and I’d like to help make Christmas more Christmas-y for her if I can.
I can’t help with recommendations, I’m afraid. Six White Boomers seems to get quoted quite often as a favourite Australian Christmas carol. I’ve not actually heard anyone play it or perform it in real life. And I’ve never heard at all of Christmas Where the Gum Tree Grows.
Better Australian carols, in my opinion, are the ones that William James composed:
In my experience Rolf Harris’ is the most well-known version of Six White Boomers, though I would definitely call it a children’s Christmas song rather than a general Christmas song.
It’s a very nice thing to do for her and I hope you succeed in helping her feel at home, but I just wanted to warn you that there isn’t a huge alternative/Australian christmas culture to draw on for this sort of thing if you’re wanting to have the music recognised by your guest. There is some stuff around, as has been mentioned, but the only song in this thread I’ve ever heard of is Six White Boomers and I’ve had 27 Christmases in Australia. I’m here with most of my extended family, none of whom has ever had a Christmas outside Australia and none of whom have heard of any of these songs except Boomers.
The most common Christmas music here is really the same stuff as in the US and UK but we ignore all the references to snow. Specifically Australian stuff exists, but I doubt much of it is popular enough to guarantee that your friend will know/remember it.
I hope you don’t think I’m threadshitting by posting this, I think you are doing a very nice thing and I’m sure your friend will appreciate the gesture, I just don’t want you to be disappointed if she doesn’t know all of the songs you end up with.
Six Snow White Boomers, I’ve only heard from Rolf Harris, and can’t recall “Christmas Where the Gum Tree Grows” at all.
If you look at Carols By Candlelight(in Melbourne’s Myer Music Bowl) there aren’t many “Australian” carols in the program, most performers chose to perform a “classic”.
We’re used to the discord about snow, reindeer and fur trimmed winter songs sung in 40C, and songs of huddling around a fire in the midst of the bushfire season, and I think “Australian” carols are best when you put local lyrics to a standard for a bit of comedy relief.
How To Make Gravy by Paul Kelly is the first thing that jumped to mind, even before Six White Boomers and Carol Of The Birds. It’s not a carol exactly, but it’s a well known and much loved song that really speaks of the Australian experience of Christmas. It’s basically a letter from someone sitting in prison to his family as he reminisces about all the things he’s going to miss at Christmas time. It’s quite moving and lovely.
If I get good behaviour, I’ll be out of here by July
Won’t you kiss my kids on Christmas day, please don’t let them cry for me
I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland and Stella’s flying in from the coast
They say it’s gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe, but that won’t stop the roast
Who’s gonna make the gravy now? I bet it won’t taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine and don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang
I posted a number of Christmas songs that are Australian in this thread. Christmas Music with a Twist The first 5 songs in post 21 are Ausie. I think the friend would enjoy some special American songs as well, which that thread is full of. Post 62 and 63 are Australian too. Every song by that prolific artist has bad language.
So are many other kids’ Christmas songs. That won’t stop me from playing the ones I remember from my childhood, though. Also she’s sung bits of it in my presence in the past, so I think it will be a fun addition to the playlist even if it’s crap.
Not threadshitting at all. I am just hoping that making an effort to include some Australian things might help her feel less homesick, or at least very welcome at our home. I have a playlist of around 4 hours right now, mostly classics, but some very kitchsy American stuff like Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer, so I’m not above playing songs of questionable artistic quality.
You’re not the only one to have mentioned not knowing Christmas Where the Gum Trees Grow. I found about 6 different versions of it on iTunes, so I assumed it must be a commonly known song. Glad I asked!
