Sounds of Australia

Sounds of Australia
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.
CountryAustralia
Presented byNational 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 awarded2007
Websitewww.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.

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 collection Performer or agent Release year Addition year NFSA
Title No.
"The Hen Convention"
Earliest extant Australian sound recording 		John James Villiers c. 1896 2007a 452097
"Chant Vénitien" Dame Nellie Melba 1904 2007a 301462
”The Landing of the Australian Troops in Egypt”[A] 1915 2007a 229758
"Along the Road to Gundagai" Peter Dawson 1931 2007a 332353
"Give a Little Credit To Your Dad"/"Lonesome For You Mother Dear" Buddy Williams 1939 2007a 190438
"Swanston St Shamble"/"Two Day Jag" Graeme Bell's Dixieland Band 1944 2007a 232811
Tribal Music of Australia Indigenous Australians from the Yirrkala district in Arnhem Land; recorded by A. P. Elkin 1953 2007a 242999
"She's My Baby" Johnny O'Keefe 1960 2007a 291386
'Kerr's cur' speech Gough Whitlam 1975, Nov. 11 2007a 156392
"Down Under" Men At Work 1981 2007a 337398
Fanny Cochrane Smith's Tasmanian Aboriginal Songs Fanny Cochrane Smith, recorded by Horace Watson 1899, 1903 2007b 500445
"My South Polar Expedition" Sir Ernest Shackleton 1910 2007b 562537
Dad and Dave from Snake Gully
First episode 		George Edwards, and others 1937, May 31 2007b 737158
"The Majestic Fanfare"
ABC radio news theme 		Queen's Hall Light Orchestra; Charles Williams, conductor 1943 2007b 737182
"Maranoa Lullaby" Harold Blair 1950 2007b 245797
Corroboree Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Sir Eugene Goossens, conductor; John Antill, composer 1950 2007b 297286
Jack Luscombe oral history Jack Luscombe; recorded by John Meredith 1953 2007b 737269
"Friday on My Mind" The Easybeats 1966 2007b 258900
"(I'm) Stranded" The Saints 1976 2007b 322350
"Jailanguru Pakarnu" Warumpi Band 1983 2007b 244115
"Country Gardens" Percy Grainger 1919 2008 510950
"Waltzing Matilda" John Collinson, tenor; Russell Callow, piano 1926 2008 283469
The 1930 Australian XI: Winners of the Ashes Don Bradman, Bill Woodfull, Clarrie Grimmett, Alan Kippax, Stan McCabe, Tim Wall 1930 2008 266765
"The Aeroplane Jelly Song" Joy King 1938 2008 402848, 281850
Theme from Blue Hills ("Pastorale") New Century Orchestra; Sidney Torch, conductor; Ronald Hanmer, composer 1949 2008 503205
"A Pub with No Beer" Slim Dusty 1957 2008 190647
Irkanda IV Melbourne Symphony Orchestra; John Hopkins, conductor; Peter Sculthorpe, composer 1967 2008 332275
Bird and Animal Calls of Australia Recorded by Harold J Pollock 1968 2008 255276
"Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)" Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs 1972 2008 291714
"We Have Survived" No Fixed Address 1981 2008 210397
London recordings Newcastle Steelworks Band; Albert Baile, conductor 1924 2009 560469
"Happy Little Vegemites" Betty Parker, Stephen Parker, Julia Parker and Linda Marcy 1959 2009 537271
Smoky Dawson and the Adventure of The Singing Bullet Smoky Dawson 1955 2009 281755
"My Country" Read by Dorothea Mackellar 1958 2009 328116
Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under Georgia Lee 1962 2009 511557
In the Head the Fire South Australian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Singers, and other soloists and vocalists; John Hopkins, conductor; Nigel Butterley, composer 1966 2009 323123
Lionel Rose wins the World Title Ron Casey 1968 2009 283495
"I Am Woman" Helen Reddy 1972 2009 619633
The Loner Vic Simms 1973 2009 757646
