Songs of Australia
June 2nd 2009 20:53
Every time I hear the Australian national anthem, I cringe. I find it neither stirring nor uplifting. I think both the words and the music would have trouble standing out in a crowd of one.
A major problem with our national anthem is that it is the wrong tune. It is not possible to have Waltzing Matilda as our national anthem, even though that's what every Australian really wants to sing when voices are raised in a crowd, but a story about a drifter who steals a sheep is not the stuff of political and patriotic propriety.
But there is a compromise. Song of Australia has all those stereotypically dull words considered appropriate for national anthems, while being sung to the tune of Waltzing Matilda. That should be our national anthem. Of course, Australians are not to be trusted in this as there is a strong possibility that, every time a crowd is asked to rise and sing Song of Australia, they will bellow out the words to Waltzing Matilda. And that's probably why we are stuck with Advance Australia Fair.
The only person in the known universe who can make Advance Australia Fair sound good is Julie Anthony, whose voice was trained by one of the better teachers on Mount Olympus. She sang it at the Sydney Olympics, and her recorded version is played pretty much everywhere, for which we may thank the Gods.
But wait — there is one other who could make Advance Australia Fair sound good, and that is Judith Durham. Her voice is so perfect that, when she hits high notes, broken glass mends itself.
You won't hear Judith Durham singing our national anthem, however, because she doesn't like the song. Hooray for that opinion. But her beef is with the words more than the tune, and she has been in the news lately for proposing a new version.
Judith Durham's proposed new words are beautiful. They turn a staid lump of an anthem into something which could stir any Aussie. A recent ABC television report on the version quoted an Aboriginal as saying, "It was the first time in my whole entire life I've ever sung the Australian anthem - ever."
Here are Durham's revised words:
Australia, celebrate as one, with peace and harmony.
Our precious water, soil and sun, grant life for you and me.
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts to love, respect and share,
And honouring the Dreaming, advance Australia fair.
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair.
Australia, let us stand as one, upon this sacred land.
A new day dawns, we’re moving on to trust and understand.
Combine our ancient history and cultures everywhere,
To bond together for all time, advance Australia fair.
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair.
Australia, let us strive as one, to work with willing hands.
Our Southern Cross will guide us on, as friends with other lands.
While we embrace tomorrow’s world with courage, truth and care,
And all our actions prove the words, advance Australia fair,
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair.
And when this special land of ours is in our children’s care,
From shore to shore forever more, advance Australia fair.
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair.
"And honouring the Dreaming ... " I've got the national anthem going around in my head now, but for the first time I'm happy to have it there.
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Comment by Tracy
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Ah, I feel better now
Comment by samaritan
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Comment by Chris Champion
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You're right of course, but then a school hall full of children singing anything would be stirring and uplifting, would it not? I just think hearing them sing Waltzing Matilda would be more stirring and more upllifting than Advance Australia Fair.
Comment by samaritan
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Yes, come to think of it, you're probably right. I think I was also moved when that same school hall of children sang Spider Pig from the Simpsons Movie.
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Comment by Lilla
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I really couldn*t agree more. I loathe Advance Australia Fair.
I am an immigrant to these shores, only arriving as I did back in 1974, but as an honourary Australian Citizen now of a few years, I would just love to be able to sing Waltzing Matilda and in fact for the first 10 years or so, didn*t even know it wasn*t the bloody anthem!
It was such a let down when I first tried to sing AAF, I never managed to learn the words properly, they just won*t *stick* . . I had Waltzing Matilda down pat in two rounds.
((laughs)) at the Spider Pig comment . . .
Lilla ..
Comment by Chris Champion
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Well said.
Who said, "Never let politicians get in the way of a good anthem"? Wait, I almost have it ... of yes of course, it was me.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Comment by Chris Champion
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And interesting ... I didn't realise there is a second verse ...
Comment by Morgan Bell
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although, all that being said i do like the poetry of Durhams lyrics more, theyre more more delicate and flowery . . . i guess thats what a few decades of puffing the magic dragon will do for you