Every summer, Australia’s National Film and Sound Archive adds recordings to its Sounds of Australia collection. Songs, speeches, recordings, events that say something about our big brown land and what it’s like to get about on it.
The songs added this year are era-defining classics. From 1963, 14 year old Little Pattie’s He’s My Blonde Headed Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy, a joyful celebration of surf and sounds.
There’s The Triffids, and perhaps the most Australian song ever made, the hymn to love, loss and long drives that is Wide Open Road.
Somebody That I Used To Know, from the curious hybrid pop star Gotye also got a listing.
As did Renee Geyer, Australia’s reigning queen of soul and one of its down under pioneers, for her first top 40 hit, Heading In The Right Direction, from 1975.