"Treaty" Yothu Yindi 1991 2009 226648
"Hinkler's Message to Australia"/"Incidents of My Flight" Bert Hinkler 1928 2010 267488
"Wrap Me Up In My Stockwhip and Blanket" Tex Morton 1936 2010 365991
Announcement of the declaration of World War II Robert Menzies 1939, Sep. 3 2010 188388
Announcement of war with Japan John Curtin 1941, Dec. 8 2010 677049
"Bye Bye Baby" Col Joye 1959 2010 271642
Pick a Box Bob and Dolly Dyer 1963, Aug. 20 2010 569
Just the Beginning Don Burrows Quartet 1971 2010 263853
"Eagle Rock" Daddy Cool 1971 2010 300956
Opening concert of the Sydney Opera House Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor; Birgit Nilsson, soprano 1973, Sep. 29 2010 766280
Commentary of the 4 x 100 men's medley relay final at the Moscow Olympics Norman May 1980, Jul. 24 2010 750967
"We Are Going" Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker) 1986 2010 699094
Rebetika Songs Apodimi Compania 1987 2010 138939
"From Little Things Big Things Grow" Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody 1993 2010 244410
Redfern Park speech Paul Keating 1992, Dec. 10 2010
Recordings of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Straits Alfred Cort Haddon and others 1898 2011 8879
"The Sailors" Stiffy and Mo 1927 2011 253375
Ken Howard calls the Melbourne Cup Ken Howard 1941, 1952[B] 2011 338699
The maiden parliamentary speeches of Dame Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney Dame Enid Lyons, Dame Dorothy Tangney 1943–1944 2011 483285, 483102
The Art of the Prima Donna Dame Joan Sutherland 1960 2011 321750
"I'll Never Find Another You" The Seekers 1964 2011 82220
Living in the 70's Skyhooks 1974 2011 263933
Report on Cyclone Tracy, Darwin Mike Hayes and Bruce Grundy 1974 2011
"I Should Be So Lucky" Kylie Minogue 1987 2011 376096
Voss Australian Opera Chorus, Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Stuart Challender, conductor; Geoffrey Chard, Marilyn Richardson and other soloists; Richard Meale, composer; David Malouf, libretto 1987 2011 230032
"The Black Watch" Percy Herford c. 1907 2012 778653
Sydney recordings Queenie and David Kaili 1927–1932 2012
Grace Gibson Productions radio serials Various artists, produced by Grace Gibson 1944–c.1982 2012
The Luise Hercus Collection, AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive Dr Luise A Hercus 1962–1997 2012
"Royal Telephone" Jimmy Little 1963 2012 319442
Patrol from Da Nang Tim Bowden 1966 2012
A Track Winding Back Barry Humphries and Dick Bentley 1972 2012 1063868
"It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" AC/DC 1975 2012 291607
Tender Prey Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 1988 2012 425260
Aether The Necks 2001 2012 567489
"Hold Your Hand Out Naughty Boy" Florrie Forde 1913 2013 189112
Yes, What? Rex Dawe and others 1936–1940 2013 143364
"Bombora" The Atlantics 1963 2013 291724
The Land Where the Crow Flies Backwards Dougie Young 1964 2013 244102
"The Real Thing" Russell Morris 1969 2013 338066
"I Still Call Australia Home" Peter Allen 1980 2013 291702
Improvisations in Acoustic Chambers Ros Bandt 1981 2013 230121
This Sporting Life Roy and HG 1986–2008 2013
Recording of a superb lyrebird at Healesville, Victoria Greg Wignell 1987 2013
"Took the Children Away" Archie Roach 1990 2013 376653
"They Always Follow Me" Syria Lamonte 1898 2014 1251712
Speech at the opening of the Columbia Graphophone Company Australian factory Sir Dudley de Chair 1926 2014 774314
Concert in a cave at Tobruk Recorded by Chester Wilmot, ABC Field Unit 1941, Oct. 2014 1341683
"Fireworks" and "The Orgasmic Opus" Dr Val Stephen 1967 2014 1131993
