The unmistakably angelic voice of our beautiful & adored Judith Durham. I was heartbroken when she passed away in 2022. Most Aussies, including myself, reckon this should be our national anthem. Great reaction as always, Sue. Thank you! 🤗❤️🇦🇺
Hi Judy, I bet it was difficult for so many in Australia when Judith passed. It is such a great loss. She is just so amazing. I agree with you. I think this would make an excellent anthem. I am sure it fills you all with so much pride when you hear it 🥰💚
There was a vote on the Australian Anthem (yes we use to sing God save the King/Queen). Advance Australia Fair was chosen in 1977, and I think there was a vote in 1984 ish. This song was released in 1995.
@kazz3956 Hey Kazz, too bad it wasn't out back then. But it can now be another patriotic song that Australians can show pride in their country with. We used to sing God Save The King/Queen here in Canada too. We have had O Canada as official since 1980 but used before that. GSTK/Q is still concerned a Royal Anthem here 🥰
@@playitagainsue it sure is that already. We have a few songs that resonate with us. From the Church with Under the Milky Way, Goanna with Solid Rock, Men At Work with Down Under, Cold Chisel with Khe Sanh and Flame Trees, Waltzing Matilda, John Farnham with You’re The Voice, Peter Allen with I Still Call Australia Home, Icehouse with Great Southern Land, and True Blue by John Williamson.
This song is the unofficial anthem of Australia but many Aussies has said that they prefer this one because it makes them more emotional & unified ...R.I.P Judith Durham what a angelic voice...
@lonelylionsingle7582 Hi Lonelylion, I can imagine that is how many from Australia would feel. It makes me feel emotional and I am not from Australia..beautiful song 😀💕
Unfortunately it would never be accepted in the full 5-verse version, and not even in this version that has been cut to 3 verses. An anthem requires 1-2 verses (that carry a complete message) plus chorus for informal occasions, 2-3 verses (that carry a complete message) plus 1-2 choruses for formal occasions. The verses as they are don't meet that, but the song could easily be rewritten / condensed to fit those formats. But we would still be required to have GSTK for royal occasions sadly.
@@Bellas1717I think it can be condensed and used as the national anthem. A few national anthems are quite long, but you are right- the key message has to be delivered in a verse or two and chorus. The chorus is there, it’s condensing the message - which is effectively our history- that is a challenge
@@brontewcat Yes, a tweaked and condensed version is what is needed to make this a great anthem. To prove the point, imagine a multicultural class singing just the first verse…very inappropriate. It’s actually not hard to make this appropriate as an anthem. I’ve rewritten it, using a lot of the original lyrics, but Bruce would obviously do a much, much better job. The first verse is about the First Nation's people/ convicts/immigrants by choice/refugees from war having their hearts in Australia, the last about the land and the spirit of Australia. The third for formal occasions is inserted in the middle, and it encompasses the history and culture.
Stadium - Melbourne Cricket Ground. Holds 110,00 people. The site for the 1956 Summer Olympics. I am Australian and totally agree with many, that this should be our national anthem. Thank you for your wonderful comments. On UA-cam you can find other versions with vision that explain the historical references in the song.
I'm so glad you found this, Sue. This is actually a bit abbreviated, probably because it was at a game. Look for their live performance of I Am Australian from their reunion concert.
@coronet51 Hi Coronet, thanks for tuning in. I appreciate it. I am glad I found it as well...amazing song. I will definitely look up that performance you mentioned. I really enjoyed this one. The Seekers are incredible 🤩💙
Amazing that they still sound so great in this situation. LOL they are singing at an AFL Grand Final and quite an old one too from the 90s. This is at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) and probably in front of close the 100,000 people.
I am a proud, 70 yo Australian, and this song truly relates to our heritage and love of country. However, it is not the full version. (link below). It is not our national anthem, but it definitely should be. Judith's singing voice was extraordinary. Sadly, she has since passed away, however, her beautiful music will remain with us forever. RIP Judith 🦘🇦🇺 ua-cam.com/video/KrLTe1_9zso/v-deo.html
@Dallas-Nyberg Hi Dallas, yes this song must make you so proud as an Australian. This is a beautiful and patriotic song. Yes I had heard there are more verses. I must listen to the longer version 🤗💚
This song gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it. I was not born here, but I am an Australian citizen and proud of it. Our anthem is actually Advance Australia Fair but many people think that this should be our national anthem (either this one or Waltzing Matilda) Something else you should check out is "I Still Call Australia Home | QANTAS TV Commercial | TV ad | 2022"
Hi Kim, It is a wonderful song. It really is an anthem. I will have to listen to your national anthem . I will check out that commercial too. Thanks Kim 🥰💗
@@heatherfruin5050 ...and not this either, it doesn't meet criteria for an anthem. Just imagine singing the first verse and chorus as school students often do at assemblies... I came from the dream-time From the dusty red-soil plains I am the ancient heart The keeper of the flame I stood upon the rocky shores I watched the tall ships come For forty thousand years I've been The first Australian We are one... And it's impractical to have them sing even three verses and two choruses...We need to get Bruce to tweak it so that it has the message in the 1-2 verse format needed for schools, sporting events, etc.
