Sounds of Australia

[Guest]

We haven't been to Australia for a while. Love this website - http://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/in...s-collections/. A lot of really interesting historical information. The only drawback is that most of the clips are just 30 seconds long.

Selected Clips

The first commercially available recordings of Australian Aboriginal music - Indigenous Australians from the Yirrkala district in far north-east Arnhem Land, recorded by AP Elkin - "Djedbang-ari" -

http://aso.gov.au/titles/music/tribal-music-of-australia/clip1/

30 seconds of Tex Morton's "Wrap Me Up With My Stockwhip and Blanket" -

http://aso.gov.au/titles/music/wrap-me-stockwhip-and-blanket/clip1/

Early commercial - Happy Little Vegemites -

http://aso.gov.au/titles/ads/happy-little-vegemites/clip1/

The first rock song recorded and released in an Aboriginal language (Luritja) - Warumpi Band - "Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out from Jail)" -

http://aso.gov.au/titles/music/jailanguru-pakarnu/clip1/

From the 1973 album "The Loner", Australia’s great lost classic album of Aboriginal protest songs - Vic Simms - "Stranger in My Country" -

http://aso.gov.au/titles/music/the-loner/clip1/

[Lateralthinking1]

.....I have to confess that I have only just discovered that Ruby Hunter died last year. Sorry to hear this news. She was due to be with the Black Arm Band at Womad in summer 2009. However, she didn't make it there.

Quite enjoyed it but it was rather more poppy than I expected. There were still some very moving moments. Only a heart of stone would not have feelings on hearing their story about being children removed from their homes.

Ruby was a character and will perhaps mainly be remembered for her place in the history of her country's music. She had quite an unusual voice, not without its merits, and I would like to hear some of her early material one day soon. Along the way, there seemed to be productions that were very commercial but I do like this a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBpAouqPojk&feature=related

[Paul Sherratt]

The only thing from down below I can think of atm, is ( Sir ) Paul de Boe's lovely and long ' Aeroplanes Have Wonded My Pride '
It used to be on his myspace but has now gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCzvoEtSYM