Sounds of Australia

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Sounds of Australia
The Fairlight CMI.jpg
The Fairlight CMI, the world’s first polyphonic digital sampling synthesizer, invented in 1979 by Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie, was added to the NFSA’s Sounds of Australia in 2015.
Awarded forThe National Film and Sound Archive's annual capsule of iconic Australian audio moments.
Country Australia
Presented by National Film and Sound Archive
EligibilityEligible sound recordings must be Australian and must be at least 10 years old. The final selection is curated by our panel of industry experts and NFSA curators, with input from public nominations.
First award2007
Website www.nfsa.gov.au/sounds

The Sounds of Australia, formerly the National Registry of Recorded Sound, is the National Film and Sound Archive's selection of sound recordings which are deemed to have cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance for Australia. It was founded in 2007.

Contents

History

The National Registry of Recorded Sound was established in 2007 [1] by the National Film and Sound Archive, to encourage appreciation of the diversity of sounds recorded in Australia, ever since the first phonographs made by the US Edison Manufacturing Company were available in Australia in the mid-1890s. [2]

The earliest recording in the archive is "The Hen Convention", a song recorded some time before 15 January 1897, by an amateur sound recordist called Thomas Rome, of Warrnambool, Victoria, who imported the most modern equipment available from the US. The song features the voice of John James Villiers, also of Warrnambool. It is a novelty song, featuring imitations of sounds made by chickens. [3] [4]

Other early sound recordings include Aboriginal Tasmanian women's songs (1899), [5] Spencer and Gillen's 1901 recordings on wax cylinder of Arrernte, Anmatyerr, Kaytetye, Warumungu, Luritja and Arabana peoples of central Australia [6] (added in 2019 [7] ), and Ernest Shackleton talking about his polar expedition in 1910. [5]

Description

As part of the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA), it is part of a "living archive", to share in many ways and to keep for future generations. [8]

Each year, the Australian public nominates new sounds to be added with final selections determined by a panel of industry experts and NFSA curators. There are usually about ten recordings added each year. The recordings represent significant achievements in the way we have recorded the sounds of our history and memory. [2]

The criteria for nomination are wide: "they can be popular songs, advertising jingles, famous speeches, radio broadcasts, or any other sound recordings" – but they must be Australian, and they must be more than 10 years old. [5] [9]

Recordings

In this table, "2007a" refers to the 2007 Foundation List (entries chosen before official voting began), while "2007b" refers to the first of the annual registry additions, also in 2007.

Recording or collectionPerformer or agentRelease yearAddition yearNFSA
Title No.
"The Hen Convention"
Earliest extant Australian sound recording		John James Villiersc. 18962007a452097
"Chant Vénitien" Dame Nellie Melba 19042007a301462
”The Landing of the Australian Troops in Egypt” [A] 19152007a229758
"Along the Road to Gundagai" Peter Dawson 19312007a332353
"Give a Little Credit To Your Dad"/"Lonesome For You Mother Dear" Buddy Williams 19392007a190438
"Swanston St Shamble"/"Two Day Jag" Graeme Bell's Dixieland Band19442007a232811
Tribal Music of AustraliaIndigenous Australians from the Yirrkala district in Arnhem Land; recorded by A. P. Elkin 19532007a242999
"She's My Baby" Johnny O'Keefe 19602007a291386
'Kerr's cur' speech Gough Whitlam 1975, Nov. 112007a156392
"Down Under" Men At Work 19812007a337398
Fanny Cochrane Smith's Tasmanian Aboriginal Songs Fanny Cochrane Smith, recorded by Horace Watson1899, 19032007b500445
"My South Polar Expedition" Sir Ernest Shackleton 19102007b562537
Dad and Dave from Snake Gully
First episode		George Edwards, and others1937, May 312007b737158
"The Majestic Fanfare"
ABC radio news theme		Queen's Hall Light Orchestra; Charles Williams, conductor19432007b737182
"Maranoa Lullaby" Harold Blair 19502007b245797
Corroboree Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Sir Eugene Goossens, conductor; John Antill, composer19502007b297286
Jack Luscombe oral historyJack Luscombe; recorded by John Meredith 19532007b737269
"Friday on My Mind" The Easybeats 19662007b258900
"(I'm) Stranded" The Saints 19762007b322350
"Jailanguru Pakarnu" Warumpi Band 19832007b244115
"Country Gardens" Percy Grainger 19192008510950
"Waltzing Matilda"John Collinson, tenor; Russell Callow, piano19262008283469
The 1930 Australian XI: Winners of the Ashes Don Bradman, Bill Woodfull, Clarrie Grimmett, Alan Kippax, Stan McCabe, Tim Wall 19302008266765
"The Aeroplane Jelly Song"Joy King19382008402848, 281850
Theme from Blue Hills ("Pastorale")New Century Orchestra; Sidney Torch, conductor; Ronald Hanmer, composer19492008503205
"A Pub with No Beer" Slim Dusty 19572008190647
Irkanda IV Melbourne Symphony Orchestra; John Hopkins, conductor; Peter Sculthorpe, composer19672008332275
Bird and Animal Calls of AustraliaRecorded by Harold J Pollock19682008255276
"Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)" Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs 19722008291714
"We Have Survived" No Fixed Address 19812008210397
London recordingsNewcastle Steelworks Band; Albert Baile, conductor19242009560469
"Happy Little Vegemites"Betty Parker, Stephen Parker, Julia Parker and Linda Marcy19592009537271
Smoky Dawson and the Adventure of The Singing Bullet Smoky Dawson 19552009281755
"My Country"Read by Dorothea Mackellar 19582009328116
Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under Georgia Lee 19622009511557
In the Head the Fire South Australian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Singers, and other soloists and vocalists; John Hopkins, conductor; Nigel Butterley, composer19662009323123
Lionel Rose wins the World Title Ron Casey 19682009283495
"I Am Woman" Helen Reddy 19722009619633
The Loner Vic Simms 19732009757646
"Treaty" Yothu Yindi 19912009226648
"Hinkler's Message to Australia"/"Incidents of My Flight" Bert Hinkler 19282010267488
"Wrap Me Up In My Stockwhip and Blanket" Tex Morton 19362010365991
Announcement of the declaration of World War II Robert Menzies 1939, Sep. 32010188388
Announcement of war with Japan John Curtin 1941, Dec. 82010677049
"Bye Bye Baby" Col Joye 19592010271642
Pick a Box Bob and Dolly Dyer 1963, Aug. 202010569
Just the Beginning Don Burrows Quartet19712010263853
"Eagle Rock" Daddy Cool 19712010300956
Opening concert of the Sydney Opera House Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor; Birgit Nilsson, soprano1973, Sep. 292010766280
Commentary of the 4 x 100 men's medley relay final at the Moscow Olympics Norman May 1980, Jul. 242010750967
"We Are Going" Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker)19862010699094
Rebetika SongsApodimi Compania19872010138939
"From Little Things Big Things Grow" Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody 19932010244410
Redfern Park speech Paul Keating 1992, Dec. 102010
Recordings of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Straits Alfred Cort Haddon and others189820118879
"The Sailors"Stiffy and Mo 19272011253375
Ken Howard calls the Melbourne Cup Ken Howard1941, 1952 [B] 2011338699
The maiden parliamentary speeches of Dame Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney Dame Enid Lyons, Dame Dorothy Tangney1943–19442011483285, 483102
The Art of the Prima Donna Dame Joan Sutherland 19602011321750
"I'll Never Find Another You" The Seekers 1964201182220