Sorry for the length of this, but thank you for the respect for our song... This song has uniquely Australian history and cultural references. Many people feel it should be our national anthem, and it should, although it would require a rewrite to make it work anthemically. In case it helps to do justice to the beauty of words and music, I've included the lyrics for the full five verses below and followed them with a brief explanation in brackets: I came from the dream-time, (For the traditional owners, the first Australians - called Aboriginals by the British - 'The Dreamtime' is the creation time of the world and the things that populate it, living and non-living.) From the dusty red-soil plains. (Most of the interior of Australia, 'the Outback', is desert, composed of red soil formed from the weathering of the iron-rich rocks found there. Only the fringe of Australia is cities and green, which is why around 85% of Australians live near the coast.) I am the ancient heart, the keeper of the flame. (The keeper of the Aboriginal stories and traditions, passed along orally and also in dance around the flame of the corroboree [ceremony].) I stood upon the rocky shores, I watched the tall ships come. (These are the rocky landforms of Botany Bay [a part of what is now Sydney in the state of New South Wales] close to the landing spot of the incoming First Fleet vessels that brought the first British colonisers - prisoners, soldier guards, and administrators.) For forty thousand years I've been the first Australian. (It is now known to be closer to 70,000 years that First Nations’ peoples have been in Australia, the longest continuous civilisation in the history of the world.) I came upon the prison ship, bowed down by iron chains, (The First Fleet of British ships brought English and Irish convicts, many just sentenced because of the theft of items such as a loaf of bread to feed starving families, or Irish and English Catholics for practising their religion. Even though the outlawing of this by Protestant England had been repealed some years earlier, these Catholics were classed as dissidents and England saw it safer to remove their influence.) I fought the land, endured the lash, (The convicts were set to work to clear the inhospitable land for farming, build roads, bridges, dwellings, etc with only limited tools, and were whipped to keep them working, or for infringements, sometimes with a cruel weapon called a ‘cat o' nine tails’ a whip of nine thongs each tipped with metal.) And waited for the rains. (There were long periods of dry, often drought, and intense heat, with the heavy rainfall “the rains” providing welcome relief and a chance for crops to grown and animals to be watered and fed.) I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run, (Settler was the name for freed convicts, or free people who chose to settle in Australia; a run is a cattle or sheep farm. The runs allocated to the freed convicts were the less desirable, the more arable land was given to the British administrators - governors, etc.) A convict, then a free man, I became Australian. (Because convict sentences were seven or more years long, and return ship to England was too costly for most to afford, most convicts stayed once they had served their sentences. They were then released from bondage and became free men and women.) I'm the daughter of a digger, who sought the mother lode. (A digger [later the name for Aussie soldiers] at that time was a prospector in the gold rush that began in 1852 in the goldfields of Bathurst, in the state of New South Wales, and Ballarat and Bendigo in the state of Victoria. Prospectors dreamed of finding that possibly mythical, incredibly rich vein of gold, the mother-lode, from which small nuggets and specks washed into streams, or smaller veins were found in rocks buried in the earth.) The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road. (Families walked very long distances and in harsh conditions to reach the goldfields-girls becoming women, having to mature to survive the conditions.) I'm a child of the Depression, (The Great Depression of 1930s followed the Wall Street Crash in the USA, and saw many families around the world lose all their savings, job retrenchments followed as businesses collapsed, many families became destitute.) I saw the good times come, (The 1940s started off with an economic resurgence, and this continued through the 40s and 50s, especially with the cessation of war in 1945.) I'm a bushie, (An Aussie who lives in the 'bush', the region between the cities and the Outback.) I'm a battler, (What Aussies call ordinary people, ones who just get by making a living and a life.) I am Australian. We are one, but we are many, And from all the lands on earth we come. We'll share a dream and sing with one voice, "I am, you are, we are Australian" (Australia is an incredibly multicultural nation. Since the First Fleet dropped anchor in 1788, close to ten million settlers have moved from across the world to start a new life in Australia, eight million of them since the end of the Second World War. The early years were convicts, free settlers, Germans escaping religious persecution and Irish the Potato Famine, Chinese with the gold rushes, South Sea islanders working the sugar plantations, post-WW2 migration from Britain, Greece, Italy, Syria, Lebanon, etc, and Vietnamese after the Vietnam war, then more recently refugees from conflict in areas such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Ukraine.) I'm a teller of stories, I'm a singer of songs, I am Albert Namatjira and I paint the ghostly gums. (Albert Namatjira [1902-1959] was a famous Aboriginal artist who painted in non-traditional Aboriginal style. His paintings of Australian Ghost Gums [a smooth, white-barked eucalyptus tree] became famous and commanded huge prices.) I'm Clancy on his horse, ('Clancy of the Overflow', a famous poem of an Australian drover [stockman, what Americans would call a cowboy] by A.B.Paterson, known as Banjo Paterson.) I'm Ned Kelly on the run, (Ned Kelly was an infamous Australian bushranger [Australian outlaw] who led a gang - the Kelly Gang. He wore distinctive rough metal armour with a conical helmet. He was caught and executed at 25 years of age.) I'm the one who waltzed Matilda, ('Matilda', from the famous Australian song 'Waltzing Matilda', words by Banjo Paterson, was the gear of the drover/bushie wrapped in a bedroll, carried across the bushie's back. As the bushie walked, the bedroll would swing, or 'waltz'.) I am Australian. I'm the hot wind from the desert, I'm the black soil of the plains, I'm the mountains and the valleys, I'm the drought and flooding rains. (Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, only Antarctica with its water locked in ice form is considered to be drier. Most of the eastern edges of Australia are mountainous, so the rains fall on the mountains and coastal regions and usually do not reach inland. The winds coming from the South Pole are not hot enough to carry water vapour, so they are dry as they swing across the huge state of Western Australia, and become heated as they travel inland to central Australia. The phrase ‘drought and flooding rains’ is from a famous Australian poem by Dorothea Mackellar called “My Country.”) I am the rock, (Uluru is the famous huge red monolith in central Australia [called Ayer’s Rock in 1873 by the explorer William Gosse after Sir Henry Ayers, the Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time, then returned to its traditional owners in 1985, and returned to its traditional name]) I am the sky (The southern sky has quite different star patterns/constellations to the northern hemisphere, including the Southern Cross which appears on the Australian flag.), The rivers when they run, (River beds are often dry because of Australia’s low rainfall, the rivers towards the centre of Australia only run after heavy rains.) The spirit of this great land, I am Australian. We are one, but we are many, And from all the lands on earth we come. We share a dream and sing with one voice, "I am, you are, we are Australian." (The dream is one of inclusion and equality for all: First Nations’ people, descendants of the colonisers, and people who have come here in later years from all lands. We are not there yet, but we are actively working towards it.)
