I was only five years old when this track came out and for me Hunters & Collectors make up part of my childhood sound track.
I loved how my parents used to play music late at night, and I could listen to their music slowly making it's way up the dark long corridor. I knew I was in for some sweet Hunters & Collectors as soon as that big chunky bass line starts up.
Mark Seymour has to be one of Australia's all-time greatest musicians, and I am so glad that my parents got me onto him at a younger age. Even if it did take me a few years to come around and admit my parents liked good music.
Today's tune is brought to you by Alex K Roots, who's been studying a bit of Aboriginal culture at uni, which in turn has inspired this song of the day.
I've heard Kev Carmody described as Australia's answer to Bob Dylan, and most certainly there are similarities in the structure and feel to his songs; but Carmody has something that Dylan never had and that is a cause - there is no confusion about the message in this song; it's 1989 and only a year after White Australia celebrated the bicentenary of European arrival on Australian shores, Aboriginal people are fighting for recognition of their place in Australia's history. The Mabo decision is but 3 years away, and in Australia 'times are a changing', Land Rights are becoming a topic of great debate and through music Indigenous Australians are finding a strong voice.
In this song Carmody addresses the hypocrisy of the so called 'civilising process', invoking the Christian commandment 'thou shalt not steel' to simultaneously attack the Church for it's role in the institutionalisation of Aboriginal children, as well as to draw attention to the dispossession of Aboriginal lands under the British Empire's so called Terra Nullius doctrine.
Thou Shalt Not Steal is delivered through a folk medium with an apparent air of the injustice and suffering found in much of the early 20th century downtrodden Mississippi blues. There is no self pity in Carmody's tone however, and the accompanying video powerfully re-enforces his message managing to capture the timeless essence of Rock and Roll by delivering a great big F**k You to the establishment....
Today's song brought to you by the letters A, D, C, and delightful Monica Lee!
Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog Woody!
Todays' song is an all time favourite of mine and barely needs an introduction. No matter where I am, every time I hear that guitar intro it sends chills down my spine and the sudden urge to jump up and start dancing takes over!
The song was originally released in 1980 (4 years prior to my birth) on the Back in Black Album. A signature hit of AC/DC it was re released in 1986. Shook Me All Night Long became a pub anthem, not only in Australia but around the world.
Still rocking the charts, in 2010 the song was ranked # 5 on Melbourne's Triple M Radio station's Ultimate Rock Countdown.
Now living in California, I don't get to hear as much Aussie music as I would like, however this song (and many other AC/DC songs) get plenty of love over here in the USA. Every time it plays, I suddenly become the loudest one in the bar/pub singing word for word, what I consider to be one of the best songs of all time!
