Almanac Music: What Are Your Ten Best Australian Songs?
By now you probably would have heard that Triple J is conducting a new poll. Their wildly successful annual “Hottest 100” has this month spawned the “Hottest 100 of Australian Songs”. For the past few weeks, the national broadcaster’s marketing team has dialled up the spin to #11, and indeed, it seems that there is a mention of this poll everywhere you look or listen on the ABC. From all reports, the response the J’s have received to this idea has been off the charts.
The selection process proved difficult
Anyone who has ever glanced at my annual list of best Australian albums here on the Footy Almanac would know that I listen to plenty of Australian music. So, when Triple J made this announcement, I was curious. And despite my reservations, I knew that I would be compelled to compile my own personal best list of Australian songs and lodge my vote. Fomo works in mysterious ways. After weeks of procrastinating and jotting down notes – a process which, quite frankly, got completely out of hand – I sat down to whittle down the list to the maximum allowed ten tracks. It was an impossibly fraught exercise, an elimination process akin to choosing between your favourite children. Sorry Paul Kelly, I just could not squeeze you in this time. And what about Sunnyboys’ “Alone with you”? If I were to re-compile the list next week, maybe I would put this in!
Upon logging in and completing the voting process, a scroll through the songs suggests that the final 100 songs will contain a ridiculous recency bias. There are no pre-1970 songs listed even though ‘Friday on my Mind’, one of the greatest ever Australian tracks, was released in 1966. But when one considers the average Triple J listener’s age profile, this is hardly surprising.
Smokie’s 10 best Australian songs
So, here is my list. I am aware that lists such as this are subjective, and are borne of personal tastes, feelings, and intuition. But I am curious…what are your ten best Australian songs?
You can read more from Smokie HERE
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Always North.
Good list Smokie.
It would be way too easy for me to get bogged down on this task so I just went in and went ‘BANG’ picked a list, lodged it, and got out.
Here is my list as it stands today (in no particular order):
LMA —The Mark Of Cain
Power And The Passion — Midnight Oil
Aloha Steve & Danno — Radio Birdman
Khe Sanh — Cold Chisel
The Unguarded Moment — The Church
Following My Own Tracks — The Whitlams
It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll) — AC/DC
Throw Your Arms Around Me — Hunters & Collectors
Shivers — The Boys Next Door
My Pal — God
Some automatic selections, some bolters.
Apologies to the following artists (they could easily be in the top 10 if I did it again tomorrow):
You Am I
Stevie Wright
Warumpi Band
Hoodoo Gurus
Paul Kelly
Dave Graney
Rowland S. Howard
The Cruel Sea
Daddy Cool
Sorry Smokie, I didn’t realise it was only one 0, not three; two may have been an acceptable compromise. At my age it is a challenge to bring it down to ten, so like Greg I’m going Bang ! Here we go
Top, no negotiations here, must be Stevie Wright’s, Evie. As a music masterpiece it stands alone The following nine, are in no particular order.
Beds are burning; Midnight Oil
Eagle Rock; Daddy Cool
I touch myself; The Divinyls
Living in the 70′; The Skyhooks
Long way to to the top; Ac/DC
Most people I know think that I’m crazy: Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs
Stranded; The Saints
The Real Thing: Russell Morris
To her door: Paul Kelly
So many classics I have left out or forgotten. Following Greg’s lead apologies to performers such as:
Slim Dusty
Chain
The Johnny’s
The Dingoes
TISM
Lime Spiders
Renee Geyer
Sharon O’Neill
Dragon
Lobby Loyde and the Coloured Balls
Rose Tattoo
Kylie Minogue
and many, various others.
Rock on Oz Music !
Glen!
Hey Smokie
I also spent last week considering my top 10 list and realised what an impossible task it is – there are various non-intersecting top 10 lists swirling in my heart & soul based on the state I’m in. I agree that ‘Friday On My Mind’ would be front & centre of an Aussie top ten list BUT, when I compiled my own list I was drawn to the songs that I instinctively listen to in my quietest moments – the ones that comfort me and have done so for so long – they are like best friends thru life.
Matt Finish – Short Note (1981)
John J Francis – Play Momma Play (1973)
Spectrum – I’ll Be Gone (1971)
Ganggajang – Sounds Of Then (1985)
The Church – Under The Milky Way (1988)
Richard Pleasance – River Of Love (1991)
Alex Lloyd – Amazing (2001)
Australian Crawl – Reckless (1983)
Paul Kelly – Careless (1989)
Goanna – Solid Rock (1982)
Great story Smoke, and you did get there!