Hi Sue! The stadium is the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). It's the traditional home of Australian (Rules) Football League (AFL) in winter, as well as a cricket ground in summer. The capacity is 100,000 and this was a Grand Final day so it was full. I wish someone had sent you to the version from their final farewell concert, it was amazing, also they skipped two or three verses here, but never mind, you got the gist of it. Great reaction as always, lovely. ✌❤
I was pleased to see a group of young people from The Australian Youth Choir (AYC). They are wearing the unmistakeable blue and gold uniform gowns, standing a little behind the Seekers. Great backup harmonies but are worth checking out in their own right. The AYC have performed on stage and held their own with some of the best including The Vienna Boys Choir and The Keystone State Boys Choirs.
@@playitagainsue It isn't easy to find a decent recording of the choir performances. There are plenty on UA-cam but most are recorded by eager parents on mobile phones with pretty poor sound quality. In the past the National Institute of Performing Arts Australia published yearly CD's, I suspect this link is related to one of the tracks on the 2003 CD. I hope you enjoy. Keith. ua-cam.com/video/yDsi7fBPOhA/v-deo.html
Hi Sue, Must check your channel for other Seekers video's I missed the posts? This is sung at sporting events like our Waltzing Matilda. It's so beautiful isn't it...I love the line 'We Are One But We Are Many and from all the lands on earth we come...we share a dream and sing with one voice" But it could never be our National Anthem as I don't think at say the Olympics when winning Gold not all the crowd would like to hear "I am ,YOU are, we are Australians lol The most moving performance was their final concert & Judith was recovering from a mild stroke...but Sue, her vocals were crystal clear. May she Rest In Peace
@justlinsu Hi Linsu, yes may Judith RIP. She had a gorgeous voice. Interesting point you make about the Olympics. Yes I have done about 4 Seekers songs now so please check them out if you are interested. They are probably all in the Australia and New Zealand play list that I have made. So look under playlists on the channel. It might make it easier to find them 🤩💚
Judith had a beautiful both. Even though I am not Australian but love the song. It isn't their national anthem, but many think it should be. My favorite song of theirs is "The Carnival is Over". It is a goodbye love song.
Yes the first singer was Bruce Woodley., who was the alternate lead singer for the Seekers, especially on songs best performed with a male lead, such as the great Australian Gold Rush song, "With My Swag All On My Shoulder". You've commented on other Seekers songs, how Judiith's beautiful voice, even in the chorus, is heard distincly. This was intentionally arrranged for Seeker's vocals, by Keith Potger, to ensure that unique Seekers sound! Keith himself sang high tenor, just under Judith's gorgeous soprano for tonal support, while Bruce sang tenor to round out the tonal support. Athol Guy, playing the upright base, sang base to provide the solid foundational vocal support. Keith did most of the musical arranging for the group, and normally played the 12-string guitar, and sometimes banjo. Bruce played the 6-string guitar, and usually played banjo when needed. Keith was the guy in the red shirt you thought was so cute, in "This Train"! Thanks for your reaction videos; I really enjoy them. Best wishes.
This was live at the 1994 AFL (Australian Football League) Final between Geelong and my team, West Coast Eagles, at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). The capacity of the ground is about 100,000. We won that year…. I have to savour those wins as we have had a rough couple of years, but I’d barrack for them no matter what. NB we joined the AFL in 1987, and have won 4 premierships since then, 1992, 1994, 2006 and 2018.
Hello Sue, I loved the Seekers what a great group they were back in the day, you need to listen to a wonderful 20 year old singer from the UK called Lucy Thomas, she sings all your type of music, she has the best cover of " Unchained Melody " ever sung by a female singer, you will just love her voice, Lucy has her own UA-cam channel. I just watched Your WhIter Shade Of Pale " reaction it was just so amazing, Lucy also sings this cover as well. Take care, Barbara.
Great song. If we had a vote, I'm pretty sure this would be our National Anthem. Oh, and it's at the AFL (Australian Football League) Grand final at the MCG. 100,000 people usually attend. Was played a couple of weeks ago. Brisbane belted Sydney....ok, totally off topic of a great song 🙄
@MrParksies Hey Mr Parksies, Yes I think many Australians would agree with you. It really has a national anthem feel. Thanks for the info about the football league...what a crowd. That is huge! 🤗💚
This is a condensed version of this song - not near as moving without all 5 verses - it just does not hit the same. The live version on their farewell tour has all verses - I love this song
Her vibrato!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Written by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and Dobe Newton. That is Bruce I think. He's older here than I remember (aren't we all) but it looks like him. This song encompasses all who make up Australia back to the Aborigines. Either this or "Waltzing Matilda" should be their anthem. "Waltzing Matilda" is so Australian....it basically harkens back to their roots as a penal colony and gives the middle finger to those who tried to mistreat and suppress them. Aussies don't take no 💩. It was at a football match. "Advance Australia Fair" is their anthem but I prefer this.
