"This is Australia" redirects here. For the 2022 song and music video, see Marrugeku.
"Sounds of Then (This Is Australia)" is a 1985 song by Australian rock band, Gang Gajang, from their self-titled debut album, Gang Gajang. "Sounds of Then" was written by front man, Mark "Cal" Callaghan, who provides lead vocals and guitar.[1] He co-produced the album with fellow band member, Graham Bidstrup, and Joe Wissert (Earth, Wind & Fire, Helen Reddy, the J. Geils Band) at Rhinoceros Studios.
It was issued as a single in November 1985 and peaked at No. 35 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart in February 1986.[2] "Sounds of Then" became the band's most popular and recognisable song, and was used as Nine Network's station ID promotion in 1996.[3] The B-Side, "House of Cards", had been recorded live for youth radio station, 2JJJ.
It has been described as, "a defining portrait of the nation."[4]
Callaghan recalled that it started as a poem in his notebook, reflecting on the time that his family moved from England to Bundaberg in Queensland, a major culture shock for him:
"We lived half way between Bundaberg and the ocean, all around was bush scrub and cane fields. And walking up to the top of the street to catch the school bus, one morning you turn around and there's fire. It's one of those songs where if your goal was only to sell records, whatever it took to do it, then the song would have been called 'This is Australia'. But it's not about that. It's a brick veneer drama. My parents got divorced when they came to Australia, it was a horrible period of my life. And the song is actually about how smells and sounds and sensations can rekindle a memory – which is what music does so successfully for people: 'I think I hear the sounds of then and people talking / Scenes recalled by minute movement / And songs they fall from the backing tape…'."[5]
Track listingedit
1985 singleedit
All songs written by Mark Callaghan unless otherwise indicated.[1]
"Sounds of Then" – 3:57
"House of Cards" (live version)
1996 re-releaseedit
"Sounds of Then" aka "This Is Australia" – 3:57
"Giver of Life" (Geoffrey Stapleton, Chris Bailey, Callaghan, Graham Bidstrup, K Bidstrup aka Kay Bee)[1]– 3:39
An instrumental version sub-titled variously as: "Sounds of Then" (Instrumental) or (Surf mix) or (Mad Wax mix) had been used in the Quiksilver-sponsored cult surf film, Mad Wax (1984), for which Bidstrup was the musical director.[8] The instrumental was later released as the B-side of their 1986 single, "Initiation". It was also added to the 1996 re-release of the main single (listed below) with an additional B-Side "Giver of Life".
^ abc"'Sounds of Then' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 27 April 2018. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
^Jules LeFevre. "The 200 Greatest Australian Songs Of All Time, Part Two". Junkee.
^Kruger, Debbie (March 2002). "They Wrote the Songs Part 1". APRAP. Australasian Performing Right Association. Retrieved 27 April 2018 – via Debbie Kruger.
