Australia Like Mark’s family - and Ray’s sister and brother-in-law Arthur - my family emigrated to Australia probably as 10 pound poms. That was the nickname given to migrants in Australia’s Assisted Passage scheme. I’m of course very glad they made the move - it opened up education and employment opportunities that a son of a truck driver in Yorkshire would never have had. Whenever I hear the lyrics to this song I hear the messages that British people were given about living in Australia - sunny, happy, sea, no class system etc. it could almost be a promotional brochure from the Australian High Commission (embassy) in London. Or from relatives that had already migrated and were using to lure others. And all the supposed pluses of living in Australia listed in the song indeed sound like the reverse of things that people had to put up with - or maybe even enjoyed- in Britain.
"Australia" I've never had a problem with the long instrumental section (compared with Morrissey's Southpaw Grammar, which I love, this is a walk in the park!) - given that the album would easily be regulation length without it, it could hardly have been intended as filler. I think it's just a nice way to stretch out and wind down after a side that has taken us through some intense highs and lows. And of course, the song itself is fabulous - bursting with ideas and lovely melodies, and with Ray and Dave alternating lead vocals. Again, all the performances are top notch. A little bit of wordplay from Ray with "no-one hesitates at life or beats around the bush". Having done a rough check, I think there is only one Kinks studio track longer than this one?
Australia is the weirdest song on Arthur, by some margin. Some of the verses almost sounds like the Who Sell Out radio interludes. It’s a touristic/immigration spot for Australia, then it switches to a kind of background music for a TV commercial. The “Nobody has to be / any better than what they want to be” semi sped-up line is particularly funny and inspired. True, the heavy psych jam runs a bit long. But I still think it’s rather brilliant, both instrumentally (especially Dave’s soloing) and as a musical counterpoint to what the lyrics say. They sold you “sunny Australia”, but what you’ll get is a chaotic assault of the senses…. Hidden in this fascinating conceptual piece, lies what's maybe my own favorite part of the whole album. The “We surf like they do in the USA” break, with more than just a nod to the Beach Boys oo-oo-ooo harmonies, is a splendor. Especially its second occurence, with the gorgeous mute half second, the slower pace and the solo piano backing. It’s like a song within the song, an oasis of harmonic and melodic beauty. It starts low and slow, and it becomes this spine tingling 35 seconds pop miniature. A worthy candidate for the most arresting 35 seconds in the Kinks career.
I wasn't a fan of the jam but I've been re-listening to it after reading Mark's comments and I see what you mean. It's effectively an interlude between the chirpy, upbeat lyrics of Australia and the deadly serious Shangri-La. In the album context it really works. I'm guessing Celluloid Heroes would be a longer song - especially the live version.
Australia: I take it as the solution to the raging frustrations expressed in Brainwashed. He might be content with his Sunday drives (Drivin’) and getting down on his knees laying carpet but...we don’t need to accept that mundane life. Leave that behind and go where there’s opportunity. Australia is the promised land. Initially, I wasn’t that taken with this song, seeing it as Holiday in Waikiki redux (kinda). But after further listens I began to really enjoy it, complete with ending instrumental. In fact, I didn’t even realize it was particularly long until it kept on being brought up! So I listened again and began to time the instrumental. If I were to nitpick, I guess two minutes worth really kept my attention. But the whole thing is interesting. And it remains on my playlist.
The studio "Celluloid Heroes" is only 6.19, compared to 6.46 for "Australia". The only longer track I can find is "Education", at 7.07 (and that's without the reprise at the end of the album). I had it in my head that "Catch Me Now I'm Falling" was over 7 minutes, but it's only 5:58.
