On That Note: I Come From a Land Down Under

[cyclones500]

When I remove my Hipster-Goggles, gosh, ON-J has so many irresistible pop tunes.

This is probably the earliest of hers I remember hearing on the radio.



Here's one I probably took for granted at the time. In fact, I know I did.

 

[jcyclonee]

Olivia Newton-John was probably my first celebrity crush

ONJ in the Xanadu era.....still makes my Italian blood boil

I'd have to agree with everything except the Italian thing. Seeing ONJ in Grease wearing leather pants made me fully realize what being hetero means.

 

[BCClone]

I will be the hillbilly

 

[MeanDean]

One of my favorite, if not THEE favorite ever song of Aussie origins. I know Pearl Jam/Vedder do a version.

 

[MeanDean]

One of my favorite, if not THEE favorite ever song of Aussie origins. I know Pearl Jam/Vedder do a version.

Co-written my Mark Seymour who has lead vocals on the H&C version. And happens to be the brother of Nick Seymour of Crowded House. We had a post from them but they deserve more.

 

[MeanDean]

From the 60's. The Easybeats

 

[MeanDean]

This one probably gives Throw Your Arms Around Me the best run for fave Aussie cut of all time. They were definitely not a one hit wonder group. Love the Punk energy on this one!

 

[MeanDean]

Several years ago I found some poll from Australia of the most influential/favorite Aussie songs done in country. This was, I think number one. Possible might have been Tie Me Kangaroo or Waltzing Matilda. I'd never heard of it. It's now on my favorites play list and it definitely has something "IT" about it that grows on you.

 

[MeanDean]

Going WAAAaaaay back.

Buddy Holly and the Crickets heard this on their tour down under. It was released by their drummer Jerry Ivan Allison under the name "Ivan" in the US and bounced around the lower reaches of the charts here in America.

Here are both versions:

 

[MeanDean]

Love this group too. This was their biggest and has that higher truth but also the subtle sexual humor.

 

[MeanDean]

A few more from the Whitlams. Named for former Aussie Prime Minister Gough (pronounce 'goff') Whitlam. Here's their song with that title:



A tender tune from them:

 

[KnappShack]

For Bee Gees, this song signaled a turning point in style, starting the period most people associate with the group.

Not as big a hit as "Jive Talkin' from the same album ("Main Course"), but this was the lead track, and I actually prefer it over "JT." It doesn't seem as dated, relatively.

Had an old truck and the Best of the Bee Gees was stuck in the CD player.

Needless to say if I was having a wild night or trying to impress a lady I'd crank this song up.

I obviously got more ass than a toilet seat....sadly the CD went with the truck when I donated it to charity.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Obviously Men at Work almost immediately gets mentioned, but their frontman Colin Hay has a tremendous solo career. I’ve seen him live twice and he’s been amazing both times. Is one of those guys that’s a storyteller. There was one break where he went 15 minutes between songs talking about backstage antics with Sting. Saw he’s going to be in Ames, but it’s with Ringo Starr headlining, so I don’t know how little or big a role he may have in it.

Easily my favorite is Waiting For My Real Life to Begin.


One of my favorite songs to play on the guitar, I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You:


He also does acoustic covers of his Men At Work songs (Overkill is a personal favorite.)

 

[cyclones500]

This one probably gives Throw Your Arms Around Me the best run for fave Aussie cut of all time. They were definitely not a one hit wonder group. Love the Punk energy on this one!

That rocks. Don't think I had heard that one before.

I'm looking at wiki discography. Only one song charted top 40 in U.S. ("FOMM") -- "Sorry" didn't chart at all. (Both went to No. 1 in Aus).

I know I've asked you a similar question before: Was that discrepancy due partly to distribution gap or marketing by record company? So it didn't have the reach into the states? The song itself seems like it could've caught some fire in U.S., but maybe it didn't get the exposure?

 

[Buster28]

One thing a lot of people may not know/remember was that Olivia Newton-John was a big presence on the country charts in the 70s as well. SO big that she won the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year award in 1974 and was nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year. After "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from 'Grease' made it to #20 on the country singles chart in 1978, she was pretty much considered a pop star only. My favorite ONJ song was her last top ten, also a soundtrack single: "Twist of Fate" from 'Two of a Kind,' another movie with John Travolta. It peaked at #5 in 1983.

 

[flynnhicks03]

Midnight Oil has been mentioned a couple of times. They are a grossly underrated band, in my opinion. Here are a few more songs from them:

 

[Farnsworth]

Not a famous artist that I know of, but I always enjoyed this old Australian folk song when I was studying abroad down there.

 

[cyclones500]

A tidbit about Midnight Oil I find interesting. It's highly associated w/ late-80s/early 90s, but the band formed in 1976.

Timeline stuff like that fascinates me, for some reason.

 

[Doc]

SIAP, but Nick Cave and the Birthday Party!

 

[flynnhicks03]

A tidbit about Midnight Oil I find interesting. It's highly associated w/ late-80s/early 90s, but the band formed in 1976.

Timeline stuff like that fascinates me, for some reason.

I read a quote about them somewhere that basically said "they may not be the best Australian band, but they're definitely the most 'Australian'". Many of there songs are about Australia, and about issues affecting Australians.