Living in the 70's Skyhooks 19742011263933
Report on Cyclone Tracy, Darwin Mike Hayes and Bruce Grundy19742011
"I Should Be So Lucky" Kylie Minogue 19872011376096
Voss Australian Opera Chorus, Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Stuart Challender, conductor; Geoffrey Chard, Marilyn Richardson and other soloists; Richard Meale, composer; David Malouf, libretto19872011230032
"The Black Watch"Percy Herfordc. 19072012778653
Sydney recordingsQueenie and David Kaili1927–19322012
Grace Gibson Productions radio serialsVarious artists, produced by Grace Gibson 1944–c.19822012
The Luise Hercus Collection, AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive Dr Luise A Hercus 1962–19972012
"Royal Telephone" Jimmy Little 19632012319442
Patrol from Da Nang Tim Bowden 19662012
A Track Winding Back Barry Humphries and Dick Bentley 197220121063868
"It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" AC/DC 19752012291607
Tender Prey Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 19882012425260
Aether The Necks 20012012567489
"Hold Your Hand Out Naughty Boy" Florrie Forde 19132013189112
Yes, What? Rex Dawe and others1936–19402013143364
"Bombora" The Atlantics 19632013291724
The Land Where the Crow Flies Backwards Dougie Young 19642013244102
"The Real Thing" Russell Morris 19692013338066
"I Still Call Australia Home" Peter Allen 19802013291702
Improvisations in Acoustic ChambersRos Bandt19812013230121
This Sporting Life Roy and HG 1986–20082013
Recording of a superb lyrebird at Healesville, Victoria Greg Wignell19872013
"Took the Children Away" Archie Roach 19902013376653
"They Always Follow Me"Syria Lamonte189820141251712
Speech at the opening of the Columbia Graphophone Company Australian factory Sir Dudley de Chair 19262014774314
Concert in a cave at TobrukRecorded by Chester Wilmot, ABC Field Unit1941, Oct.20141341683
"Fireworks" and "The Orgasmic Opus"Dr Val Stephen196720141131993
"Khe Sanh" Cold Chisel 19782014260154
"Boys in Town" Divinyls 19812014296374
"Great Southern Land" Icehouse 19822014428036
"Cattle and Cane" The Go-Betweens 19832014736789
Recording of lone dingoVicki Powys199020141221379
Deadly Sounds Vibe Australia; hosted by Rhoda Roberts 1993–20142014696283
Message recorded at Mena Camp, CairoSecond Lieutenant Henry Miller Lanser191420151488057
"Love Will Find a Way" Gladys Moncrieff 19262015273694
"Argonauts Row" Harold Williams 19412015569911
Aboriginal recordings on the north-west coastJohn Hutchinson195920151275952
Sampling sounds Fairlight CMI 1979–19892015
"I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)" Redgum 19832015376284
"Like Wow – Wipeout" Hoodoo Gurus 19852015305311
"Alive and Brilliant" Deborah Conway 19932015803963
"LSD" DJ HMC 199520151458675
"The Nosebleed Section" Hilltop Hoods 20032015661178
"When Father Papered the Parlour" Billy Williams 19122016189178
"Life Without Love" Frank Coughlan's Trocadero Orchestra19372016268433
"Skippy the Bush Kangaroo" Eric Jupp 19682016495512
"C'mon Aussie C'mon"The Mojo Singers19782016409679
"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" Eric Bogle 1980 [C] 201682399
"Power and the Passion" Midnight Oil 19822016217837
"Sounds of Then (This is Australia)" GANGgajang 19852016220914
Antarctica: Suite for Guitar and Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra; Nigel Westlake, composer199720161461560
"My Island Home" Christine Anu 19952016263311
"Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" The Wiggles 19982016370632
"Sweet Spirit Hear My Prayer"Marie Narelle19102017189109
"Our Don Bradman"Len Maurice19302017190535
Australia's Amateur Hour AWA 1940–19582017
"Louie the Fly" Ross Higgins 19622017281802
"I Remember You" Frank Ifield 19622017303276
"Play School Theme (There's a Bear in There)"Various performers1966, 1976, 1987, 2000, 20112017
"Love Is in the Air" John Paul Young 1977 [13] 2017310545
Brand New Day (Milliya Rumarra) Kuckles 19812017
"Don't Change" INXS 19822017315857
"Not Pretty Enough" Kasey Chambers 20012017529136
"Caro Mio Ben" Ada Crossley 19032018757100
"Freshie"/"After the Dawn"Sydney Simpson and his Wentworth Café Orchestra19262018196416
Binny Lum CollectionBinny Lum and interviewees1955–19672018
"Come Closer to Me" Pilita Corrales 19592018322824
"I've Been Everywhere" Lucky Starr 19622018306316
"Girls in our Town" Margret RoadKnight 19762018287049
"Solid Rock" Goanna 19822018303972
Songlines: Songs of the East Australian Humpback WhalesMark Franklin (The Oceania Project)1992–200820181543251
"These Days" Powderfinger 19992018463749
Gurrumul Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu 2008 [14] 2018758793
Cylinder recordings from Central Australia Baldwin Spencer, Francis James Gillen and Aboriginal communities1901–19022019
Twilight of the Gods (Die Götterdämmerung) Florence Austral 19282019273004