I somewhat wonder if it is merely a Kinks thing. They never did anything remotely like this prior, and I kind of feel if this was on a Grateful Dead album or something like that, that folks would be praising its freeform laidback styling. Probably the closest thing to this would be Milk Cow Blues? Maybe.... but the song is so diverse prior to the jam, that the jam's want to sit in a certain zone stands out all the more.... I don't know, I like it, but like most of the album, it took a little time to grow on me. As I think someone said earlier, this album rewards repeat listens, and I think that is because there is just so much going on, musically and lyrically, that it takes time to digest, and Australia is like an intentional lull, to take stock and chill for a minute, before the onslaught of side two, or the second half
Australia Love, love, love this song. Along with the next track, I think these two tracks are the centerpiece of the album. Ending side 1 and starting side 2 with just epic songs. Regarding "Australia", yes, there is some sarcasm for sure in those verses as the idea of moving to Australia is being sold. But hey, when you sell, you tend to oversell or spin certain facts to make the sale, right? That's what's going here, and it's brilliant. I love the trading vocals between Ray and Dave. John's bit of circular bass riff in the verses is great. Ray's "Austra-li-aaaa!" is sung as if the boat is just leaving a dock in England and ready for the long journey. I really enjoy the tempo changes and the slower "Australia (sha la la la)" section. I absolutely love the "we surf like they do in the USA" section, as described here: Being a huge fan of the Beach Boys, I always smile when I hear homages to that group, whether it be this one, the "Ukraine girls" section of Back in the USSR (which the Boys had part of their live set), or more "modern" songs obviously influenced by that sound (Rooney - Blueside). Anyway, that section and the 2nd slower version are both incredible, and I just love the tongue-in-cheek humor of the "on sunny Christmas day" because, hey we can do that in the southern hemisphere! Regarding the extended jam, I love it precisely because it's something you don't expect out of the Kinks (and they actually do this twice on the album, in my opinion). It's such a special interlude. It builds, it fades, there's Dave's guitar solo, that wobble, that sax solo, the heavy piano around 5:20, those horn hits. Those horn hits are so infectious, that is like another just key melody of the song and I love when the horns almost hint at it, and then that entire horn hit comes in (at 5:55). One time, I did play this section for my dad and asked him to guess who this was, and he was floored when I said it was the Kinks. To me, it makes me think of the Rolling Stones and "Can't You Hear Me Knocking". Probably just because of the guitar and sax and just the openness of the whole jam. In the context of the song/album, I also see this jam as representing the journey from England to Australia, or at least what journey would be like. Ray's saying at 4:50 "Chance of a lifetime..." and then at 5:08 "Australia.... you get what you work for...." and then at 5:28 there's another "Australia" far away in the mix... then at 6:10 there's "Australia....no class distinction... no drug addiction....." Onward to side 2...
I had never noticed that Ray and Dave were trading off vocals. I'm going to have to listen again. Cheers guys
I should have picked that, but I think it comes down to what I said early in the thread. The idea of Dave singing is/was pretty new to me, and I missed it.
Another great summary by Head Avid or shall I say Headmaster Avid Winstanley on "Australia", in which he puts geography into the mix to great effect. As for the song itself, the beginning is full of snappy patter about the joys of coming & living in Australia, as only a great salesman like Ray Davies can. I was thinking that if a Ray Davies popped up these days, he would probably earn his living doing ad jingles, which would be sad. Anyway, as the other Avids have noticed, a great homage to the Beach Boys is included. As for the reminder of the song, I initially thought that it was overlong, but was 15 at the time. Nowadays, I kinda understand the purpose, but it still seems a bit unKinkish to me. A good ending to Side 1. Finally, a question to the Avid Aussie contingent: It seems like Alice Springs is the only city in the middle of the country. Is it a major city? What are its local industries?
Alice Springs has a population of about 25,ooo people. Essentially I think it works mainly as a tourist spot for people wanting to explore the red centre. Particularly Ayres Rock/Uluru.
"Australia, here we come!" It's a great song. The 'jam' at the end makes it for me, unique and unexpected. I wonder how much of a jam it is though? It's out of character for Ray to be undisciplined in this fashion, or allow the band to do what it wants. I know Ray gave the guys some latitude on Village Green, but that was such an exception that it's often commented on by the band. Arthur, on the other hand, is a very prescriptive record by necessity, as it was supposed to accompany the TV show. No Dave songs included etc. The likes of the horns don't sound like they're jamming. Unless it's one horn double tracked, it sounds like there's more than one playing in unison near the start of the instrumental section; wouldn't that mean the horns were scored? Anyway, it's a great closer for side 1. It shows off the band's playing, and again, another shout out to Mick for some fine drumming!
I am quite proud that I now, seemingly effortlessly, read/refer to the name ‘Davies’ as ‘Davis’ (rather than Daveez). I look forward to being able to correct someone in a real life conversation.
The instrumental probably plays over the scene of things being packed, a farewell at the pub, the For Sale stake being pounded into the earth (or a For Let sign being placed in a flat window), and a jaunty no-look-back walk to the cab (that’ll take him to the airport*) while left-behind neighbors look out the window. *if this was even five years earlier, it would be a cab to the docks.
Thanks for answering my initial question re: Alice Springs, Mark. Looking at this density map, most of the population are along the coast, but there are large areas along the coasts that have less than 0.1 people per sq km. Why is that?
