HOMEGROWN

Our theme this week was a no brainer as the show aired on Australia Day, or ‘Invasion Day’ as some of us like to call it. It seemed appropriate that our show focus on Australian/homegrown music, so we opened with Gangajang and SOUNDS OF THEN (THIS IS AUSTRALIA). Then it was Icehouse with GREAT SOUTHERN LAND.  Is this song quintessentially Australian, or what?

More classic Australiana followed with Sherbert and HOWZAT, Cold Chisel’s FLAME TREES and, rounding out the triple play, EAGLE ROCK from the ever brilliant Daddy Cool. Ross Wilson, Ross Hannaford et al, at their peak. Here’s the official clip from 1971:

Archie Roach is a singer and songwriter of amazing strength and insight. A story teller in the tradition of his ancestors, Archie conveys intimate real life stories as well as traditional stories of the Dreaming. Having survived a personal history that would have left most artists scarred and defeated, Archie Roach has emerged as an extraordinarily gifted Australian artist with a truly visionary talent. I chose to play TOO MANY BRIDGES, from the 2007 album Journey.

Yilila’s track E DHUMBALA is from their CD Digipack EP, Aeroplane, released in 2006. With their unique brand of Traditional/reggae/rock music, they have to be one of my favourite Indigenous bands. Unfortunately this track wasn’t available as a video clip, but I encourage you to check them out.

I’m also loving the group Tinpan Orange. Emily Lubitz, Jessie Lubitz and Alex Burkoy are all very talented but Emily’s voice is so seductive. Try and get hold of their new album THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE and take a listen to the track of the same name.

Next up it was Thirsty Merc and SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY. Bit of trivia for you: The band’s name came from a gas guzzling Mercedes Benz belonging to the band members, with the numberplate ‘THRSTY’.

One of my all time favourites, and one the tracks I had to play again from last year’s All Australian show, is the Saints song (I’M) STRANDED. Equally, The Easybeats had to get another run, but this year I thought I’d give FRIDAY ON MY MIND a rest and instead we heard another standard of theirs: WEDDING RING.

Nostalgia was hitting hard when Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs delivered MOST PEOPLE I KNOW THINK THAT I’M CRAZY and Men At Work rounded out the first hour of the show with the iconic Aussie anthem, DOWN UNDER.

The Living End asked  a question that may have been on everyone’s lips: WHAT’S ON YOUR RADIO? Mate! All Australian, homegrown, classics. No less. And we needed some female rock energy to bring some balance into the day’s playlist. Can’t get better that Chrissie Amphlett and The Divinyls with SCIENCE FICTION.

Anyone remember The Beasts of Bourbon?  LET’S GET FUNKY is from their 1990 album ‘Black Milk’. Tex Perkins, you are one radical dude.

Their’s been lots of tripping down memory lane, so I thought I would throw in the occasional contemporary recording, like Empire of the Sun and of their best,  HALF MAST. Of course, with a baby boomer creating the playlist, it wasn’t long before we returned to the oldies, (but goodies!). My favourite Crowded House track is DON’T DREAM THAT IT’S OVER and we followed with Richard Clapton and GIRLS ON THE AVENUE. Here’s a clip of Rick performing live at the 2007 Countdown Spectacular Tour. He has got to be one of Australia’s most talented artists.

There is no way you can create an Australian playlist and leave out Paul Kelly. And we didn’t. I left the overplayed and obvious tracks alone and chose another of his that I really like, YOU’RE LOVIN’ IS ON MY MIND. Leah Flanagan was one of my picks for ‘best of’  the recent Mullumbimby Music Festival. Loving TYPSY TANGO which you can find on her 2008 album LEAH FLANAGAN BAND. Now I know that The Black Seeds are from New Zealand but that doesn’t stop me adopting them for today’s show (isn’t that we do with all talented Kiwis – they become instant honorary Aussies?). Their song COME TO ME is a great example of their funk/afrobeat/soul sound.

Cold Chisel were the only band to get two songs onto the list. And that’s because I couldn’t leave out what some think is THE Aussie rock song: KHE SANH. This clip is worth viewing just for the audience’s reaction. Chisel fans unite!

I missed Rose Tattoo when they performed in Byron Bay recently, but I hear they still know how to rock a room. So, my pick was ROCK N ROLL OUTLAW.

We closed the show with one of the best of the current crop of Australian talent and followed with one of our most enduring rock bands.  Little Birdy is a four piece group from Perth with Katy Steele on vocals. The song I chose was COME ON. Then it was the one and only AC/DC and IT’S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP. I’ve uploaded videos of AccaDacca before, so let’s take a look at Little Birdy:

This week all the kids, and the teachers, are back at school. So next week’s show is dedicated to them with all songs about SCHOOL. Got any suggestions? Drop me a line either on the blog or through the bayfm.org site. Love to hear from you.

Here’s this week’s playlist:

Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia) – Gangajang

Great Southern Land – Icehouse

Howzat – Sherbet

Flame Trees – Cold Chisel

Eagle Rock – Daddy Cool

Too Many Bridges – Archie Roach

E Dhumbala – Yilila

The Bottom Of The Lake – Tinpan Orange

Someday, Someday – Thirsty Merc

(I’m) Stranded – The Saints

Wedding Ring -The Easybeats

Most people I know think that I’m crazy – Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs

Down Under – Men At Work

What’s On Your Radio – The Living End

Science Fiction – The Divinyls

Let’s Get Funky – Beasts Of Bourbon

Don’t Dream Its Over – Crowded House

Girls on the Avenue – Richard Clapton

Half Mast – Empire Of The Sun

Your Lovin’ Is On My Mind – Paul Kelly

Come To Me – The Black Seeds

Typsy Tango – Leah Flanagan

Khe Sanh – Cold Chisel

Rock’n’Roll Outlaw – Rose Tattoo

Come On – Little Birdy

Its A Long Way To The Top – AC/DC

Next week: School

Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 2-4pm, Sydney time.

Also streaming on http://www.bayfm.org

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