^"North Shore – film credits" July 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
^"Internet Movie database – North Shore soundtrack"
^"Administrator – Graham 'Buzz' Bidstrup". Jimmy Little Foundation. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
^"Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
External linksedit
GANGgajang discography
December 01, 2023
sounds, then, this, australia, redirects, here, 2022, song, music, video, marrugeku, this, australia, 1985, song, australian, rock, band, gang, gajang, from, their, self, titled, debut, album, gang, gajang, written, front, mark, callaghan, provides, lead, voca. This is Australia redirects here For the 2022 song and music video see Marrugeku Sounds of Then This Is Australia is a 1985 song by Australian rock band Gang Gajang from their self titled debut album Gang Gajang Sounds of Then was written by front man Mark Cal Callaghan who provides lead vocals and guitar 1 He co produced the album with fellow band member Graham Bidstrup and Joe Wissert Earth Wind amp Fire Helen Reddy the J Geils Band at Rhinoceros Studios Sounds of Then Single by Gang Gajangfrom the album Gang GajangB side House of Cards ReleasedNovember 1985 1985 11 Recorded1984 85StudioRhinocerosGenreRockLength3 57LabelTrue Tone Polygram ShockSongwriter s Mark CallaghanProducer s Joe Wissert Graham Bidstrup Mark CallaghanGang Gajang singles chronology Dream at Night 1985 Sounds of Then 1985 The Bigger They Are 1986 It was issued as a single in November 1985 and peaked at No 35 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart in February 1986 2 Sounds of Then became the band s most popular and recognisable song and was used as Nine Network s station ID promotion in 1996 3 The B Side House of Cards had been recorded live for youth radio station 2JJJ It has been described as a defining portrait of the nation 4 Contents 1 Composition 2 Track listing 2 1 1985 single 2 2 1996 re release 3 In popular culture 4 Charts 5 References 6 External linksComposition editCallaghan recalled that it started as a poem in his notebook reflecting on the time that his family moved from England to Bundaberg in Queensland a major culture shock for him We lived half way between Bundaberg and the ocean all around was bush scrub and cane fields And walking up to the top of the street to catch the school bus one morning you turn around and there s fire It s one of those songs where if your goal was only to sell records whatever it took to do it then the song would have been called This is Australia But it s not about that It s a brick veneer drama My parents got divorced when they came to Australia it was a horrible period of my life And the song is actually about how smells and sounds and sensations can rekindle a memory which is what music does so successfully for people I think I hear the sounds of then and people talking Scenes recalled by minute movement And songs they fall from the backing tape 5 Track listing edit1985 single edit All songs written by Mark Callaghan unless otherwise indicated 1 Sounds of Then 3 57 House of Cards live version 1996 re release edit Sounds of Then aka This Is Australia 3 57 Giver of Life Geoffrey Stapleton Chris Bailey Callaghan Graham Bidstrup K Bidstrup aka Kay Bee 1 3 39 Sounds of Then Surf mix 3 23In popular culture editThe song was used in a Coca Cola ad and in the 1987 feature film North Shore 6 7 In the 2015 TV documentary drama Australia The Story of Us a snippet from the chorus is frequently played An instrumental version sub titled variously as Sounds of Then Instrumental or Surf mix or Mad Wax mix had been used in the Quiksilver sponsored cult surf film Mad Wax 1984 for which Bidstrup was the musical director 8 The instrumental was later released as the B side of their 1986 single Initiation It was also added to the 1996 re release of the main single listed below with an additional B Side Giver of Life In 2016 the song was one of ten new tracks added to the National Film and Sound Archive s Sounds of Australia collection 3 In January 2018 as part of Triple M s Ozzest 100 the most Australian songs of all time Sounds of Then was ranked number 7 9 Adam Brand and the Outlaws covered the song on the 2016 album Adam Brand and the Outlaws Sarah Blasko covered the song in 2021 in a release as a single Her rendition did not chart but gained national exposure in Australia by being used in a television advertisement for Colorbond steel Charts editChart 1986 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 2 35References edit a b c Sounds of Then at APRA search engine Australasian Performing Right Association APRA Retrieved 27 April 2018 Note For additional work user may have to select Search again and then Enter a title amp or Performer a b Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book p 121 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Note The Kent Report chart was licensed by Australian Recording Industry Association ARIA from mid 1983 until 19 June 1988 a b Sounds of Australia 2016 National Film and Sound Archive 12 June 2017 Retrieved 27 April 2018 Jules LeFevre The 200 Greatest Australian Songs Of All Time Part Two Junkee Kruger Debbie March 2002 They Wrote the Songs Part 1 APRAP Australasian Performing Right Association Retrieved 27 April 2018 via Debbie Kruger North Shore film credits Archived July 16 2007 at the Wayback Machine Internet Movie database North Shore soundtrack Administrator Graham Buzz Bidstrup Jimmy Little Foundation Archived from the original on 4 April 2012 Retrieved 27 April 2018 Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M s Ozzest 100 Musicfeeds 27 January 2018 Retrieved 4 January 2020 External links editGANGgajang discography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sounds of Then amp oldid 1166345639, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
