# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/41 "2008-03-19T04:26:38Z")
[Where the Dog Sits on the Tucker Box, Five Miles from Gundagai.](http://goaustralia.about.com/od/nswsightseeing/a/gundagai2.htm) Got a great old 78 recording of it by Jim Davidson and the ABC Orchestra from Sydney in the late '30s. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/42 "2008-03-19T05:40:29Z")
There’s been a few corkers already which you can’t beat, and the three specifcially I love if I want to get all patriotic are: _Sounds of Then (This Is Australia)_ by **Gangajang** _True Blue_ by **John Williamson** _Land Down Under_ by **Men at Work** I can also suggest the following, Anything by **Slim Dusty** - especially _The Pub with no Beer_, and _I Love To Have A Beer With Duncan_ If you search for music by Slim watch out though he was an incredibly prolific song writer. _A walk in the Light Green (I was only Nineteen)_ by \*\*Little River Band \*\* - 100% guaranteed to be sung loudly by all Australian males in hearing distance when selected on the jukebox in the pub. Any number of songs by **John Williamson** , obviously including \*True Blue \* mentioned above. Lastly one that you will probably find very difficult to locate but classic Australian _I Made A Hundred In The Backyard At Mum’s_ by **Greg Champion** ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/43 "2008-03-19T11:08:30Z")
_A Walk in the Light Green (I was only Nineteen)_ is by **Redgum** , not LRB. Their _I’ve been to Bali too_ is another very Australian song. Two bands as yet unmentioned are **The Angels** and **Weddings Parties Anything**. _A Tale They Won’t Believe_ or _Under the Clocks_ would be good film backing. ---
**Author:** ![Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hook)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/44 "2008-03-19T11:23:25Z")
Another that might suit is Bernard Bolan, a Barrister/Folk Artist from the 70’s. Some of his stuff is still available, and my personal favorite is “The Rose Bay Ferry”. Check him out here - [http://www.folkaustralia.com/BernardBolan/bio.html](http://www.folkaustralia.com/BernardBolan/bio.html) Edited to add the URL. ---
**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, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/45 "2008-03-19T11:42:44Z")
**I Am Australian** , by Rai Thistlewayte (from _Thirsty Merc_). It was used in an ad for Telstra, which may be a bloodsucking company of dubious honesty, do at least have some good ads sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/46 "2008-03-19T11:59:31Z")
It’s by the Seekers. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aSoGJQkKDYk/hqdefault.jpg "The Seekers - I am Australian(1993)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSoGJQkKDYk) Another that’s been used by a corporate giant (Qantas), _I still Call Australia Home_ by Peter Allen, [sung here by the National Boys Choir.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX5UR2leYHA) ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/47 "2008-03-19T12:00:39Z")
**The Triffids** were a great, underrated Australian band… you could try something from [Treeless Plain](http://www.dominorecordco.com/site/index.php?page=releases&releaseID=783) maybe, like _Hell of a Summer_… ---
**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, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/48 "2008-03-19T12:30:40Z")
[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”] It’s by the Seekers. [/QUOTE] I know, but the version I like best and am recommending is the one by Rai Thistlewayte. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/49 "2008-03-19T13:34:03Z")
Tina Turner is not australian, but the following songs are quintessentially associated with Australia in my mind: **We Don’t Need Another Hero** (from _Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome_) and **You’re Simply the Best** - used as a theme tune for Aussie Rugby League. Real Australian songs by real Aussie artists are Jimmy Barnes: **Working Class Man** Australian Crawl: **Reckless** oh, and **Physical** 😉 Si ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/50 "2008-03-19T13:48:23Z")
[QUOTE=si\_blakely] Real Australian songs by real Aussie artists are … oh, and **Physical** 😉 [/QUOTE] Olivia Newton-John was born in England, though she did move to Melbourne as a young girl, so she’s not exactly a “real Aussie”. ---
**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, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/51 "2008-03-19T13:49:50Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] Olivia Newton-John was born in England, though she did move to Melbourne as a young girl, so she’s not exactly a “real Aussie”. [/QUOTE] What, and Jimmy Barnes is a true blue? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/52 "2008-03-19T13:54:53Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] What, and Jimmy Barnes is a true blue? [/QUOTE] You’re right – he moved to Australia at about the same age as Olivia NJ did. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/53 "2008-03-19T14:05:24Z")
I notice that everyone says Aussie, never “Ocker”. Is the latter term offensive? 'Cause I like to call 'em Ockers. Oh, and “Land Down Under”. ETA: Don’t mean to be offensive, I’m a bit drunk at the moment, I’m sure you’ll understand. Ya ockers. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/54 "2008-03-19T14:33:11Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] I notice that everyone says Aussie, never “Ocker”. Is the latter term offensive? 'Cause I like to call 'em Ockers. Oh, and “Land Down Under”. ETA: Don’t mean to be offensive, I’m a bit drunk at the moment, I’m sure you’ll understand. Ya ockers. [/QUOTE] The two terms are not interchangeable. An “ocker” (itself slightly old fashioned now) is a rough-around-the-edges, beer-and-football bloke. Kinda the opposite of a metrosexual. Americans and others should avoid using it to mean people/guys in general, just like “mates” isn’t used here in that way. it’s not offensive at all, but it just sounds odd. A bit like if I were to refer to a bunch of Americans as “pard’ners”. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/55 "2008-03-19T15:35:25Z")
Air Supply? ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/56 "2008-03-19T16:23:36Z")
The Coke jingle from the film “[The Coca Cola Kid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml0TURpHRuw) .” thwartme ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/57 "2008-03-19T21:14:40Z")
The Herd do a really good version of I was Only Nineteen. Adelaide by Ben Folds if you happened to visit. Yothu Yindi’s version of Jailbreak. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/58 "2008-03-19T21:19:01Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] Second only to “Waltzing Matilda,” I don’t think you can get any more Australian than [Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPu-C5vvzU4) by Rolf Harris. Now that I think about it, since the song is from 1957 it ought to have been on my list of [MP3s older than you](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=458637)… [/QUOTE] That’s the one I thought of too! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bryanmaguire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bryanmaguire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bryanmaguire)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/59 "2008-03-19T21:20:54Z")
Check out the Go Betweens. Especially the Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express album. Their lead singer sadly died last year just as he was on the verge of actually making some money. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780/60 "2008-03-19T23:54:00Z")
**What music screams “Australia” to you?** Well how about [Monty Python’s Philosophers Song](http://youtube.com/watch?v=hPFClJGqjBQ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-screams-australia-to-you/441780.md?page=4)