Music Around the World: Australia

The next stop on our Music World Tour is the one and only Australia, Oceania's largest country and a whole ass continent plus some of the surrounding islands. People are fascinated by Australia, which makes sense because it's a pretty fascinating place known for natural wonders like the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef as well as its megacities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Here's our usual fact dump:

-Capital City: Canberra

-Official Languages: None at the federal level, but the national language is English

-Government: Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy, currently under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth II of The United Kingdom, Governor-General David Hurley, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison

-Indigenous Australians can be traced back to the continent 65,000 years, discovered by the Dutch in 1606, the British arrived in 1788, became a federation with a constitution in 1901, approved the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act in 1942, passed the Australia Act in 1986

-Land Area: 2,969,907 square miles (6th largest in the world)

-Population: 25,909,600 estimated as of 2021 (53rd most populous in the world)

-Religion: 52.1% Christian, 30.1% no religious affiliation, 2.6% Islamic, 2.4% Buddhist, 1.9% Hindu, 0.5% Sikh, 0.4% Jewish, 0.4% other religious affiliation

-Drive on the left side of the road

Australian music is a healthy blend of Aboriginal, folk, country, rock, pop, and really about anything you can think of. There are a ton of very well known musicians that call Australia their home, so let's dive in and see what they have in store for us.

Back In Black by AC/DC (written by A. Young, B. Johnson, M. Young)

Let's start right off the bat with one of rock music's most iconic groups, AC/DC. Formed in Sydney in 1975 (177 miles northeast of Canberra), the band's current members include Angus Young (lead guitar), Phil Rudd (drums), Cliff Williams (bass guitar, vocals), Brian Johnson (vocals), and Stevie Young (rhythm guitar/vocals). Known for spanning the genres of hard rock, blues rock, rock 'n roll, and heavy metal, AC/DC has won 1 Grammy Award (2010 Best Hard Rock Performance for War Machine) and has released 18 studio albums since 1975. Back In Black is one of their most famous and most recognizable songs and was originally featured on their 1980 album of the same name.

Back in black, I hit the sack, I’ve been too long, I’m glad to be back/Yes, I’m let loose from the noose that’s kept me hanging about/I’m just looking at the sky ‘cause it’s getting me high, forget the hearse, ‘cause I’ll never die/I got nine lives, cat’s eyes, abusing every one of them and running wild/‘Cause I’m back, yes, I’m back/Well, I’m back, yes, I’m back/Well, I’m back, back/Well, I’m back in black, yes, I’m back in black

Advance Australia Fair by Julie Anthony, Human Nature, & James Morrison (written by P. McCormick)

Advance Australia Fair has been adopted as the national anthem of Australia twice, once in 1974 and again in 1984 after being switched out with God Save the Queen (which is now known as the country's royal anthem). Composer and school teacher Peter Dodds McCormick originally wrote the song in 1878, and the lyrics were modified in 1984 and again in 2021. The version I listened to was performed beautifully by Australian soprano Julie Anthony, Australian vocal group Human Nature, and British singer James Morrison.

Australians all, let us rejoice/For we are young and free/We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil/Our home is girt by sea/Our land abounds in nature’s gifts/Of beauty rich and rare/In history’s page, let every stage/Advance Australia fair/In joyful strains then let us sing/Advance Australia fair

Stupid Boy by Keith Urban (written by D. Berg, D. Bryant, S. Buxton)

Keith Urban, a long-time favorite of mine, was born in Whangarei, New Zealand and emigrated with his family to Caboolture, Queensland (767 miles northeast of Canberra) as a child. A huge name in singing, songwriting, and guitar not just in his own genre of country music but across the entire industry, Urban has won four Grammys (2006 Best Male Country Vocal Performance for You'll Think of Me, 2008 Best Male Country Vocal Performance for Stupid Boy, 2010 Best Male Country Vocal Performance for Sweet Thing, and 2011 Best Male Country Vocal Performance for 'Til Summer Comes Around) and has released 12 studio albums since 1991. His Grammy winning version of Stupid Boy, which is a cover of the original by songwriter Sarah Buxton, is featured on his 2006 album Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy Thing.