Australia This is my impression exactly. A sort of travelogue set to music. Moreover, really a travel brochure set to music. If we're going to have a story in which our protagonist emigrates to the opposite side of the globe, we need a little of the why behind the move and this musical bit of salesmanship tells the story nicely. As much as this is a necessary element of the story, it works well also because the music is brilliant. All that surf guitar in the extended jam is spot on... and I love the horn section! Hey, look people, all you gotta' do is get down under and then your life will be one big ol' beach party! Who needs to go on holiday when your whole life is a holiday? Yeah, that's the ticket.
Some of that coastline is not really beach like. Most of the population is on the coast, yes, but the distinction is they're beaches. Also in the northern half, the temperatures, joined with the humidity of starting to move into tropical type regions, makes it quite forbidding for long periods of time. Inland and northern Australia can have temperatures in excess of 115f or 45c, remembering that temperatures are taken in the shade. I remember a summer in Perth, which is obviously a long way south, not getting below 100f, day or night for .... I think a month, but I'll say that could possibly be poor memory, and it may be a week, but I seem to remember it being a month. People used to sleep at the beach lol I didn't even have air conditioning til I was about forty lol I've gotten soft in my old age
With the song, I also missed mentioning the fantastic melody key modulations in the vocal section. The more I listen to it, the better it is.
Agreed. I also find the placement of the background vocals to be important, even during the jam. There's a lot going on here. This has been a fascinating thread. I always loved the Kinks, but as much as I loved them, I never really gave them credit for the many intricacies tucked away in their music the same way I would with, say, a progressive rock band. Hard to believe, but even as a top 10 group for me, I have to say I've been selling them short!
"Australia" is a really unique track amongst The Kinks' massive catalog. It's not really a song I go out of my way to listen to due to the jam, but, as others have said, in the album context, it makes more sense and I sort of get lost in it and forget I'm listening to it. It's so unique in their discography...the jam almost verging on free jazz, like a Doors jam. Not something The Kinks were known for at all. There was a review I read once that said the jam was too boring because the band were not musically proficient or gifted enough to make it interesting. I don't know how anybody could say that. I've been listening to The Kinks since I was a kid and I, as a guitarist of 20 years, appreciate their musicianship now more than ever. I actually wonder how much of this narrative that The Kinks couldn't play comes from the band themselves--particularly Ray's repeated comments about how they were never professional, etc. Back to "Australia"... The lyrics are hilarious. As others have said, it sounds like a tourism advertisement. There's a Ray quote (maybe from that 1970 Rolling Stone interview I've linked a couple of times) where he says that he and Dave were cracking up at some of the lines like "no class distinction/no drug addiction." Maybe a lot of reviewers don't quite "get" it? Somebody said yesterday that "Brainwashed" reminded them of a show tune/musical number. I think that influence is really strong on this track. But somehow they combined a show tune with psychedelia (it's probably their last foray into psychedelia...not that they were ever heavily into psych--I can only name about 10 Kinks songs I would say could be classified as psychedelic). The backing vocals in parts remind me of The Beach Boys. Another interesting note...this song marks the first song in a trend of Ray and Dave switching of lead vocals on songs (besides "Milk Cow Blues" and the end of "I'm Not Like Everybody Else"). It happens a couple of times on this album, once or twice on Lola Vs. Powerman, and very frequently live from 1969 beyond. Sort of like a Daltrey/Townshend thing. Also, is there a wobble board on this track? Is a wobble board even a thing? I've never been able to find a photo of one. If it is a thing, who played it? Mick? Speaking of Mick: fantastic drumming on this track. Why doesn't this guy get more credit as one of the best British drummers of his generation? Usually we just hear about how session drummers played on The Kinks' early tracks because Mick's drumming wasn't up to par and not about what an amazing drummer he became by the end of the 60s.
I don't think this is an original idea, but when listening to the Australia jam, I imagine Arthur is sleeping on a hammock somewhere below decks on the ship; his sleep is uneasy, he's both excited and nervous about what will happen once this long boat journey ends and he steps ashore to begin his new life in a new land. As he tosses and turns, and the ship heaves and sways, fragments of ideas and images appear to him in his dream, bits and pieces from previous thoughts and conversations about his upcoming journey ( ... chance of a lifetime ... no class distinction ... Austrailia ...); and finally as the jam ends he becomes aware that the motion of the boat has stopped, and he opens his eyes.