"I'm the Sheik of Scrubby Creek" Chad Morgan 19522019275674
Prestophone master tape
("Old Rugged Hills"/"Rhythm of Corroboree",
"When My Homeland is Calling"/"Maranoa Moon")		 Olive and Eva 1955–19562019249178
"The Man from Snowy River" Leonard Teale 19562019193755
"You're the One That I Want" Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta 1978 [15] 2019222298
"Up There Cazaly" The Two-Man Band 19792019290258
"You're the Voice" John Farnham 19862019296286
"Truly Madly Deeply" Savage Garden 19972019499765
Wild Swans Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra; Elena Kats-Chernin, composer20052019721303
"Starlight"Hamilton Hill190720201543945
"Étude de concert in F minor"/"Étude de concert in A flat major" Eileen Joyce 19332020401155
Olympic Games, Melbourne 1956: Opening and closing ceremonies
Official souvenir recordings		19562020312957, 312955
Nausicaa: Opera in Three ActsAthens Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Carlos Surinach; Peggy Glanville-Hicks, composer19612020701032
Arnhem Land Popular Classics David Blanasi, Djoli Laiwanga, and other performers; recorded by La Mont West Jr. 19632020210787
"Because I Love You" The Masters Apprentices 19712020320598
"It's Time" Alison MacCallum and others19722020253356
"True Blue" John Williamson 19862020224765
"Tomorrow" Silverchair 19942020295091
Martin/Molloy Tony Martin and Mick Molloy 1995–19982020
"The Absent-Minded Beggar"John J Virgo190020211621951
"Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox"Jim Davidson's Dandies and Dick Cranbourne19382021190972
First parliamentary sitting broadcast: Announcement of Victory in Europe Ben Chifley and Robert Menzies 1945, May 8202181384
"He's My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy" Little Pattie and The Statesmen19632021315308
"Heading in the Right Direction"The Renée Geyer Band19752021259069
GaywavesGaywaves Collective, 2SER 1979–20052021
The Man from Snowy River soundtrack Bruce Rowland 19822021286452
"Wide Open Road" The Triffids 19862021420900
Apology to The Stolen Generations Kevin Rudd 2008, Feb. 132021759728
"Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye, featuring Kimbra 201120211064570
Farewell address to Australia Hallam Lord Tennyson 1904, Jan. 202022
"Digger" Jack Lumsdaine 19422022190905
Horrie Dargie ConcertThe Horrie Dargie Harlequintet19522022281525
"The Drover’s Dream" [D] Alan Scott and The Bushwhackers 19552022301526
Decimal currency jingle Ted Roberts 19652022205358
"The Lord’s Prayer" Sister Janet Mead 19732022335577
"Stayin' Alive" Bee Gees 19772022322493
Neighbours theme song Barry Crocker 19872022301375
Bicentenary protest coverage Radio Redfern 1988, Jan. 262022
Misogyny speech Julia Gillard 2012, Oct. 92022
"Anvil Chorus"P.C. Spouse19272023190551
Sweet Nell of Old Drury Nellie Stewart and others19312023307950
Death of a Wombat Ivan Smith, author; George S. English, composer; Alastair Duncan, narrator; Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicolai Malko 19612023366622
"I Only Came to Say Goodbye" Wilma Reading 19612023315918
"The Loved One" The Loved Ones 19662023798901
"Howzat" Sherbet 19762023314105
"Menstruation Blues" Robyn Archer 19772023139169
Harry Williams and the Country Outcasts Harry and Wilga Williams and the Country Outcasts19792023235611
"Slip! Slop! Slap!" jingle Peter Best and Phillip Adams; Cancer Council Victoria 19812023
"I Am Australian" Judith Durham, Russell Hitchcock, and Mandawuy Yunupingu 19972023321473
Concerto of the Greater Sea Joseph Tawadros; Australian Chamber Orchestra 201220231053312
Address to the Women's International Radio League Jessie Street 1945, May 282024
Speaking Clock Gordon Gow and the Postmaster-General's Department 19542024
Doctor Who theme Ron Grainer, composer; Delia Derbyshire, musician and arranger19632024
Victoria Bitter advertisements John Meillon, George Patterson Agency19682024
Jimmie Barker collectionsJimmie Barker1968–19722024
Earliest 2EA broadcasts in language SBS Radio 1975, Jun.–Aug.2024
"Kickin' to the Undersound" Sound Unlimited 19922024
"Chains" Tina Arena 19942024
Last call of the Christmas Island pipistrelle Zoos Victoria 2009, Aug. 262024
Inaugural speech to Australian Parliament Nova Peris 2013, Nov. 122024
Notes
  1. ↑ A simulated recording of Australian troops. They are greeted by a brass band playing, "Advance Australia Fair". [10]
  2. ↑ Contemporary articles and archived NFSA webpages suggest either the 1952 race or both races were the original selections; [11] [12] the site now only lists the 1941 race.
  3. ↑ The NFSA uses the 1980 recording, but lists it by the year of its composition, 1971.
  4. ↑ The media release also includes the B-side of the record: "The Drover's Dream"/"The Bullockies' Ball". [16]