"Khe Sanh" Cold Chisel 1978 2014 260154
"Boys in Town" Divinyls 1981 2014 296374
"Great Southern Land" Icehouse 1982 2014 428036
"Cattle and Cane" The Go-Betweens 1983 2014 736789
Recording of lone dingo Vicki Powys 1990 2014 1221379
Deadly Sounds Vibe Australia; hosted by Rhoda Roberts 1993–2014 2014 696283
Message recorded at Mena Camp, Cairo Second Lieutenant Henry Miller Lanser 1914 2015 1488057
"Love Will Find a Way" Gladys Moncrieff 1926 2015 273694
"Argonauts Row" Harold Williams 1941 2015 569911
Aboriginal recordings on the north-west coast John Hutchinson 1959 2015 1275952
Sampling sounds Fairlight CMI 1979–1989 2015
"I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)" Redgum 1983 2015 376284
"Like Wow – Wipeout" Hoodoo Gurus 1985 2015 305311
"Alive and Brilliant" Deborah Conway 1993 2015 803963
"LSD" DJ HMC 1995 2015 1458675
"The Nosebleed Section" Hilltop Hoods 2003 2015 661178
"When Father Papered the Parlour" Billy Williams 1912 2016 189178
"Life Without Love" Frank Coughlan's Trocadero Orchestra 1937 2016 268433
"Skippy the Bush Kangaroo" Eric Jupp 1968 2016 495512
"C'mon Aussie C'mon" The Mojo Singers 1978 2016 409679
"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" Eric Bogle 1980[C] 2016 82399
"Power and the Passion" Midnight Oil 1982 2016 217837
"Sounds of Then (This is Australia)" GANGgajang 1985 2016 220914
Antarctica: Suite for Guitar and Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra; Nigel Westlake, composer 1997 2016 1461560
"My Island Home" Christine Anu 1995 2016 263311
"Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" The Wiggles 1998 2016 370632
"Sweet Spirit Hear My Prayer" Marie Narelle 1910 2017 189109
"Our Don Bradman" Len Maurice 1930 2017 190535
Australia's Amateur Hour AWA 1940–1958 2017
"Louie the Fly" Ross Higgins 1962 2017 281802
"I Remember You" Frank Ifield 1962 2017 303276
"Play School Theme (There's a Bear in There)" Various performers 1966, 1976, 1987, 2000, 2011 2017
"Love Is in the Air" John Paul Young 1977[13] 2017 310545
Brand New Day (Milliya Rumarra) Kuckles 1981 2017
"Don't Change" INXS 1982 2017 315857
"Not Pretty Enough" Kasey Chambers 2001 2017 529136
"Caro Mio Ben" Ada Crossley 1903 2018 757100
"Freshie"/"After the Dawn" Sydney Simpson and his Wentworth Café Orchestra 1926 2018 196416
Binny Lum Collection Binny Lum and interviewees 1955–1967 2018
"Come Closer to Me" Pilita Corrales 1959 2018 322824
"I've Been Everywhere" Lucky Starr 1962 2018 306316
"Girls in our Town" Margret RoadKnight 1976 2018 287049
"Solid Rock" Goanna 1982 2018 303972
Songlines: Songs of the East Australian Humpback Whales Mark Franklin (The Oceania Project) 1992–2008 2018 1543251
"These Days" Powderfinger 1999 2018 463749
Gurrumul Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu 2008[14] 2018 758793
Cylinder recordings from Central Australia Baldwin Spencer, Francis James Gillen and Aboriginal communities 1901–1902 2019
Twilight of the Gods (Die Götterdämmerung) Florence Austral 1928 2019 273004
"I'm the Sheik of Scrubby Creek" Chad Morgan 1952 2019 275674
Prestophone master tape
("Old Rugged Hills"/"Rhythm of Corroboree",
"When My Homeland is Calling"/"Maranoa Moon") 		Olive and Eva 1955–1956 2019 249178
"The Man from Snowy River" Leonard Teale 1956 2019 193755
"You're the One That I Want" Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta 1978[15] 2019 222298
"Up There Cazaly" The Two-Man Band 1979 2019 290258
"You're the Voice" John Farnham 1986 2019 296286
"Truly Madly Deeply" Savage Garden 1997 2019 499765
