First 10 Australian Songs Enter National Songbook
Australia’s National Songbook has inducted its first 10 songs, including Yothu Yindi’s “Treaty,” Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning” and Helen Reddy’s “I Am…
Australia’s first 10 Australian songs have been inducted into the National Songbook, a digital archive launched Wednesday night in Canberra to preserve music tied to the country’s cultural identity. The collection includes songs by Yothu Yindi, Midnight Oil and Helen Reddy, and is intended to grow every year.
The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) and music rights organisation Apra Amcos launched the joint project at the NFSA. Its first selections range from a song written in 1895 to a track released in 2008, bringing protest, personal storytelling and popular music into one national collection.
The archive puts songs with different histories alongside one another. That gives listeners a way to encounter music linked to Australia’s identity, including work addressing protest and the treatment of asylum seekers.
Which songs made the first 10?
The first group includes “Treaty” by Yothu Yindi, “Beds Are Burning” by Midnight Oil and “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy. Other selections named in the announcement include “Waltzing Matilda,” “My People,” “Friday on My Mind” and Ruby Hunter’s “Down City Streets.”
A panel of 11 music experts chose the songs. Broadcasters Richard Kingsmill and Zan Rowe, composer Cornel Wilczek and musician Mo’Ju were among its members.
Meagan Loader, NFSA chief curator, said NFSA chair Annette Shun Wah and Apra chair Jenny Morris helped facilitate what she described as a “very robust conversation.” Loader was not on the selection panel.
“There’s no such thing as a definitive list when it comes to music – you can never capture everyone’s taste – but I hope people see at least one song on there and see themselves reflected in the list,” Loader said. She added that some songs make listeners feel they express something about the nation.
How do the songs reflect Australia’s history?
“Waltzing Matilda,” the oldest song in the selection, was written by bush poet Andrew “Banjo” Paterson in 1895 and later composed by Christina Macpherson. The panel described its 1927 recording as one of Australia’s enduring cultural touchstones.
Yothu Yindi’s “Treaty” was recognised as a landmark protest anthem. Written in 1990 around a campfire, the song has accompanied gatherings ranging from protests to dancefloors. Its credited writers are Dr M Yunupingu, Stuart Kellaway, Witiyana Marika, M Mununggurr, Cal Williams, G Yunupingu, Peter Garrett and Paul Kelly.
Kelly said he was proud to be part of the song and connected its creation to the continuing work of treaty-making. He recalled writing with M Yunupingu at Birany Birany in East Arnhem Land before the track moved through rehearsals and recording studios.
Filthy Lucre, the Melbourne electronic production duo, also had a major influence on the track, Kelly said. They reworked it, removing many elements, including most of the English vocals, and reshaped it for dancefloors beyond Australia.
The selection also recognizes music that carries personal histories. Ruby Hunter’s “Down City Streets,” first recorded for Archie Roach’s album “Charcoal Lane,” addresses displacement as a member of the Stolen Generations. The panel also praised “I Am Woman” for its personal storytelling and lasting resonance.
The most recent song named among the selections is the Presets’ “My People,” from 2008. Written by Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes, the electronic track protests Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers. The panel said its political message may be less immediately apparent to listeners now, while its force remains.
The Easybeats’ “Friday on My Mind,” written by founding members Harry Vanda and George Young, was included for capturing the restless energy of a generation seeking romance and escape. The National Songbook’s first selection spans 113 years, from “Waltzing Matilda” in 1895 to “My People” in 2008.
