Back in the 1970's there was this little 'musical love nest' down in Milsons Point, Sydney. It was in Alfred Street that you could find Tin Pan Alley Studios (where this album was recorded), Horizon Records (a small label with a very limited number of releases) and a retail record store called The Record Store At The End Of Time.
This is quite a unique Australiana album, various Australian performers singing traditional Australian folk songs that you don't hear very much these days. The album was actually produced to 'fund raise' for the Marrickville District Hospital. The hospital had it's foundation stones laid back in 1897 but alas, it was eventually closed down in 1990 and is no more. I think it is actually yet another behemoth of apartments but not sure about that.
So, who are these performers? I hear you ask ...
The Flanagans (Peter, Paul & Margaret Flanagan) - well known live and television singing trio (originally called themselves The Fauns)
Geoff Harvey - English-Australian musician, pianist, conductor, musical director and television personality
Alan Dean - Multi-talented singer, arranger & producer
Peter Brandon - Singer, performing artist
Peter Flanagan - member of The Flanagans (see above)
Brenda Kristen (Brenda Glover) - Blues inspired Australian singer & performer
I notice that a common thread amongst the performers is their work (at least partially) in the Australian television industry at the time.
Support artists:
Claire Poole - Vocal augmentation (backing) Sydney born, studied dancing singing and piano
Enzo Toppano - Accordian, Piano
Terry Walker - Guitar
Darcy Wright - Bass guitar
Des Egan - Drums
Nice fresh (young, she would have been around 40 at this time) photograph of Betty Cuthbert 'The Golden Girl', subject of the song performed by Peter Brandon (B3) Betty was an Australian track & field athlete and multiple Olympic Games champion, but not only was she an outstanding athlete, she was a tireless campaigner for national awareness of the disease MS which she also suffered from, the onset beginning in the late 1960's. She was also an important player in the foundation of MS Research Australia in 2004.
Betty Cuthbert was an Australian champion in so many ways.
It might be of interest that the last track Advance Australia Fair sung by Alan Dean was NOT YET our National Anthem, that happened in 1984 although the song was written in 1878. The version on this album is very nice (stirring, national pride and all that) but there have been word changes since this version.
I would love to have known more about the front cover photograph/collage - who were the Aboriginals depicted?, what are they doing? that fella in the centre seems to be a spot of bother with all those spears aimed at him and is that 'Skippy' to the left and right (mirror image shots) Seems a ridiculous thought but keep in mind the television background to the performers, the appearance of Skippy The Kangaroo isn't that far fetched!
AUSTRALIANA: Songs And Poems - Various artists (compilation)
Horizon Records
Cat# MDH-901
Stereo
1978
Australian release
Cover is in very good condition, no writing, no seam splits, no tears with only light edge wear from normal handling. I do notice some handling wear to the right hand upper and lower corners from constant removal by staff at the station record library though - nothing too serious.
New inner plastic liner sleeve
Vinyl record is in very good condition, visually inspected under a white halogen light source and I can see NO marks or scratches at all on either side. Just looking at a piece of shiny plastic often doesn't 'cut it' so I then played this album ENTIRELY, every track, and there are no issues with surface noise or click/pops - a real trip back in time with this one!
New outer protective sleeve
PERFORMER - SONG:
The Flanagans - Along The Road To Gundagai, Click Go The Shears
Geoff Harvey - Botany Bay, Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport
Alan Dean - Waltzing Matilda, Advance Australia Fair
Peter Brandon - Wild Rover No More, The Golden Girl, Clancy Of The Overflow
Peter Flanagan - The Man From Snowy River
Brenda Kristen - My Country
No audio or video clips provided, plenty of artists have covered these songs but I cannot match any of them up with these performers
