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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox single
{{Infobox song
| Name = Australia
| name = Australia
| Cover = Australia_Kinks.jpg
| cover = Australia_Kinks.jpg
| caption = Australian single label
⚫
| Artist = [[The Kinks]]
⚫
| alt =
⚫
| from Album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
| type = song
| B-side = "[[She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina]]" (R. Davies) (Australia)
| Released = December 1969
| artist = [[the Kinks]]
| Format = [[Gramophone record|7" vinyl]]
| album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
| B-side =
| Recorded = May–June 1969 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London
| released = {{start date|1969|10|10|df=yes}}
| Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| Length = 6:46 (album version)
| recorded = May–June 1969
| Label = [[Astor Records|Astor]] AP-1680 (Australia)
| studio = [[Pye Studios|Pye]], London
| Writer = [[Ray Davies]]
| genre =
| Producer = [[Ray Davies]]
| length = 6:46
| label = [[Pye Records|Pye]]
| Certification =
⚫
| writer = [[Ray Davies]]
| Last single = "[[Shangri-La (The Kinks song)|Shangri-La]]"<br />(1969)
| producer = Ray Davies
| This single = "'''Australia'''"<br />(Australia, 1969)
⚫
| misc = {{Extra track listing
| Next single = "[[Victoria (song)|Victoria]]"<br />(1970)
⚫
| album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
⚫
| Misc = {{Extra track listing
| type = song
| Album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
⚫
| tracks = {{Arthur tracks}}
⚫
| Type = single
⚫
| Tracks = {{Arthur tracks}}
}}
}}
}}
}}


'''"Australia"''' is a song by the British rock band [[The Kinks]], appearing on their 1969 album, ''[[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]''. It was written by the band's main songwriter, [[Ray Davies]].
"'''Australia'''" is a song by the British rock band [[the Kinks]], appearing on their 1969 album, ''[[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]''. It was written by the band's main songwriter, [[Ray Davies]].


==Lyrics and Music==
==Lyrics and Music==
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In the song, the character Derek (who is featured in the story line of ''[[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]'') attempts to convince his father, Arthur, of the great opportunities available in Australia, where there's "no drug addiction" and you can "surf like they do in the U.S.A." Derek's advertisement is compared to [[John Smith (explorer)|John Smith]], who campaigned for America in a similar manner, by author Thomas Kitts.<ref name="Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else">{{cite book|last=Kitts|first=Thomas M.|title=Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else|date=2014-05-25}}</ref>
In the song, the character Derek (who is featured in the story line of ''[[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]'') attempts to convince his father, Arthur, of the great opportunities available in Australia, where there's "no drug addiction" and you can "surf like they do in the U.S.A." Derek's advertisement is compared to [[John Smith (explorer)|John Smith]], who campaigned for America in a similar manner, by author Thomas Kitts.<ref name="Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else">{{cite book|last=Kitts|first=Thomas M.|title=Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else|date=2014-05-25}}</ref>


The song also features a jam sequence lasting for approximately half the song, which is atypical for The Kinks. This is probably the closest The Kinks ever came to a longer, loose and even slightly "spacey" jam on their records. In the Australian single edit, this section is removed by editing an earlier section of the song into another section during a drum beat, which is then followed by a fade-out.
The song also features a jam sequence lasting for approximately half the song, which is atypical for the Kinks. This sequence also features a [[Wobble board|Wobble Board]], an Australian instrument. In the Australian single edit, this section is removed by editing an earlier section of the song into another section during a drum beat, which is then followed by a fade-out.


==Release==
==Release==


"Australia" was only released in most countries on the ''[[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]'' album, where it was the closing track on side one. However, in Australia, a dramatically cut down version of the song was released as a single, with another ''[[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]'' track, "[[She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina]]", on the B-side. However, the single was commercially unsuccessful.
"Australia" was released in most countries only on ''Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)'', where it was the closing track on side one. In Australia, an abbreviated version of the song was released as a single, with another ''Arthur'' track, "[[She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina]]", on the B-side. The single was commercially unsuccessful.


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.raydavies.info/ The Official Ray Davies Web Site]
*[http://www.raydavies.info/ The Official Ray Davies Web Site]
*[http://raydavies.3.forumer.com/ The Official Ray Davies Forum - "The Old Grey Board"]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090201164905/http://raydavies.3.forumer.com/ The Official Ray Davies Forum - "The Old Grey Board"]
*[https://www.youtube.com/RayDaviesForum The Official Ray Davies Forum on YouTube]
*[https://www.youtube.com/RayDaviesForum The Official Ray Davies Forum on YouTube]
* {{MetroLyrics song|kinks|australia}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->


{{The Kinks singles}}
{{The Kinks singles}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:The Kinks songs]]
[[Category:The Kinks songs]]
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[[Category:Songs written by Ray Davies]]
[[Category:Songs written by Ray Davies]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Ray Davies]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Ray Davies]]
[[Category:Songs about Australia]]
[[Category:Works about immigration]]
[[Category:1969 songs]]
[[Category:1969 songs]]

Latest revision as of 18:07, 4 June 2023

"Australia"
Australian single label
Song by the Kinks
from the album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
Released10 October 1969 (1969-10-10)
RecordedMay–June 1969
StudioPye, London
Length6:46
LabelPye
Songwriter(s)Ray Davies
Producer(s)Ray Davies
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) track listing
12 tracks
Side one
  1. "Victoria"
  2. "Yes Sir, No Sir"
  3. "Some Mother's Son"
  4. "Drivin'"
  5. "Brainwashed"
  6. "Australia"
Side two
  2. "Shangri-La"
  3. "Mr. Churchill Says"
  4. "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina"
  5. "Young and Innocent Days"
  6. "Nothing to Say"
  7. "Arthur"

"Australia" is a song by the British rock band the Kinks, appearing on their 1969 album, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire). It was written by the band's main songwriter, Ray Davies.

Lyrics and Music

[edit]

In the song, the character Derek (who is featured in the story line of Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)) attempts to convince his father, Arthur, of the great opportunities available in Australia, where there's "no drug addiction" and you can "surf like they do in the U.S.A." Derek's advertisement is compared to John Smith, who campaigned for America in a similar manner, by author Thomas Kitts.[1]

The song also features a jam sequence lasting for approximately half the song, which is atypical for the Kinks. This sequence also features a Wobble Board, an Australian instrument. In the Australian single edit, this section is removed by editing an earlier section of the song into another section during a drum beat, which is then followed by a fade-out.

Release

[edit]

"Australia" was released in most countries only on Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire), where it was the closing track on side one. In Australia, an abbreviated version of the song was released as a single, with another Arthur track, "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina", on the B-side. The single was commercially unsuccessful.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kitts, Thomas M. (25 May 2014). Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else.
[edit]
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