Iconic songs become Sounds of Australia
They’re the ones that Australia wants! Ten new titles have been inducted into the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia’s (NFSA) Sounds of Australia registry of sound recordings that have helped shape our nation’s culture.
The new Sounds of Australia include three of the most popular songs of the 1970s (You’re The One That I Want, by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, written by Australian musician John Farrar), 80s (You’re The Voice, by John Farnham) and 90s (Truly Madly Deeply, by Savage Garden).
In addition to these huge pop music hits, this year’s list contains invaluable recordings made by Aboriginal communities of Central Australia in 1901-1902; the first commercially available record by an Aboriginal artist, pioneering harmony duo Olive and Eva (1955); and the unofficial anthem of Australian rules football, Up There, Cazaly by The Two-Man Band.
Also honoured by Sounds of Australia this year are country singer Chad Morgan, soprano Florence Austral, Leonard Teale’s rendition of The Man From Snowy River, and a 2004 ballet score.
The 2019 Sounds of Australia are:
1. Cylinder Recordings from Central Australia, Spencer and Gillen, and Aboriginal communities– 1901-1902
2. Twilight of the Gods / Die Gotterdammerung - Florence Austral - 1928
3. I’m the Sheik of Scrubby Creek, Chad Morgan - 1952
4. Prestophone Mastertape, Olive and Eva - 1955
5. The Man From Snowy River, Leonard Teale - 1956
6. You’re The One That I Want, Olivia Newton John and John Travolta (John Farrer, composer) - 1978
7. Up There, Cazaly, The Two-Man Band - 1979
8. You’re The Voice, John Farnham - 1986
9. Truly Madly Deeply, Savage Garden - 1997
10. Wild Swans, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (Elena Kats-Chernin, composer) – 2004
Established in 2007, the Sounds of Australia is the NFSA’s selection of sound recordings with cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance, which inform or reflect life in Australia. They can be popular songs, advertising jingles, famous speeches, radio broadcasts, or any other sound recordings – as long as they’re Australian and more than 10 years old. Each year, the Australian public nominates new sounds to be added with final selections determined by a panel of industry experts. The full list of 145 recordings is available on the NFSA website.
Images and clips available for media use. NFSA Curators Thorsten Kaeding and Nick Henderson are available for interview. Please contact Gabrielle Wilson, 0433 972 915, gabrielle@thepresssociety.com.au or Miguel Gonzalez, 0404 281 632, miguel.gonzalez@nfsa.gov.au.