As I joked on FB, don’t overthink this man. Having said that, re Australian Crawl, no Reckless! And similarly, re Mentals, what about Live it Up, one of the poppiest tunes of our 20s. Good to see Little Heroes song in there. But where’s Chris Wilson, or Ed Kuepper? The Dingoes, Richard Clapton or one of Luke Steele’s magnificent bands?
As you point out, these exercises are so damn personal, and your set of songs are pretty, pretty, pretty good. When I look at your final 10, I see at least four artists/songs I tried to squeeze into mine.
So, here is what I threw into the ring:
Kangaroo Hop, by Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs
Down City Streets, by Archie Roach
Jailbreak, by AC/DC
Aint no Little Girl, by Kasey Chambers
Depreston by Courtney Barnett
Deeper Water, by Paul Kelly
End of the Line, by The Blackeyed Susans
Boys will be Boys, by Stella Donnelly
To Love Somebody, by the Bee Gees
Camooweal, by Slim Dusty
I’m from an older generation and my selections reflect that in my Top 10 Smoke.
1: Everlovin’ Man – Loved Ones
2: Spicks and Specks – Bee Gees
3: When the River Runs Dry – Hunters and Collectors
4: War or Hands of Time – Masters Apprentices
5: Winter In America – Doug Ashdown
6: That’s Life – Wild Cherries
7: The Loved One – Loved Ones
8: To Love Somebody – Bee Gees
9: Miles to Go – Mick Thomas
10:Sad Dark Eyes – Loved Ones
Many more will come to mind when I have a good think about it.
On the basis of how I feel right now (at work, slightly hungover, enduring my colleagues’ droning) this is no doubt the best 10 Aussie tracks ever. A few beers, time on the couch watching the Lions savage the Blues, and things would change.
Eagle Rock, Daddy Cool
Tupelo, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Step In, Step Out, Weddings Parties Anything
Choirgirl, Cold Chisel
The Boys Light Up, Australian Crawl
Boys in Town, the Divinyls
Somebody That I Used To Know, Gotye
We Are The People, Empire of the Sun
Man Overboard, Do Re Mi
Most People I Know, Billy Thorpe
Personally, my list would be stacked with Australian Crawl (along with a bit of Mondo Rock and Midnight Oil).
If I were to choose one song per artist, the list would be something like this (in no particular order):
My coffee’s gone cold: Australian Crawl
Daddy’s gonna make you a star: Company of Strangers
You’re the voice: John Farnham
Sounds of then (This is Australia): Ganggajang
The world seems difficult: Mental as Anything
Lara versus the savage pack: Midnight Juggernauts
Now or never land: Midnight Oil
Good advice: Mondo Rock
The Diamantina Drover: Redgum
Slave: James Reyne
But on another day I could easily choose a different Australian Crawl, Mondo Rock or Midnight Oil song.
DENNI – Strongest Mob
Anything Easybeats
Sid O’Neil’s Nobody Ever Really Had a Home
Cortney Barnett – pick a song
Greg Champion – Leave You This Song, just perfect.
Eddy Current – Pitch a Tent
Alison MacCallum – Superman
The Lawless Quartet – Red Eye
The Missing Links – Any song
And Greg Champion’s Leave You This Song again.
Great story, great process, Smoke:
My 10:
Only the Strong, Midnight Oil
Ordinary, The Preatures
Songbird, Bernard Fanning
Meet me in the middle of the air, Paul Kelly
Treaty Filthy Lucre Mix, Yothu Yindi
Who Listens to the Radio, The Sports
Black & White, INXS
Love Your Way, Powderfinger
Be There, Old Mervs
Reptile, The Church
Wide Open Road – The Triffids
Only Human – Mark Gillespie
A Tale They Won’t Believe – Weddings Parties Anything
Cattle and Cane – The Go Betweens
Eternally Yours – The Laughing Clowns.
River of Love – The Spikes
Miracle Mile – Harem Scarem
Know Your Product – The Saints
Alone With You – The Sunnyboys
Little Decisions – Paul Kelly
Just a couple the haven’t been mentioned.
Queen of Everyone’s Hearts – Perry Keys. (He could have about 8 in here.)
Short Note – Matt Finish. (Okay, it was mentioned, but is great.)
