Are there any "Australianisms" in lyrics that we can explain to you non-Australians?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by qwerty, Sep 12, 2018.

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  1. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums. Thread Starter

    I feel I have a national obligation to start this thread, following the three threads for other regions:

    I'm not taking responsibility to answer all questions, my fellow country men and women can help!

    I will start with what is often considered to be the national food of Australia: Vegemite.
    As popularised by Men at Work in their hit "Downunder", it is indeed a popular sandwich filling. Black, thick, with the primary ingredient being salt. It was developed by Cyril Percy Callister in Melbourne, Victoria in 1922, as a way of disposing of excess used yeast being dumped by breweries. Most foreigners don't like it because they put it on bread/toast too thickly. It's horrible like that. It should be smeared very, very thinly. I still think it's horrible, but it's less horrible when eaten in moderation.

    And please don't expect Austen Tayshus' "Australiana" to be explained in one post!
     
  2. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I'm sure there's a lot in Go-Betweens' songs.
     
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  3. Shrdlu

    Shrdlu Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    Ha ha! Chunder in the old Pacific Sea.
     
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  4. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums. Thread Starter

    "Chunder in the old Pacific Sea" is a Barry Humphries song, sung by the Barry McKenzie character. I can't recall if it's in the McKenzie movie/soundrack or not.

    The song is a celebration of excess beer drinking resulting in vomiting, which was known as "chundering". This part of our vernacular is disappearing. I would like to think we are moving towards a more responsible drinking culture, but binge drinking remains a problem for our youth.
     
  5. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    If you could translate some episodes of Prisoner aka Prisoner of Cell Block H I'd be much obliged. :laugh:
     
  6. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    what's a "sheila"?
     
  7. steviebee

    steviebee Always playing Ese and The Vooduu People

    Location:
    London, England
    I would like some Little Creatures or VB....or a crate or two of same.
    Thank you!
    :cheers:
     
  8. steviebee

    steviebee Always playing Ese and The Vooduu People

    Location:
    London, England
    Sheilas are wimmin...


    Sorry, not my thread! Butting out...
     
  9. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    what's a "wimmin"?

    :p
     
  10. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    When my twin daughters were about 6 years old we went out to eat at the Outback restaurant. They needed to use the restroom, excused themselves, and returned a minute later: "Daddy, am I a bloke or a sheila?":biglaugh:
     
  11. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums. Thread Starter

    Sheila's are women, Blokes are men.
    "wimmin" is another language's word for women.
    forthlin, pleased to hear you are giving your daughters a good cultural education.
     
  12. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums. Thread Starter

    Sorry, I would develop RSI explaining all of those, plus would need to watch the show!
     
  13. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums. Thread Starter

    And for anyone who doesn't understand this, "Little Creatures" is not the Talking Heads album, it is a beer from Freemantle, WA.
    VB is "Victorian Bitter", a leading Victorian beer. Probably has been mentioned in a Hunters and Collectors song, I'm sure they have sunk (aka consumed) a few in their day.
     
  14. daveidmarx

    daveidmarx Forem Residunt

    Location:
    Astoria, NY USA
    I'm not sure that a Bloomin' Onion qualifies as "cultural education"! :sigh:
     
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  15. redfloatboat

    redfloatboat Forum Resident

    Can't stand Vegemite, Marmite is less severe!
     
  16. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    ???
     
  17. :agree: Hoorah! :)
     
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  18. Linus

    Linus Senior Member

    Location:
    Melb. Australia
    ....and it’s fantastic for cleaning the spark plug in your Victa 2 stroke!
     
  19. StevenC

    StevenC SUEDE > Both Oasis AND Blur.

    Men at Work "Down Under"

    Travelin' in a fried out combie (What is a combie? is it the idea of caravan)

    I think we all have learned what vegemite is by now, so don't need that help.

    I love exercises like this... my favorite was sitting with people in San Francisco, one from Scotland broke down the lyrics to Brass In Pocket by the Pretenders.

    "Got brass in pocket, got bottle and I'm gonna use it."

    The Scottish friend, Jim, explained "Bottle is slang for confidence or swagger in Scotland. Chrissie Hynde and Pretenders would stay often in the UK. And when she sings "it's so reet." She is actually trying to say "It's so right" but in a Scottish accent..."

    That and getting familiar with what the Detroit Lean was made me enjoy the song even more.
     
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  20. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    You might start with explaining "Waltzing Matilda" and "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport".
     
  21. A Combo or Kombi is a Volkswagen Van.

    Popular with the hippie/Surfer culture back in the day.
     
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  22. L.P.

    L.P. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austria
    In german a Kombi is a station wagon/estate car.
     
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  23. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    What is a cobber?
     
  24. goodiesguy

    goodiesguy Confide In Me

    Location:
    New Zealand
    That Tommy Roe song still sounds weird to my Kiwi ears, as good as a song it is, because I knew the Australian expression long before I knew it was an actual name.
     
  25. goodiesguy

    goodiesguy Confide In Me

    Location:
    New Zealand
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