Statistics

The most recent recording on the list is Aboriginal former senator Nova Peris' inaugural speech to Parliament, [17] while the oldest is Percy Herford's 1896 recording "The Hen Convention". [18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Rosel, Rachael (10 November 2019). "Strewth! The best Aussie songs in The Sounds of Australia Archive". Starts at 60. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Sounds of Australia". Australian Screen Online. 11 November 1975. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. ↑ Doyle, Maryanne. "The Hen Convention by Thomas Rome". National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ↑ Doyle, Maryanne (11 November 1975). "The Hen Convention: Notes". Australian Screen Online. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "The complete Sounds of Australia list". National Film and Sound Archive. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "Cylinder Recordings from Central Australia by Spencer and Gillen and Aboriginal communities (1901)". National Film and Sound Archive. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  7. ↑ Martin, Amy (7 November 2019). "National Film and Sound Archive adds Olivia Newton-John and John Farnham to Sounds of Australia registry". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  8. ↑ "About". National Film and Sound Archive. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  9. ↑ Kaeding, Thorsten (20 April 2020). "What are the sounds of Australia?" (Audio). ABC Radio (Overnights) (Interview). Interviewed by Chappell, Trevor. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  10. ↑ Byrnes, Paul. "The Landing of the Australian troops in Egypt". National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "CKylie, the Melbourne Cup and a natural disaster represent aural Australia". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Sounds of Australia // National Film and Sound Archive, Australia". Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  13. ↑ McCabe, Kathy (23 October 2017). "Here are the 10 recordings inducted to the Sounds Of Australia list". NewsComAu. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  14. ↑ "Gurrumul, Powderfinger and Goanna celebrated in this year's Sounds of Australia". NFSA. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  15. ↑ Midena, Kate (7 November 2019). "Farnham, Newton-John, Savage Garden make Sounds of Australia archive". The New Daily. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "Julia Gillard's misogyny speech, Neighbours theme tune, Bicentenary protests all become Sounds of Australia". National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  17. ↑ Thrower, Matt. "Sounds of Australia 2024: Inside our Sounds". National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  18. ↑ Collection - National Registry of Recorded Sound at ASO - Australia's audio and visual heritage online
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