It's Time by Alison McCallum

In August 1972 Alison McCallum provided lead vocals for ‘It's Time’, the campaign song for Gough Whitlam’s 1972 election campaign for the Australian Labor Party (ALP).

The song was written by campaign director Paul Jones and advertising jingle writer Mike Shirley and arranged and produced by Pat Aulton. Lead singer Alison MacCallum laid down the foundation track at ATA Studios, Sydney.

The chorus comprised a who's who of Australian entertainment and sporting personalities of the time, including Tony Barber, Barry Crocker, Lynette Curran, Chuck Faulkner, Jimmy Hannan, Brian Henderson, Col Joye, Graham Kennedy, Little Pattie, Bert Newton, Maggie Tabberer, Jack Thompson and more. 

The ALP used ‘It’s Time’ as the theme on campaign ads, making McCallum a famous name through saturation radio and TV airplay, despite the single failing to chart.  

Image: Alison McCallum, c.1970.