Friday on My Mind – Easys
Berlin Chair – You Am I.
Reckless – The Sports.
Flame Trees _- because, come on, eight pots on board who can’t sing along and get teary about an old girlfriend to this?
Thank you all for your comments and lists.
Some ripping tracks amongst them.
One day, I might just go down the rabbit-hole of selecting my top 100, or perhaps not.
Col, I would have loved to have seen the Loved Ones in full flight.
Can’t see any Matt Taylor and Chain in here??
Chickens
Brisbane to Beechworth – outstanding!
Black and Blue
And Go Betweens Cattle and Cane – right up there.
Sunny Boys – Alone With You
Painters and Dockers – Pull Me Off, and Kill, Kill, Kill.
Pull Me Off live is extraordinary. Get on YouTube
I reckon voting in this Hottest 100, probably more than others, is about creeping regret. I voted some time ago, in haste, and courtesy of others’ choices now see my folly. Rick- I’d now include Miniskirt by The Sleepy Jackson. Just one example. So much I like on all of these lists.
I also like that there’ll be songs making the cut which likely were never played on Triple J, but this acknowledgment of their legacy is a good gesture. I’d nearly have a lazy $2 on Flame Trees.
Thanks, Smokie.
Surprisingly few women artists in lists. Worthy of a follow-up piece Smokie.
Hi Smokie. These are my ten favourite Oz songs – not exactly best – but I didn’t want to get caught up in definitions. The list is very much today’s list, and would be different tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that…
Wings of An Eagle (Russell Morris)
Balwyn Calling (Skyhooks)
Marseilles (The Angels)
Wedding Cake Island (Midnight Oil)
Get That Jive (Dragon – oh well, Australasian)
Only Lonely (Divynyls)
You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
One Perfect Day (Little Heroes)
Run to Paradise (Choirboys)
Hold On (Models)
Very true Matt Zurbo, not a huge amount of female voices heard in these songs. Without going off on a tangent I’d like to add ten favourite Australian songs with a female vocalist. Here goes.
I’ve already mentioned the Divinyls, I touch myself, in my top ten, but you can’t leave out too much of Chrissy Amphlett’s singing; Good die young.
Kylie Minogue’s duet with Nick Cave; Where the wild roses grow.
Angie Hart, fronting Frente; Accidently Kelly Street
Vanessa Amorosi; Absolutely everybody.
Natalie Imbruglia: Torn
Renee Geyer; Say i love you
Olivia Newton John; Banks of the Ohio
Helen Reddy; I am Woman
The final two , like my better half, are Kiwis but have lived in Australia. Alison Durbin; Put your hand in the hand. Then Sharon O’Neill who wrote the following, but isn’t the only singer to have recorded it; Sweet and Sour..
Maybe this brings some redress to the top 10.
Glen!
For what it’s worth!
Ego Is Not A Dirty Word — Skyhooks
How To Make Gravy — Paul Kelly
Elephant — Tame Impala
Flame Trees — Cold Chisel
Avant Gardener — Courtney Barnett
Into My Arms — Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Memories & Dust — Josh Pyke
Magnolia — Gang Of Youths
Feelin’ Kinda Sporty — Dave Graney ‘n’ The Coral Snakes
Punk’s Not Dead — Darren Hanlon.
Not in order (and it can’t be only 10)
Bedlam Bridge by Midnight Oil
Friday On My Mind – The Easybeats
Get Back To The Land – Teskey Bros with Emma Donovan
From Little Things – Paul Kelly
Everlovin’ Man – The Loved Ones
Superbody – Spectrum
Red Right Hand – Nick Cave
Golden Miles – Healing Force
Flame Trees – Cold Chisel
Girls On The Avenue – Richard Clapton
London Still – The Waifs
Cathy’s Clown – You Am I
My Pal – God
Dodgy – Icecream Hands
The Nips Are Getting Bigger – Mental As Anything
Cattle and Cane – The Go Betweens
Shivers – The Boys Next Door
King Street – John Kennedy’s Love Gone Wrong
Wide Open Road – The Triffids
Ghost Ships – The Saints
Harness Up – Died Pretty
Short Note – Matt Finish
… and i could keep going. most from the 80’s when i was in my 20’s which probably says something
and how could I leave out The Honeymoon Is Over by The Cruel Sea which contains (for my money) the single greatest line in an Australian song ever “… then I’m gonna get this tattoo changed to another girl’s name.”