So much great info here, Linda! You could be a honourary Australian because you know so much...very impressed! They shouldn't take any 💩. I have gotten to know a number of Aussie's from chatting with them here on the channel and I absolutely love them...great people. This really could be their national anthem...such a lovely song 🤗♥️
@@playitagainsue - Have you ever listened to the lyrics of "Waltzing Matilda"? A highwayman (swagman) steals a sheep (jumbuck) and stuffs it in his tucker bag but jumps into the water and drowns rather than being taken by the rangers. "You'll never catch me alive says he and his ghost may be heard if you pass by that billabong. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me". Of course the melody is an earworm. Love that song. A lot of people just know the last line but sing it with gusto! 🤣
I'd love a form of this to be our NA, but if people agitate for it, it would be a waste of time and effort. But rewriting a little would make it work as an anthem.
There are more verses in this story-telling song of the history of Australia. A better version is at another concert on YT. It is considered to be an unofficial anthem in Oz.
The Seekers formed in 1962, they went to England in 1964 and with the help of Tom Springfield they knocked the Beatles off number one with Ill never Find Another You, followed by The Carnival is Over. They Broke up in 1968 and reformed 25 years later in 1993 until Judith's passing in 2022 . This song was co-written by Bruce Woodley of the Seekers who starts and finishes this song, and Dobe Newton of the Bushwackers back in 1987/88. The Seekers first performed this on their Re Union in 1993. The Venue is the Melbourne Cricket Ground for an Aussie Rules Football Grand Final , you must see Judith and The Seekers do Colours Of My Life written by Judith Durham ua-cam.com/video/DQioqPLvG3s/v-deo.htmlsi=66vAENkt0uj5EX2B
@DavidPola1961 Fantastic, David! I will be happy to listen to that song. I have actually done reactions to the Carnival is Over and I'll Never Find Another You. If you are interested, you could check them out 🤗💚
Wow, they dropped the second and fourth verse ... there's a pity. Only tells half the story. I guess they had to keep it short at the Grand Final (think Superbowl)
Just think, one or more of your distant relatives might of been there. What I mean is that, immigration took people from their native countries to far flung places around the world, dividing families to never know each other.
This version skips past two of the important verses. Like the second verse about the convicts on the prison ship. And the fourth verse about some of the important cultural aspects and historical figures like banjo patterson, ned kelly etc. This version is nice but its not the full song! Disappointing.
This song is about unification, no matter where you come from, you live here you are Australian. 🇦🇺
@@cherylannb3161 I love this Cherylann! 🥰💗
The unmistakably angelic voice of our beautiful & adored Judith Durham. I was heartbroken when she passed away in 2022. Most Aussies, including myself, reckon this should be our national anthem. Great reaction as always, Sue. Thank you! 🤗❤️🇦🇺
Hi Judy, I bet it was difficult for so many in Australia when Judith passed. It is such a great loss. She is just so amazing. I agree with you. I think this would make an excellent anthem. I am sure it fills you all with so much pride when you hear it 🥰💚
There was a vote on the Australian Anthem (yes we use to sing God save the King/Queen). Advance Australia Fair was chosen in 1977, and I think there was a vote in 1984 ish. This song was released in 1995.
@kazz3956 Hey Kazz, too bad it wasn't out back then. But it can now be another patriotic song that Australians can show pride in their country with. We used to sing God Save The King/Queen here in Canada too. We have had O Canada as official since 1980 but used before that. GSTK/Q is still concerned a Royal Anthem here 🥰
@@playitagainsue it sure is that already. We have a few songs that resonate with us. From the Church with Under the Milky Way, Goanna with Solid Rock, Men At Work with Down Under, Cold Chisel with Khe Sanh and Flame Trees, Waltzing Matilda, John Farnham with You’re The Voice, Peter Allen with I Still Call Australia Home, Icehouse with Great Southern Land, and True Blue by John Williamson.
@kazz3956 Excellent! I have done reactions to some of these songs already so I am glad I am hitting some of the great songs coming out of Australia 🤩💛
This song is the unofficial anthem of Australia but many Aussies has said that they prefer this one because it makes them more emotional & unified ...R.I.P Judith Durham what a angelic voice...
@lonelylionsingle7582 Hi Lonelylion, I can imagine that is how many from Australia would feel. It makes me feel emotional and I am not from Australia..beautiful song 😀💕
@playitagainsue I know it make me feel warm and fuzzy too despite not from there nor visited either
Sue, Great choice! The Seekers are fantastic and I’m not even Australian.
@morganlankford8019 Thanks Morgan, the Seekers are amazing. 🤩
Beautiful Song
Im not Australian but I was moved watching this
@jessem470 Yes I get that, Jesse. I was moved as well...just a beautiful song. I am sure many Australians feel a sense of pride when it is played 🤩♥️
There are many who would choose this as our anthem in a flash!
@rickandersen2284 I can see why, Rick 🤩♥️
Unfortunately it would never be accepted in the full 5-verse version, and not even in this version that has been cut to 3 verses. An anthem requires 1-2 verses (that carry a complete message) plus chorus for informal occasions, 2-3 verses (that carry a complete message) plus 1-2 choruses for formal occasions. The verses as they are don't meet that, but the song could easily be rewritten / condensed to fit those formats.
