The Song of Australia
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"The Song of Australia" was composed as the result of 1859 competition to create a "patriotic song", sponsored by the Gawler Institute in Adelaide. The winning lyrics were written by an English-born poet, Caroline Carleton, and the music chosen by the judges was composed by the German-born Carl Linger (1810–1862),<ref>The original manuscript of Carl Linger's music for "Song of Australia" is held by State Records of South Australia, GRG 58/62/2</ref> a prominent member of the Australian Forty-Eighters.
It was one of the options in the 1977 plebiscite to choose a new Australian National Anthem, in which it was preferred by South Australians, but lost in the other states to "Advance Australia Fair".
Contest
On 1 October 1859, the South Australian Register announced:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A few weeks later, the judges announced the winner, and the second stage of the competition:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The winner was announced in early November:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Lyrics
This is the poem as published in The South Australian Register on 21 October 1859:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Criticism
Publication of Caroline Carleton's poem caused immediate controversy, generally along the lines that it was nice poetry, but "too tame".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> One person regretted that nothing more inspiring than the colour of the sky and the prettiness of the scenery could be found for the poem. Another wondered "how hidden wealth could gleam in the darkness".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Someone else complained that the poem could equally refer to, say, California,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while another commentator longed for a time when such a peaceful song accorded with international politics, and regretted that the contest was restricted to South Australians, that the prize was so paltry, and there was no mention of sheep.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Advertiser of 24 October, gave a spirited defence of the judges, and of Mrs. Carleton's poem, culminating in several parodies purporting to be the "real Song of Australia".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Performances and public reaction
One of its first public performances was by the Adelaide Liedertafel, conducted by Herr Linger, for a South Australian Institute soirée at White's Rooms, King William Street, Adelaide, on 14 December 1859.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The song, played by orchestra and chorus under Professor Joshua Ives, was a feature of the opening ceremony of the Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition in 1887.
"Song of Australia" was a particular favourite of the Australian baritone Peter Dawson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> who called it "the finest national anthem ever written".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His notable performances included:
- Recital in London as a duet with Richard Nitschke in 1905.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Duet with Clara Serena at Wembley on (the then) Australia Day 24 July 1924.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- A gramophone recording His Master's Voice EA1003 of Dawson and vocal quartet singing "Song of Australia" was released in 1932.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Proposed national anthem
In 1924, George Edwin Yates, the federal member for Adelaide, proposed in parliament that the song be adopted as the national anthem. He proceeded to sing the first verse, despite the objections of his fellow members.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The song was one of four included in a national plebiscite to choose Australia's national song in 1977. Nationwide it was the least popular of the four choices, but it had the distinction of being the most popular choice in South Australia.<ref name="1977SongPoll">Template:Cite web</ref> This result can be attributed to the fact of "Advance Australia Fair" being exposed to schoolchildren in the more populous States, where "The Song of Australia" was sung in schools only in South Australia and, to a lesser extent, in Western Australia and Tasmania.
The four songs in the plebiscite were "Waltzing Matilda"; the then anthem, "God Save the Queen"; the now current anthem, "Advance Australia Fair"; and "Song of Australia".
In popular culture
"Song of Australia" is featured in the TV series ANZAC Girls, episode 4, "Love", in which the Peter Dawson recording is played on a wind-up gramophone in several scenes, and sung in snatches by "Pat Dooley" (Brandon McClelland) while digging a latrine pit.
See also
- "My Bougainville", the anthem of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, is sung to the tune of "The Song of Australia"Template:Citation needed