Living in a child’s dream – Masters Apprentices
Friday on my Mind- The Easybeats
Boy on the run – The Dingoes
Under the Milky Way- Jimmy Little (cover)
Black and blue- Chain
Most people I know. -Billy Thorpe
I’ll be gone – Spectrum
Too her door- Paul Kelly
Eagle Rock – Daddy Cool
Golden Miles- Healing For e
If I was doing Albums I would definitely have Mark Gillespie’s Only Human
In no particular order and predominantly from the golden age of Oz Progressive Rock early/mid 70’s. Tough task to narrow to Top 10. Smokey how about a Top 100 or at least 50?
Golden Miles Healing Force
Open Up Your Heart G Wayne Thomas
I’ll Be Gone Spectrum
Woman With Reason Company Caine
Song With No Trees Sid Rumpo
Guitar Over Drive Lobby Lloyd
The Real Thing Russell Morris
Love on the Radio Skyhooks
Girl Across the Street Just Turned 18 Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
Sydney Ladies The Dingoes
Deep Water—Richard Clapton
Evie parts 1,2&3 Stevie Wright
The Loved One —The loved Ones
Reckless— James Reyne
Rock and Roll I gave you the best years of my life —Kevin ?
Way out west— Dingoes
Heading in the right direction—Renee Geyer
Harley & Rose — Black Sorrows
I’m in London Town — Waifs
Undecided— Masters Apprentices
Flame Trees – Cold Chisel
Camooweal – Slim Dusty
Blow Up the Pokies – The Whitlams
Talk of the Town (live version) – Shane Howard
Lights of Hay – Neil Murray
Love Never Runs On Time – Paul Kelly
Young Girls – Don Walker
Harley & Rose – The Black Sorrows
When Will You Fall for Me – Vika and Linda
Yorta Yorta Man – Jimmy Little
Hoochie Gucci Fiorucci Mama – Aussie Crawl
Pauly Roberts Scores a Car – Perry Keyes
16 Summers – Adam Harvey
My votes in the JJJ exercise, choosing from their (excellent) pre-populated options on a grey Thursday:
flame trees – cold chisel
shark fin blues – the drones
treaty – yothu yindi
purple sneakers – you am I
one crowded hour – augie march
beds are burning – midnight oil
it’s only the beginning – deborah conway
what’s my scene – hoodoo gurus
calypso – spiderbait
1955 – hilltop hoods
different top 10. without a list from which to choose. free swing.
what I don’t know ’bout you – You am I
waiting for my real life to begin – colin hay
A midlife’s tale – my friend the chocolate cake
Cement – meg washington
little suitcase – Luluc
don’t change – INXS
Can anyone be hypnotised? – ice cream hands
inside my kitchen – tiddas
here’s as good as anywhere – tex, don & charlie
anything by “checkerboard lounge” from one of their epic Melbourne pub gigs.
From Little Things Big Things Grow- Paul Kelly
You Can’t See Black in the Dark- Scott Darlow
Solid Rock- Goanna
Man Overboard- Do Re Mi
You’re the Voice- John Farnham
99 Years- Vika & Linda
Unguarded Moment- The Church
Horror Movie- Skyhooks
Take a Long Line- The Angels
Come Said the Boy- Mondo Rock
Junket Head – Hunters and Collectors
Timothy – Jet
A Fine Mess – Tex Perkins
Goodbye Tiger – Richard Clapton
Vote for Boat – TISM
Don’t Come any Closer – Alison Durbin
The Remedy – Fabulaires
In Your Car – The Dugites
West Gate Bridge – Kinematic
Four Moments – Sebastian Hardie
So it’s a crazy challenge, but here are some of my go-to anthems
Treaty – Yothu Yindi
Morning Glory – Renee Geyer
Brave – Kate Ceberano
Gadigal Land – Midnight Oil
Down City Streets – Ruby Hunter & Archie Roach
Carlton – Skyhooks
I Was Only 19 – Redgum
We’ve Started a Fire – Vika and Linda
They Thought I was Asleep – Paul Kelly
Bayini – Gurrumul Yunupingu
I am currently listening to JJJ’s Hottest Australian 100 Songs & I am seriously rethinking my top 10.
Some of the old favourites of our generation are beginning to sound ‘old & stale’.
I am close to the point where I can fully embrace the new along with letting go of some of the not so new.