But we would still be required to have GSTK for royal occasions sadly.
@@Bellas1717I think it can be condensed and used as the national anthem. A few national anthems are quite long, but you are right- the key message has to be delivered in a verse or two and chorus. The chorus is there, it’s condensing the message - which is effectively our history- that is a challenge
@@brontewcat Yes, a tweaked and condensed version is what is needed to make this a great anthem. To prove the point, imagine a multicultural class singing just the first verse…very inappropriate.
It’s actually not hard to make this appropriate as an anthem. I’ve rewritten it, using a lot of the original lyrics, but Bruce would obviously do a much, much better job. The first verse is about the First Nation's people/ convicts/immigrants by choice/refugees from war having their hearts in Australia, the last about the land and the spirit of Australia. The third for formal occasions is inserted in the middle, and it encompasses the history and culture.
@@Bellas1717 I had a go at condensing it.
I think people should petition Dobe and Bruce to condense and rework it as anthem.
Beautiful song! I am proud to be Australian!
@LivH-m7y Hi Liv, you should be proud. It us a beautiful song filled with so much emotion 🥰
Stadium - Melbourne Cricket Ground. Holds 110,00 people. The site for the 1956 Summer Olympics. I am Australian and totally agree with many, that this should be our national anthem. Thank you for your wonderful comments. On UA-cam you can find other versions with vision that explain the historical references in the song.
Thank you Chris. I will look the other version up 🤗
judith can flat out sing in my opinion one of the greatest female singers of all time
@@tomharrison6607 I agree, Tom. Judith is incredible 🤩💜
I'm so glad you found this, Sue. This is actually a bit abbreviated, probably because it was at a game. Look for their live performance of I Am Australian from their reunion concert.
@coronet51 Hi Coronet, thanks for tuning in. I appreciate it. I am glad I found it as well...amazing song. I will definitely look up that performance you mentioned. I really enjoyed this one. The Seekers are incredible 🤩💙
There were 100 thousand people in that crowd. By the way, they were all standing up and singing along.😊
@@GaryNoone-jz3mq Hey Gary, I love this. This is the kind of moment that can give you goosebumps 🤗🧡
the seekers five hundred miles judith's voice will blow you away
@@tomharrison6607 Excellent, Tom! Thank you 🥰
Thanks!
Thanks so much, Linda. It is very generous of you. You are the best! 😊❤
@@playitagainsue - Well, not the best but maybe top ten, LOL.
@@susieq9801 🤣🤣🥰💗
Amazing that they still sound so great in this situation. LOL they are singing at an AFL Grand Final and quite an old one too from the 90s. This is at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) and probably in front of close the 100,000 people.
@@SadieWatchman thanks Sadie. I couldn't believe the number of people there 🤩
I am a proud, 70 yo Australian, and this song truly relates to our heritage and love of country.
However, it is not the full version. (link below).
It is not our national anthem, but it definitely should be.
Judith's singing voice was extraordinary. Sadly, she has since passed away, however, her beautiful music will remain with us forever. RIP Judith 🦘🇦🇺
ua-cam.com/video/KrLTe1_9zso/v-deo.html
@Dallas-Nyberg Hi Dallas, yes this song must make you so proud as an Australian. This is a beautiful and patriotic song. Yes I had heard there are more verses. I must listen to the longer version 🤗💚
Great Band! Great Track! Great Reaction!!!! Thank You so Much ✌ 🇦🇺
@@llvll_KEV_llvll My total pleasure, Kevin 😃💙
Hello Sue, what a beautiful song, the lyrics are both touching and profound. X
@@Willster389 I totally agree, Willster 😃💙
This song gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it. I was not born here, but I am an Australian citizen and proud of it.
Our anthem is actually Advance Australia Fair but many people think that this should be our national anthem (either this one or Waltzing Matilda)
Something else you should check out is "I Still Call Australia Home | QANTAS TV Commercial | TV ad | 2022"
Hi Kim, It is a wonderful song. It really is an anthem. I will have to listen to your national anthem . I will check out that commercial too. Thanks Kim 🥰💗
Definitely not Waltzing Matilda. He steals a sheep and commits suicide but I Am Australian does.
@@heatherfruin5050 I actually never thought of that!
@@heatherfruin5050 ...and not this either, it doesn't meet criteria for an anthem. Just imagine singing the first verse and chorus as school students often do at assemblies...
I came from the dream-time
From the dusty red-soil plains
I am the ancient heart
The keeper of the flame
I stood upon the rocky shores
I watched the tall ships come
For forty thousand years I've been
The first Australian
We are one...
And it's impractical to have them sing even three verses and two choruses...We need to get Bruce to tweak it so that it has the message in the 1-2 verse format needed for schools, sporting events, etc.
Sorry for the length of this, but thank you for the respect for our song... This song has uniquely Australian history and cultural references. Many people feel it should be our national anthem, and it should, although it would require a rewrite to make it work anthemically.
In case it helps to do justice to the beauty of words and music, I've included the lyrics for the full five verses below and followed them with a brief explanation in brackets:
I came from the dream-time, (For the traditional owners, the first Australians - called Aboriginals by the British - 'The Dreamtime' is the creation time of the world and the things that populate it, living and non-living.)
From the dusty red-soil plains. (Most of the interior of Australia, 'the Outback', is desert, composed of red soil formed from the weathering of the iron-rich rocks found there. Only the fringe of Australia is cities and green, which is why around 85% of Australians live near the coast.)