Wild Swans Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra; Elena Kats-Chernin, composer 2005 2019 721303
"Starlight" Hamilton Hill 1907 2020 1543945
"Étude de concert in F minor"/"Étude de concert in A flat major" Eileen Joyce 1933 2020 401155
Olympic Games, Melbourne 1956: Opening and closing ceremonies
Official souvenir recordings 		1956 2020 312957, 312955
Nausicaa: Opera in Three Acts Athens Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Carlos Surinach; Peggy Glanville-Hicks, composer 1961 2020 701032
Arnhem Land Popular Classics David Blanasi, Djoli Laiwanga, and other performers; recorded by La Mont West Jr. 1963 2020 210787
"Because I Love You" The Masters Apprentices 1971 2020 320598
"It's Time" Alison MacCallum and others 1972 2020 253356
"True Blue" John Williamson 1986 2020 224765
"Tomorrow" Silverchair 1994 2020 295091
Martin/Molloy Tony Martin and Mick Molloy 1995–1998 2020
"The Absent-Minded Beggar" John J Virgo 1900 2021 1621951
"Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox" Jim Davidson's Dandies and Dick Cranbourne 1938 2021 190972
First parliamentary sitting broadcast: Announcement of Victory in Europe Ben Chifley and Robert Menzies 1945, May 8 2021 81384
"He's My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy" Little Pattie and The Statesmen 1963 2021 315308
"Heading in the Right Direction" The Renée Geyer Band 1975 2021 259069
Gaywaves Gaywaves Collective, 2SER 1979–2005 2021
The Man from Snowy River soundtrack Bruce Rowland 1982 2021 286452
"Wide Open Road" The Triffids 1986 2021 420900
Apology to The Stolen Generations Kevin Rudd 2008, Feb. 13 2021 759728
"Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye, featuring Kimbra 2011 2021 1064570
Farewell address to Australia Hallam Lord Tennyson 1904, Jan. 20 2022
"Digger" Jack Lumsdaine 1942 2022 190905
Horrie Dargie Concert The Horrie Dargie Harlequintet 1952 2022 281525
"The Drover’s Dream"[D] Alan Scott and The Bushwhackers 1955 2022 301526
Decimal currency jingle Ted Roberts 1965 2022 205358
"The Lord’s Prayer" Sister Janet Mead 1973 2022 335577
"Stayin' Alive" Bee Gees 1977 2022 322493
Neighbours theme song Barry Crocker 1987 2022 301375
Bicentenary protest coverage Radio Redfern 1988, Jan. 26 2022
Misogyny speech Julia Gillard 2012, Oct. 9 2022
"Anvil Chorus" P.C. Spouse 1927 2023 190551
Sweet Nell of Old Drury Nellie Stewart and others 1931 2023 307950
Death of a Wombat Ivan Smith, author; George S. English, composer; Alastair Duncan, narrator; Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicolai Malko 1961 2023 366622
"I Only Came to Say Goodbye" Wilma Reading 1961 2023 315918
"The Loved One" The Loved Ones 1966 2023 798901
"Howzat" Sherbet 1976 2023 314105
"Menstruation Blues" Robyn Archer 1977 2023 139169
Harry Williams and the Country Outcasts Harry and Wilga Williams and the Country Outcasts 1979 2023 235611
"Slip! Slop! Slap!" jingle Peter Best and Phillip Adams; Cancer Council Victoria 1981 2023
"I Am Australian" Judith Durham, Russell Hitchcock, and Mandawuy Yunupingu 1997 2023 321473
Concerto of the Greater Sea Joseph Tawadros; Australian Chamber Orchestra 2012 2023 1053312 
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 former prime minister Julia Gillard's Misogyny Speech,[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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c "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. ^ "Sounds of Australia 2022". NFSA. National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  18. ^ Collection - National Registry of Recorded Sound at ASO - Australia's audio and visual heritage online