Jump to content

Australia (The Kinks song): Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
| name = Australia
| name = Australia
| cover = Australia_Kinks.jpg
| cover = Australia_Kinks.jpg
| caption = Australian single label
| alt =
| alt =
| type = single
| type = song
| artist = [[The Kinks]]
| artist = [[the Kinks]]
| album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
| album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
| B-side =
| B-side = "[[She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina]]" (R. Davies) (Australia)
| released = December 1969
| released = {{start date|1969|10|10|df=yes}}
| recorded = May–June 1969
| format = [[Gramophone record|7" vinyl]]
| recorded = May–June 1969 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London
| studio = [[Pye Studios|Pye]], London
| studio =
| genre =
| venue =
| length = 6:46
| genre = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| label = [[Pye Records|Pye]]
| length = 6:46 (album version)
| label = [[Astor Records|Astor]] AP-1680 (Australia)
| writer = [[Ray Davies]]
| writer = [[Ray Davies]]
| producer = [[Ray Davies]]
| producer = Ray Davies
| prev_title = [[Shangri-La (The Kinks song)|Shangri-La]]
| prev_year = 1969
| next_title = [[Victoria (The Kinks song)|Victoria]]
| next_year = 1970
| misc = {{Extra track listing
| misc = {{Extra track listing
| album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
| album = [[Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)]]
| type = single
| type = song
| tracks = {{Arthur tracks}}
| 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==
Line 36: Line 31:
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. 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.
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==
Line 49: Line 44:
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090201164905/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]]

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]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Australia_(The_Kinks_song)&oldid=1158537949"