I am the ancient heart, the keeper of the flame. (The keeper of the Aboriginal stories and traditions, passed along orally and also in dance around the flame of the corroboree [ceremony].)
I stood upon the rocky shores, I watched the tall ships come. (These are the rocky landforms of Botany Bay [a part of what is now Sydney in the state of New South Wales] close to the landing spot of the incoming First Fleet vessels that brought the first British colonisers - prisoners, soldier guards, and administrators.)
For forty thousand years I've been the first Australian. (It is now known to be closer to 70,000 years that First Nations’ peoples have been in Australia, the longest continuous civilisation in the history of the world.)
I came upon the prison ship, bowed down by iron chains, (The First Fleet of British ships brought English and Irish convicts, many just sentenced because of the theft of items such as a loaf of bread to feed starving families, or Irish and English Catholics for practising their religion. Even though the outlawing of this by Protestant England had been repealed some years earlier, these Catholics were classed as dissidents and England saw it safer to remove their influence.)
I fought the land, endured the lash, (The convicts were set to work to clear the inhospitable land for farming, build roads, bridges, dwellings, etc with only limited tools, and were whipped to keep them working, or for infringements, sometimes with a cruel weapon called a ‘cat o' nine tails’ a whip of nine thongs each tipped with metal.)
And waited for the rains. (There were long periods of dry, often drought, and intense heat, with the heavy rainfall “the rains” providing welcome relief and a chance for crops to grown and animals to be watered and fed.)
I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run, (Settler was the name for freed convicts, or free people who chose to settle in Australia; a run is a cattle or sheep farm. The runs allocated to the freed convicts were the less desirable, the more arable land was given to the British administrators - governors, etc.)
A convict, then a free man, I became Australian. (Because convict sentences were seven or more years long, and return ship to England was too costly for most to afford, most convicts stayed once they had served their sentences. They were then released from bondage and became free men and women.)
I'm the daughter of a digger, who sought the mother lode. (A digger [later the name for Aussie soldiers] at that time was a prospector in the gold rush that began in 1852 in the goldfields of Bathurst, in the state of New South Wales, and Ballarat and Bendigo in the state of Victoria. Prospectors dreamed of finding that possibly mythical, incredibly rich vein of gold, the mother-lode, from which small nuggets and specks washed into streams, or smaller veins were found in rocks buried in the earth.)
The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road. (Families walked very long distances and in harsh conditions to reach the goldfields-girls becoming women, having to mature to survive the conditions.)
I'm a child of the Depression, (The Great Depression of 1930s followed the Wall Street Crash in the USA, and saw many families around the world lose all their savings, job retrenchments followed as businesses collapsed, many families became destitute.)
I saw the good times come, (The 1940s started off with an economic resurgence, and this continued through the 40s and 50s, especially with the cessation of war in 1945.)
I'm a bushie, (An Aussie who lives in the 'bush', the region between the cities and the Outback.)
I'm a battler, (What Aussies call ordinary people, ones who just get by making a living and a life.)
I am Australian.
We are one, but we are many,
And from all the lands on earth we come.
We'll share a dream and sing with one voice, "I am, you are, we are Australian" (Australia is an incredibly multicultural nation. Since the First Fleet dropped anchor in 1788, close to ten million settlers have moved from across the world to start a new life in Australia, eight million of them since the end of the Second World War. The early years were convicts, free settlers, Germans escaping religious persecution and Irish the Potato Famine, Chinese with the gold rushes, South Sea islanders working the sugar plantations, post-WW2 migration from Britain, Greece, Italy, Syria, Lebanon, etc, and Vietnamese after the Vietnam war, then more recently refugees from conflict in areas such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Ukraine.)
I'm a teller of stories, I'm a singer of songs,
I am Albert Namatjira and I paint the ghostly gums. (Albert Namatjira [1902-1959] was a famous Aboriginal artist who painted in non-traditional Aboriginal style. His paintings of Australian Ghost Gums [a smooth, white-barked eucalyptus tree] became famous and commanded huge prices.)
I'm Clancy on his horse, ('Clancy of the Overflow', a famous poem of an Australian drover [stockman, what Americans would call a cowboy] by A.B.Paterson, known as Banjo Paterson.)
I'm Ned Kelly on the run, (Ned Kelly was an infamous Australian bushranger [Australian outlaw] who led a gang - the Kelly Gang. He wore distinctive rough metal armour with a conical helmet. He was caught and executed at 25 years of age.)
I'm the one who waltzed Matilda, ('Matilda', from the famous Australian song 'Waltzing Matilda', words by Banjo Paterson, was the gear of the drover/bushie wrapped in a bedroll, carried across the bushie's back. As the bushie walked, the bedroll would swing, or 'waltz'.)
I am Australian.
I'm the hot wind from the desert,
I'm the black soil of the plains,
I'm the mountains and the valleys,
I'm the drought and flooding rains. (Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, only Antarctica with its water locked in ice form is considered to be drier. Most of the eastern edges of Australia are mountainous, so the rains fall on the mountains and coastal regions and usually do not reach inland. The winds coming from the South Pole are not hot enough to carry water vapour, so they are dry as they swing across the huge state of Western Australia, and become heated as they travel inland to central Australia. The phrase ‘drought and flooding rains’ is from a famous Australian poem by Dorothea Mackellar called “My Country.”)
