Along the Road to Gundagai
Encyclopedia
"Along the Road to Gundagai" is an Australian folk
song written by Jack O'Hagan
in 1922 and was first recorded by Peter Dawson in 1924, O'Hagan performed his own version later that year. It is well-known among Australians, and one of a small number of pieces which are considered to be Australian folk tunes. Gundagai
is a rural town of New South Wales
. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Along the Road to Gundagai" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
of all time. It was used as the theme to the Dad and Dave radio show.
In 2007, Peter Dawson's 1931 recording of the song was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry..
(1898–1987) was an Australian musician from Fitzroy, Victoria
who was working at Allans Music
in Melbourne where he played sheet music
for potential customers. O'Hagan started writing his own songs in 1916 with "Along the Road to Gundagai" appearing in 1922 on Allans Music which was written for voice and piano, with ukulele chords. It was first recorded by Peter Dawson in 1924 in London before selling some 40,000 to 50,000 copies in its first three months. O'Hagan performed the song later that same year. Since that time it has been performed by numerous Australian artists and used in various contexts. It was used as the theme to the Dad and Dave radio show.
It is well-known among Australians, and one of a small number of pieces which could be considered an Australian folk tune. The town of Gundagai
is in a rural area of New South Wales
. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Along the Road to Gundagai" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
of all time.
Despite writing about the town, O'Hagan first visited Gundagai in 1956 when he was guest of honour at its centenary celebrations.
and motif
:
Australian folk music
Australian folk music is a term which may be applied, relatively narrowly, to traditional folk music of Australia, also called "bush music" or more broadly to traditional music from the large variety of immigrant cultures and those of the original Australian inhabitants.Celtic, English, German and...
song written by Jack O'Hagan
Jack O'Hagan
John Francis O'Hagan was an Australian musician.O'Hagan was born in Fitzroy, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne. He was the son of Pat O'Hagan, a hotelkeeper and Alice née Quinlan. He went to school at St Patrick's College and then later at Xavier College in Melbourne...
in 1922 and was first recorded by Peter Dawson in 1924, O'Hagan performed his own version later that year. It is well-known among Australians, and one of a small number of pieces which are considered to be Australian folk tunes. Gundagai
Gundagai, New South Wales
Gundagai is a town in New South Wales, Australia. Although a small town, Gundagai is a popular topic for writers and has become a representative icon of a typical Australian country town...
is a rural town of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Along the Road to Gundagai" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
APRA Top 30 Australian songs
APRA's Top 30 Australian songs between 1926 and 2001 was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary...
of all time. It was used as the theme to the Dad and Dave radio show.
In 2007, Peter Dawson's 1931 recording of the song was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry..
History
Jack O'HaganJack O'Hagan
John Francis O'Hagan was an Australian musician.O'Hagan was born in Fitzroy, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne. He was the son of Pat O'Hagan, a hotelkeeper and Alice née Quinlan. He went to school at St Patrick's College and then later at Xavier College in Melbourne...
(1898–1987) was an Australian musician from Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
who was working at Allans Music
Allans Music
Allans Music is a chain of music stores in Australia. It sells all categories of musical instruments, instrument accessories and sheet music.-History:...
in Melbourne where he played sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
for potential customers. O'Hagan started writing his own songs in 1916 with "Along the Road to Gundagai" appearing in 1922 on Allans Music which was written for voice and piano, with ukulele chords. It was first recorded by Peter Dawson in 1924 in London before selling some 40,000 to 50,000 copies in its first three months. O'Hagan performed the song later that same year. Since that time it has been performed by numerous Australian artists and used in various contexts. It was used as the theme to the Dad and Dave radio show.
It is well-known among Australians, and one of a small number of pieces which could be considered an Australian folk tune. The town of Gundagai
Gundagai, New South Wales
Gundagai is a town in New South Wales, Australia. Although a small town, Gundagai is a popular topic for writers and has become a representative icon of a typical Australian country town...
is in a rural area of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Along the Road to Gundagai" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
APRA Top 30 Australian songs
APRA's Top 30 Australian songs between 1926 and 2001 was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary...
of all time.
Despite writing about the town, O'Hagan first visited Gundagai in 1956 when he was guest of honour at its centenary celebrations.
Lyrics and music
The first line of the chorus is instantly recognisable, due to its use of rhymeRhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
and motif
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
:
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- There's a track winding back
- to an old-fashioned shack,
- Along the road to Gundagai.
-
- Where the gum trees are growin
- and the Murrumbidgee'sMurrumbidgee RiverThe Murrumbidgee River is a major river in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory . A major tributary of the Murray River, the Murrumbidgee flows in a west-northwesterly direction from the foot of Peppercorn Hill in the Fiery Range of the Snowy Mountains,...
flowin - beneath the starry sky.
-
- Oh my mother and daddy are waitin' for me
- And the pals of my childhood once more I will see
- And no more will I roam 'cos I'm headin' right for home
- Along the road to Gundagai.
External links
- Listen to an excerpt of 'Along the Road to Gundagai' sung by Peter Dawson on australianscreen online.