# What music screams "Australia" to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780 "2008-03-18T14:48:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/21 "2008-03-18T16:27:00Z")
“Edelweiss”! Oh, wait…Austr_al_ia! Never mind. Yeah, this would have worked better if I’d thought of it _before_ I posted my first one in this thread, but there ya go… ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/22 "2008-03-18T16:27:19Z")
In addition to AC/DC and didgeridoo music a guy named Frankie Davidson comes to mind. For all I know he’s the Aussie equivalent of of Weird Al Yankovic but my folks brought back one of his albums (“A Real Fair Dinkum Aussie”) and I found it hilarious. [http://www.normierowe.com/frankie\_davidson.htm](http://www.normierowe.com/frankie_davidson.htm) I recall “The Aussie Barbeque Song” and an ode to the great outdoors called “Fifty Million Blowflies Can’t Be Wrong”. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/23 "2008-03-18T16:33:29Z")
How about “Weather With You” by Crowded House? Neil Finn may be a New Zealander, but the band was formed in Melbourne. I’m not sure exactly what instruments are used in the song, but they sound Australian-esque to me. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/24 "2008-03-18T16:54:58Z")
“Please Mister Please” by Olivia Newton John? ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/25 "2008-03-18T16:56:37Z")
I’d have to go with the **Hoodoo Gurus**. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/26 "2008-03-18T17:09:00Z")
[Outback](http://www.amazon.com/Baka-Outback/dp/B00000061T) Yeah, I know they are an English guy and an American, but still… ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/27 "2008-03-18T19:35:15Z")
The stupid Outback (steak house) commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/28 "2008-03-18T19:51:12Z")
I just got this album after spending a lot of time looking for good songs. Snake Gully - Home Among The Gumtrees ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/29 "2008-03-18T20:47:20Z")
Hunters and Collectors - they’d fall into the ‘bands that happen to be from Austraila’, but _Throw Your Arms Around Me_ is sung in every pub and by every Aussie bloke with a guitar. Hell, I can play it and I’m a Kiwi sheila. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/30 "2008-03-18T20:49:03Z")
No one remembers the Little River Band? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/31 "2008-03-18T21:03:17Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] I’ve seen _Priscilla_ far too many times, because the music that makes me think “Australia” now is ABBA… [/QUOTE] That and _Muriel’s Wedding_ too. So, besides ABBA, for me, it’d be Midnight Oil & Yothu Yindi. Oh, and the [Orange Organics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pugwall). ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/32 "2008-03-18T21:25:57Z")
Please don’t use any Kiwi songs! The two countries are not interchangable, and you’ll end up offending one party or the other… 🙂 These are recommended either as being really familar to Aussies, a strong accent, or mentioning parts of Australia: John Butler Trio - Better Man or Funky Tonight The Waifs - Lighthouse Ben Lee - Catch My Disease, Love Me Like The World Is Ending The Veronicas - Revolution Josh Pike - Memories and Dust Icehouse - Electric Blue Koolism - Koolism Is Colin Hay - Melbourne Song Paul Kelly - Sydney from a 747 Warumpi Band - Stompin Ground James Reyne - Reckless UpsideDownUnder - 1200 Techniques Operator Please - Just A Song About Ping Pong John Farnham - You’re The Voice Jimmy Barnes - Working Class Man Diesel - Tip Of My Tounge Skyhooks - Balwyn Calling Yothu Yindi - Treaty or Djapana ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/33 "2008-03-18T21:39:41Z")
Anything by Paul Kelly and the Messengers. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/34 "2008-03-18T21:41:07Z")
The theme song to Steve Irwin’s _The Croc Files_. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/35 "2008-03-18T21:44:49Z")
I was going to suggest the John Butler Trio but **Girl From Mars** beat me to it, so I guess I second them. ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/36 "2008-03-18T22:27:51Z")
Thirding the Waifs. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/37 "2008-03-19T00:08:12Z")
Also remembered I’ve Been Everywhere, by Lucky Star (words by Geoff Mack). Later this was adapted for NZ and US, but it might be cute. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/38 "2008-03-19T00:21:08Z")
[QUOTE=DrFidelius] No one remembers the Little River Band? [/QUOTE] Ha! They’re about as Australian as AC-DC and the Bee Gees! ---
**Author:** ![KatieCats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@KatieCats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KatieCats)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/39 "2008-03-19T02:06:45Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] [Sounds of Then (This Is Australia)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML9h3I5Uktw) by Ganggajang. [/QUOTE] I was going to suggest the Coke song, but this would be it! I first saw the ad when I was on holiday in Australia, and loved it. The song (and the ad) really takes me back to that trip. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/40 "2008-03-19T04:02:56Z")
“Friday On My Mind” by The Easybeats. “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda,” by Eric Bogle. “The Ballad of Ned Kelly,” by Fotheringay. Only the last is sung by a native Australian (Trevor Lucas), who was also the only Australian in the band. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780.md?page=3)