I am the rock, (Uluru is the famous huge red monolith in central Australia [called Ayer’s Rock in 1873 by the explorer William Gosse after Sir Henry Ayers, the Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time, then returned to its traditional owners in 1985, and returned to its traditional name])
I am the sky (The southern sky has quite different star patterns/constellations to the northern hemisphere, including the Southern Cross which appears on the Australian flag.),
The rivers when they run, (River beds are often dry because of Australia’s low rainfall, the rivers towards the centre of Australia only run after heavy rains.)
The spirit of this great land,
I am Australian.
We are one, but we are many,
And from all the lands on earth we come.
We share a dream and sing with one voice, "I am, you are, we are Australian." (The dream is one of inclusion and equality for all: First Nations’ people, descendants of the colonisers, and people who have come here in later years from all lands. We are not there yet, but we are actively working towards it.)
@@Bellas1717 Thank you so much for that, Bellas. It is a whole history lesson in a song 🤗
Hi Sue! The stadium is the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). It's the traditional home of Australian (Rules) Football League (AFL) in winter, as well as a cricket ground in summer. The capacity is 100,000 and this was a Grand Final day so it was full. I wish someone had sent you to the version from their final farewell concert, it was amazing, also they skipped two or three verses here, but never mind, you got the gist of it. Great reaction as always, lovely. ✌❤
@@taniaPBear Hey Tania, thanks for letting me know. It is a huge stadium. The final must be quite the riot to attend...must have so much fun energy 🥰
I was pleased to see a group of young people from The Australian Youth Choir (AYC). They are wearing the unmistakeable blue and gold uniform gowns, standing a little behind the Seekers.
Great backup harmonies but are worth checking out in their own right. The AYC have performed on stage and held their own with some of the best including The Vienna Boys Choir and The Keystone State Boys Choirs.
@KW-987 Awesome, thanks Kw. I will look them up 🤗
@@playitagainsue It isn't easy to find a decent recording of the choir performances. There are plenty on UA-cam but most are recorded by eager parents on mobile phones with pretty poor sound quality. In the past the National Institute of Performing Arts Australia published yearly CD's, I suspect this link is related to one of the tracks on the 2003 CD. I hope you enjoy. Keith. ua-cam.com/video/yDsi7fBPOhA/v-deo.html
Hi Sue, Must check your channel for other Seekers video's I missed the posts? This is sung at sporting events like our Waltzing Matilda. It's so beautiful isn't it...I love the line 'We Are One But We Are Many and from all the lands on earth we come...we share a dream and sing with one voice" But it could never be our National Anthem as I don't think at say the Olympics when winning Gold not all the crowd would like to hear "I am ,YOU are, we are Australians lol The most moving performance was their final concert & Judith was recovering from a mild stroke...but Sue, her vocals were crystal clear. May she Rest In Peace
@justlinsu Hi Linsu, yes may Judith RIP. She had a gorgeous voice. Interesting point you make about the Olympics. Yes I have done about 4 Seekers songs now so please check them out if you are interested. They are probably all in the Australia and New Zealand play list that I have made. So look under playlists on the channel. It might make it easier to find them 🤩💚
@@playitagainsue Yep I'll be checking those rection out for sure lovely.
@justlinsu Yay thanks Linsu 🤗🎉♥️
Judith had a beautiful both. Even though I am not Australian but love the song. It isn't their national anthem, but many think it should be. My favorite song of theirs is "The Carnival is Over". It is a goodbye love song.
@P-M-869 Hey Patrick, I agree. You don't have to be Australian to appreciate this song. It is beautiful 🤩💜
It can't be a national anthem in this format. The verses don't stand alone. But a reformatted version should be our national anthem.
Yes the first singer was Bruce Woodley., who was the alternate lead singer for the Seekers, especially on songs best performed with a male lead, such as the great Australian Gold Rush song, "With My Swag All On My Shoulder".
You've commented on other Seekers songs, how Judiith's beautiful voice, even in the chorus, is heard distincly. This was intentionally arrranged for Seeker's vocals, by Keith Potger, to ensure that unique Seekers sound! Keith himself sang high tenor, just under Judith's gorgeous soprano for tonal support, while Bruce sang tenor to round out the tonal support. Athol Guy, playing the upright base, sang base to provide the solid foundational vocal support.
Keith did most of the musical arranging for the group, and normally played the 12-string guitar, and sometimes banjo. Bruce played the 6-string guitar, and usually played banjo when needed. Keith was the guy in the red shirt you thought was so cute, in "This Train"!
Thanks for your reaction videos; I really enjoy them. Best wishes.
@63DW89A Hi GL thanks for this. Also great memory remembering what I said last time...well done 🤩💚
Despite her youth at the time, she was an established jass singer before joining the Seekers.😊
@@GaryNoone-jz3mq She was so talented 🥰💚
And after she left The Seekers
This was live at the 1994 AFL (Australian Football League) Final between Geelong and my team, West Coast Eagles, at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). The capacity of the ground is about 100,000. We won that year…. I have to savour those wins as we have had a rough couple of years, but I’d barrack for them no matter what.
NB we joined the AFL in 1987, and have won 4 premierships since then, 1992, 1994, 2006 and 2018.
@kazz3956 Awesome, Kazz! Glad you team won. There is nothing like the excitement of our favourite teams winning the championship...great feeling 😃🎉💙
a great band one of my faves, since the mid 1980's Advance Australia Fair has been the Anthem before that it was God save the Queen.