Well, she was precious like a flower/She grew wild, wild, but innocent/A perfect prayer in a desperate hour/She was everything, beautiful and different/Stupid boy, you can’t fence that in/Stupid boy, it’s like holding back the wind/She let her heart and soul right in your hands/And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans/She never even knew she had a choice, and that’s what happens/When the only voice she hears is telling her she can’t/Stupid boy, stupid boy, oh

Can't Get You Out of My Head by Kylie Minogue (written by C. Dennis, R. Davis)

Australian superstar Kylie Minogue was born in Melbourne, Victoria (411 miles southwest of Canberra). Making her career in both music (pop, dance, and disco being her primary genres) and acting, she is the highest selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide during her 42 year career. Minogue has won one Grammy (2004 Best Dance Recording for Come into My World) and has released 15 studio albums since 1988. Can't Get You Out of My Head is one of Minogue's biggest hits, especially here in the States, and was featured on her 2001 album Fever.

I can’t get you out of my head, boy/Your loving is all I think about/I just can’t get you out of my head, boy/It’s more than I dare to think about/La la la/La la la la la/La la la/La la la la la/I just can’t get you out of my head, boy/Your loving is all I think about/I just can’t get you out of my head, boy/It’s more than I dare to think about/Every night/Every day/Just to be there/In your arms/Won’t you stay/Won’t you lay/Stay forever and ever/And ever and ever

Torn by Natalie Imbruglia (written by A. Preven, S. Cutler, P. Thornalley)

Australian singer/songwriter/actress/model Natalie Imbruglia was born in Sydney, New South Wales. Beginning her career as a soap opera actress on the Australian show Neighbours, her singing career began in 1997 when she covered Torn by Ednaswap (an American rock band from the late '90s). The song became a huge international success, is one of Imbruglia's most well known songs to this day, and was featured on her 1997 album Left of the Middle.

I thought I saw a man brought to life/He was warm, he came around like he was dignified/He showed me what it was to cry/Well, you couldn’t be that man that I adored/You don’t seem to know or seem to care what your heart is for/Well, I don’t know him anymore/There’s nothing where he used to lie, conversation has run dry/That’s what’s going on, nothing’s fine/I’m torn, I’m all out of faith/This is how I feel, I’m cold and I am ashamed/Lying naked on the floor, illusion never changed/Into something real, I’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn/You’re a little late, I’m already torn

We Have Survived by No Fixed Address (written by B. Willoughby)

No Fixed Address is an Australian reggae-rock group that was formed in 1979 at the CASM (Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music) in North Adelaide, South Australia (714 miles west of Canberra). The current band lineup includes Bart Willoughby (drums, vocals, guitar, didgeridoo), Selwyn Burns (guitar), Ricky Harrison (guitar), Les Lovegrove (guitar), and John Miller (bass), all of whom are native Aboriginal Australians. While the group has split and reunited multiple times over the years, they've been imperatively influential to the Aboriginal music scene in Australia and have released 2 studio albums since 1981. We Have Survived was featured on the 1981 soundtrack to Wrong Side of the Road and has a good reggae bop vibe to it.

You can’t change the rhythm of my soul/You can’t tell me just what to do/You can’t break my bones by putting me down, whoa/Or taking the things the belong to me/‘Cause we have survived the white man’s world/And the horror and the torment of it all/We have survived the white man’s world/And you know you can’t change that

Hopelessly Devoted to You by Olivia Newton-John (written by J. Farrar)

Dame Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, UK and emigrated to Melbourne when she was 6 years old with her family. A singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and activist, she is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time with genres including pop, country, soft rock, adult contemporary, pop rock, and dance pop. Newton-John has won four Grammys (1973 Best Female Country Vocal Performance for Let Me Be There, 1974 Record of the Year & Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for I Honestly Love You, and 1982 Video of the Year for Physical) and has released 26 studio albums since 1971. Hopelessly Devoted to You is, of course, sung by Newton-John in the role of Sandy Olsen on the 1978 soundtrack to the film Grease (starring both she and John Travolta).

Guess mine is not the first heart broken/My eyes are not the first to cry/I’m not the first to know there’s just no getting over you/I know I’m just a fool who’s wiling/To sit around and wait for you/But baby, can’t you see there’s nothing else for me to do/I’m hopelessly devoted to you/But now, there’s nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside/I’m out of my head, hopelessly devoted to you/Hopelessly devoted to you/Hopelessly devoted to you

Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (written by D. Jones, D. Hayes)

Australian pop duo Savage Garden was formed in Brisbane, Queensland (736 miles northeast of Canberra) in 1993 by vocalist Darren Hayes and instrumentalist Daniel Jones. Through their 8 year career (the band dissolved in 2001 with Hayes going on to be a solo artist), they released two studio albums and became a very recognizable group in late-90s pop music. Truly Madly Deeply was featured on the group's 1997 self-titled album and is one of their biggest and most recognizable songs.

