"Down City Streets" | ||||
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Single by Archie Roach | ||||
from the album Charcoal Lane | ||||
B-side | "Muntana, No No No" | |||
Released | 1991 | |||
Recorded | April 1990 | |||
Studio | Curtain Street Studios, Melbourne | |||
Length | 4:05 | |||
Label | Aurora, Mushroom Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ruby Hunter | |||
Producer(s) | Paul Kelly, Steve Connolly | |||
Archie Roach singles chronology | ||||
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"Down City Streets" is a song written by Australian singer songwriter Ruby Hunter and recorded by her husband Archie Roach. The song was released in 1991 as the second single from Roach's debut studio album Charcoal Lane (1990).
"Down City Streets" is an autobiographical song Hunter wrote recalling her time as a homeless alcoholic. She gave the song to her husband Roach to record for his debut studio album. [1] In 2015 Roach recalls the scenario coming home one night "... she was there and she screwed up this paper and tried to hide it under the pillow or something like that and I said, 'What is that?' She said, 'Ah, nothing'. I said, 'Can I have a look at it?' She reluctantly gave me this piece of paper with a song written on it ... and she just sat down and sang it to me." [2]
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992, the song was nominated for ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release. [3]
The song was re-recorded by Roach and Hunter on the album Ruby in 2005.
Region | Date | Format | Edition(s) | Label | Catalogue |
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Australia | 1991 | Standard | Aurora, Mushroom Records | K10360 | |
Sara Bettine Storer is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and former teacher. She won a record breaking seven Golden Guitar awards in the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2004, and as of 2017, she has won 21 in total. Three of her six studio albums have reached the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart, Firefly, Lovegrass and Silos. Silos also won Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2016. Storer has been a member of a country music trio, Songbirds (2007–09) alongside Beccy Cole and Gina Jeffries. Her older brother, Greg Storer, is also a country music singer-songwriter and the siblings have recorded and performed together.
Kasey Chambers is an Australian country singer-songwriter and musician born in Mount Gambier. She is the daughter of fellow musicians, Diane and Bill Chambers, and the younger sister of musician and producer, Nash Chambers. All four were members of family country music group in Dead Ringer Band, in Bowral, New South Wales, from 1992 to 1998, with Chambers starting her solo career thereafter. Five of her twelve studio albums have reached No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, Barricades & Brickwalls, Wayward Angel, CarnivalRattlin' Bones and Dragonfly. In November 2018 she was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and has won an additional fourteen ARIA Music Awards with nine for Best Country Album. Her autobiography, A Little Bird Told Me..., which was co-authored with music journalist, Jeff Apter, was released in 2011.
Words And Music is an album recorded by Paul Kelly and originally released in 1998.
Archibald William Roach was an Australian singer-songwriter and Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a Gunditjmara and Bundjalung elder who campaigned for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. His wife and musical partner was the singer Ruby Hunter (1955–2010).
Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter, also known as Aunty Ruby, was an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist, and the life and musical partner of Archie Roach.
Black & White is a studio album by Australian recording artist, Colleen Hewett. The album was released in The album is Hewett's first album in 14 years and sees Colleen singing genres ranging from emotional ballads, country and soulful blues tracks. Lyrically, the album features tracks dealing with family history, her ancestry and experience with domestic violence.
Looking for Butter Boy is the third studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released in October 1997 and peaked at number 52 on the ARIA Charts. The album was recorded with a small band at a guest house in Port Fairy on the Australian coast.
"Took the Children Away" is a song written and recorded by Australian singer Archie Roach. The song was released in September 1990 as his debut single. The song was included on Roach's debut studio album Charcoal Lane.
Charcoal Lane is the debut studio album by Australian singer song writer Archie Roach, released in 1990.
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Ruby is a soundtrack album recorded live by Australian singers Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter with Paul Grabowsky and Australian Art Orchestra. The album, based on a musical production called Ruby's Story staged in 2004, was released in 2005.
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1988 is a compilation album by Australian singer song writer Archie Roach.
Dancing with My Spirit is the eighth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was recorded in the 1990s and for a variety of reasons, remained ‘unreleased’ until 2018, where it was released in April 2018 and was supported by a national tour.
Journey is the fifth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was the first studio album released by Roach on the Liberation Records label and was released in October 2007.
Into the Bloodstream is the sixth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released on 19 October 2012 and peaked at number 49 on the ARIA Charts in December 2012.
Let Love Rule is the seventh studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released in November 2016 and peaked at number 24 on the ARIA Charts and became Roach's highest charting album to date. Upon release Roach said "I wanted to write about love, or a willingness to love all people. We are closing ourselves off and not letting people in. And not just in the sense of not letting them into the country, but not letting them into our hearts, into our minds. Many of the songs on the album are really a call for understanding."
Tell Me Why is a companion album to Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach's memoir of the same name. It was released on 1 November 2019. The album re-imagines 11 songs that have defined Roach's career, together with two songs that were written and never recorded, two songs of early influence, and three brand new recordings.
The National Indigenous Music Awards 2020 were the 17th annual National Indigenous Music Awards.
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