-  A  U S T R A L I A   1 9 8 2  - 

This is basically a follow up to last Wednesday's intro story (see here 🔽)

During the weeks that I was 'Down Under' something had been going on 'Up Here' ! 

Britain had acquired a new TV station. Channel 4 had launched on November 2nd, and by the time of my return Australia was happening in a big way. To begin with C4 had begun by showing The Paul Hogan Show. This had been on Australian Television for almost 10 years but was new to the UK and introduced a host of colourful characters and Aussie catchphrases. Paul Hogan would soon be 'Crocodile Dundee' and an international star. 

While the radio was continually playing a great new song by a band called Men At Work. The track had been a No.1 success the previously year 'Down Under' and would now top the charts in both the US and UK by January 1983. 

More colourful lyrics and Australian slang - so lets go "travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie" - with the official video > 

In May 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) celebrating its 75th anniversary named the 30 Best Australian Songs from 1926 to 2001, as decided by a hundred-strong industry panel. "Down Under" was ranked as the fourth song on the list.

Link to the full list. 

    H A P P Y    B I R T H D A Y   T O     

 -   M y   b r o t h e r   J I M   - 

7 0   t o d a y

Welcome to the Club "bruv" 

We have over the years shared many music memories, from numerous Fairport Convention gigs to Folk Festivals in the old VW camper. BBC radio recordings on a Sunday afternoon and local clubs and pubs, none more unusual than the one in Caines, Australia in 1982.

It was a Sunday evening at the end of October and my journal records it as follows:

We had walked around town for quite awhile before finding the advertised Folk Club. It was rather sad, at first, no wonder there are so few Folk Clubs here, people don't seem interested. Anyway the music began and we quite enjoyed the very casual feeling and listened to some good music. "Streets of London", "Mr. Bojangles", some Eric Bogle songs and nice dulcimer music from a Canadian traveller. Cairns Folk Club - it's a long way from Clare to Here ! (Someone did sing this Ralph McTell song). 

It was also on this occasion we first heard someone perform 'The Aussie Bar-B-Q song', written by Scottish born Eric Bogle (famous for his anti war songs, notably "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda". The 'barbie' was indeed a National Institution and the lyrics certainly struck a chord, many requiring translation. In fact there's a video of a 'Live on Michael Parkinson' Australian TV show, from 1982 in which the lyrics were changed from 'snags' to 'sausages' so as to not confuse an international audience! [Full lyrics here]. 

The song originally appeared on Bogle's second album "Plain & Simple" (with John Munro) the previous year. Sing along now:

Parkinson link fyi: 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cauE2CSCDyE&list=RDcauE2CSCDyE&start_radio=1

Eric Bogle did mix his more serious songs with plenty of humorous ones. In 1984 there was 'Do You Know Any Dylan' - well worth a read through of this story song [link]

   

It occurred to me, that during the 40 or so minutes* that the Artemis II Orion spacecraft and it’s crew were speeding (at 5632 km/h) through the darkness that is the far side of the Moon, they were actually in its shadow. The Moonlight’s Shadow ! Queue the song… 

Nothing to do with space travel or specifically the Moon, Mike Oldfield's 1983 release 'Moonlight Shadow' gets a 'live' full orchestra production with Miriam Stockley on vocals in this 2006 German 'Night of the Proms. 

The roar of the crowd in recognition and 'All together' in German: 'alle zusammen' >>>> 

* While this is also about the amount of time it takes to listen to the whole of the album ‘Dark Side of the Moon‘ by Pink Floyd. 

   

We begin today with a short introduction - a 30 second (TikTok) promotion video:

You may have seen this story in the news. History link here. 

No better way to celebrate than with a demonstration from one the Telecaster's finest exponents. 

Totally in the Groove [the master] playing 'live' in Boston in 1993. 'Eileen' by Mr Keith Richards and The X-Pensive Winos band. 

A YouTube comment:
"Some of the most electrifying rhythm guitar lines ever laid down have been done so by Keith Richards. This is one of the best examples. This is rock 'n' roll in all its raw power."