I’ll be your dream, I’ll be your wish, I’ll be your fantasy/I’ll be your hope, I’ll be your love, be everything that you need/I love you more with every breath, truly, madly, deeply do/I will be strong, I will be faithful ‘cause I’m counting on a new beginning/A reason for living, a deeper meaning, yeah/I want to stand with you on a mountain/I want to bathe with you in the sea/I want to lay like this forever/Until the sky falls down on me

Chandelier by Sia (written by J. Shatkin, S. Furler)

Sia Furler, known eponymously as Sia, was born in Adelaide, South Australia (720 miles west of Canberra). Starting off as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp and the British music duo Zero 7, she now enjoys a very prominent solo career as a singer/songwriter (genres including pop, electropop, and indie pop), voice actress, and director. She has released 9 studio albums since 1997 and is a nine-time Grammy Award nominee. Chandelier was featured on her 2014 album 1000 Forms of Fear and is still one of her most popular songs and music videos to date.

Party girls don’t get hurt, can’t feel anything, when will I learn/I push it down, I push it down/I’m the one for a good time call, phone’s blowing up, ringing my doorbell/I feel the love, feel the love/One, two, three, one, two, three, drink/One, two, three, one, two, three, drink/One, two, three, one, two, three, drink/Throw ‘em back ’til I lose count/I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier/I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist, like it doesn’t exist/I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry/I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier/I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down, won’t open my eyes/Keep my glass full until morning light, ‘cause I’m just holding on for tonight/Help me, I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down, won’t open my eyes/Keep my glass full until morning light, ‘cause I’m just holding on for tonight, on for tonight

The Less I Know the Better by Tame Impala (written by K. Parker)

Australian psychedelic pop/psychedelic rock/disco/synth-pop/neo-psychedelia group Tame Impala was formed in Perth, Western Australia (2,181 miles northwest of Canberra) in 2007 by Kevin Parker. Parker, who plays multiple instruments himself but is primarily known in the group for vocals and guitar, is the only permanent member, with his current tourmates including Dominic Simper (guitar, synth), Jay Watson (synth, vocals, guitar), Cam Avery (bass guitar, vocals), and Julien Barbagallo (drums, vocals). Having released 4 studio albums since 2010, The Less I Know the Better is featured on their 2015 album Currents and has surpassed one billion digital streams since its release.

Someone said they left together, I ran out the door to get her/She was holding hands with Trevor, not the greatest feeling ever/Said, "Pull yourself together, you should try your luck with Heather"/Then I heard they slept together, oh, the less I know, the better/The less I know, the better/Oh, my love, can’t you see yourself by my side/No surprise, when you’re on his shoulder like every night/Oh, my love, can’t you see that you’re on my mind/Don’t suppose we could convince your lover to change his mind/So goodbye

All Set and Saddled by Tex Morton (composer unknown)

Robert Lane, better known by his stage name Tex Morton, was born in Nelson, New Zealand and emigrated to Australia in 1934 when he was 18. A fixture in Australian country music, the singer/vaudevillian/televison host/circus performer enjoyed a career that spanned over four decades before he passed away in 1983 due to lung cancer. He was nicknamed The Singing Cowboy Sensation and was well known for his yodeling abilities. All Set and Saddled was featured on the 2009 compilation album American Yodeling. I wasn't able to find a good transcript of the lyrics, but I highly recommend finding the song and listening to it because his yodeling technique is really excellent.

Hot Potato by The Wiggles (written by A. Field, G. Page, J. Fatt, J. Field, M. Cook)

Don't you roll your eyes at this - we can't talk about Australian music without talking about one of the biggest names in children's music in the world. The Wiggles were formed in Sydney back in 1991 by Greg Page (yellow shirt, lead vocals), Anthony Field (blue shirt, guitar and vocals), Jeff Fatt (purple shirt, drums and vocals), and Murray Cook (red shirt, guitar and vocals). Field is the only original member still with the group, joined now by Lachlan Gillespie (purple), Simon Pryce (red), and Emma Watkins (yellow). In edition to multiple tours and a very successful television show, The Wiggles have released a whopping 57 studio albums since 1991. Hot Potato was originally featured on their 1994 album Yummy Yummy and is still one of their most iconic songs.

Hot potato, hot potato/Hot potato, hot potato/Hot potato, hot potato, potato/Potato, potato, potato/Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti/Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti/Cold spaghetti, cold spaghetti, spaghetti/Spaghetti, spaghetti, spaghetti

I hope you enjoy this music from our friends Down Under as much as I have. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!