@stephencarey7913 Thank you, Stephen. Yes they are superb 🥰
Check out Judith singing Danny Boy...gives me chills
@jillfromatlanta427 Thanks Jill, I will give it a listen 🤗
Hello Sue, I loved the Seekers what a great group they were back in the day, you need to listen to a wonderful 20 year old singer from the UK called Lucy Thomas, she sings all your type of music, she has the best cover of " Unchained Melody " ever sung by a female singer, you will just love her voice, Lucy has her own UA-cam channel. I just watched Your WhIter Shade Of Pale " reaction it was just so amazing, Lucy also sings this cover as well. Take care, Barbara.
@@barbaracallister8138 Hi Barbara, thanks a bunch. I will check out Lucy's channel 🥰
Great song. If we had a vote, I'm pretty sure this would be our National Anthem. Oh, and it's at the AFL (Australian Football League) Grand final at the MCG. 100,000 people usually attend. Was played a couple of weeks ago. Brisbane belted Sydney....ok, totally off topic of a great song 🙄
@MrParksies Hey Mr Parksies, Yes I think many Australians would agree with you. It really has a national anthem feel. Thanks for the info about the football league...what a crowd. That is huge! 🤗💚
Wouldn't even be accepted as an option in this format. Think of schools singing just the first verse and chorus, as is often the case with AAF...
Hi Sue,
I love GEORGEY GIRL, by The Seekers...
My favourite 😍
Ronnie SCOTLAND 😊
@RonnieMcNairney Hey Ronnie, that one has been requested by a number of people. I will have to do that one. It is a great song 🥰
This is a condensed version of this song - not near as moving without all 5 verses - it just does not hit the same. The live version on their farewell tour has all verses - I love this song
@maryhanrahan Thanks Mary 🥰
you really should listen to all five verses as it gives you the history of being an Australian
@@bodybalanceU2 Will do! 🥰
Her vibrato!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Written by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and Dobe Newton. That is Bruce I think. He's older here than I remember (aren't we all) but it looks like him. This song encompasses all who make up Australia back to the Aborigines. Either this or "Waltzing Matilda" should be their anthem. "Waltzing Matilda" is so Australian....it basically harkens back to their roots as a penal colony and gives the middle finger to those who tried to mistreat and suppress them. Aussies don't take no 💩. It was at a football match. "Advance Australia Fair" is their anthem but I prefer this.
So much great info here, Linda! You could be a honourary Australian because you know so much...very impressed! They shouldn't take any 💩. I have gotten to know a number of Aussie's from chatting with them here on the channel and I absolutely love them...great people. This really could be their national anthem...such a lovely song 🤗♥️
@@playitagainsue - Have you ever listened to the lyrics of "Waltzing Matilda"? A highwayman (swagman) steals a sheep (jumbuck) and stuffs it in his tucker bag but jumps into the water and drowns rather than being taken by the rangers. "You'll never catch me alive says he and his ghost may be heard if you pass by that billabong. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me". Of course the melody is an earworm. Love that song. A lot of people just know the last line but sing it with gusto! 🤣
@@playitagainsue - ua-cam.com/video/FqtttbbYfSM/v-deo.htmlsi=-wDdZbtEz_kV9zcW
@susieq9801 Hey Linda, I have heard the name of the song but I don't think I have actually heard the song. I will have to listen to it 🤩💗
I'd love a form of this to be our NA, but if people agitate for it, it would be a waste of time and effort. But rewriting a little would make it work as an anthem.
Should be the Australian national anthem
@@georgeibrahim7945 🤩💚
No, it can't be. Think about it a little...first verse plus chorus is what is often sung in schools at assemblies...
There are more verses in this story-telling song of the history of Australia. A better version is at another concert on YT. It is considered to be an unofficial anthem in Oz.
@barnowl. thank you, Barn owl. I will look for it. It really has an anthem feel to it 🤗💗
Around 100;000 people
@@jackvicary2919 Incredible 🤩
The Seekers formed in 1962, they went to England in 1964 and with the help of Tom Springfield they knocked the Beatles off number one with Ill never Find Another You, followed by The Carnival is Over. They Broke up in 1968 and reformed 25 years later in 1993 until Judith's passing in 2022 . This song was co-written by Bruce Woodley of the Seekers who starts and finishes this song, and Dobe Newton of the Bushwackers back in 1987/88. The Seekers first performed this on their Re Union in 1993. The Venue is the Melbourne Cricket Ground for an Aussie Rules Football Grand Final , you must see Judith and The Seekers do Colours Of My Life written by Judith Durham ua-cam.com/video/DQioqPLvG3s/v-deo.htmlsi=66vAENkt0uj5EX2B
@DavidPola1961 Fantastic, David! I will be happy to listen to that song. I have actually done reactions to the Carnival is Over and I'll Never Find Another You. If you are interested, you could check them out 🤗💚
@@playitagainsue I Have Sue great reaction, i think your Mum will enjoy the one i suggested
Wow, they dropped the second and fourth verse ... there's a pity. Only tells half the story. I guess they had to keep it short at the Grand Final (think Superbowl)
@krystalryan9174 Hey Krystal, I will check out another version to hear the ither verses. Thanks fir the heads up 🤩
Just think, one or more of your distant relatives might of been there. What I mean is that, immigration took people from their native countries to far flung places around the world, dividing families to never know each other.
Here is one of the videos explaining the references in the song ua-cam.com/video/BVUU68X6F5g/v-deo.html
@chrismyers4137 Thank you Chris 🤩
This version skips past two of the important verses. Like the second verse about the convicts on the prison ship. And the fourth verse about some of the important cultural aspects and historical figures like banjo patterson, ned kelly etc. This version is nice but its not the full song! Disappointing.
@@1legend517 I will find the longer version and give it a listen 🤩