The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Let's broaden this out a bit from single bands - because I am always curious to see what does connect "across the pond".

Impossible question for me to answer - but a few possibilities would be:

Cattle and Cane - The Go-Betweeens
Wide Open Road - The Triffids
I'm Stranded - The Saints
To Her Door - Paul Kelly, or
Khe Sahn - Cold Chisel

A few years ago - the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) asked 100 critics to pick the best 30 Australian songs ever, and the got this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APRA_Top_ ... lian_songs

Pretty good list (and includes all of the songs I mentioned). The only anomalies are the presence of Savage Garden and Leonardo's Bride (who?!?!?) Only got there because they were hits when the list was made. No longevity. And 2 Midnight Oil songs is a bit weird. There were a fine band - but the only one who would deserve a double entry would be Paul Kelly - pretty much universally considered the best Australian songwriter ever. So pull out Savage Garden and Leonardo's Bride, and one Midnight Oil song - replace with say, "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS and 2 more Paul Kelly songs - that would be a pretty perfect list.

Anyway - how much of that list is known in the US? Do you just know INXS or Midnight Oil?

BTW: If anyone says that their favourite Australian song is by Air Supply - I will fly back over and punch them in the throat.

We do know Midnight Oil (2 hits, maybe) and INXS. We also know a few big hits from Men at Work. Savage Garden was known here, too, with like two hits. And of course, AC/DC is so popular they might as well be quintessentially American (Iron Man blasting "Thunderstruck" from the Avengers' ship, for example). Nick Cave is known but doesn't get any mainstream radio play. And everyone knows "I Touch Myself" by the Divinyls.

I didn't know Savage Garden, Nick Cave, the Divinyls, or INXS were Australian.

I don't wanna speak for all Americans, but I've never heard of any of the other bands on that list, including your beloved Paul Kelly. Guess I'll check it out.

It's hard to pick a favorite, I'll have to think about it.

Crowded House also had some prominent hits in the US in the 80s.

Men At Work - Down Under because I like summarizing an entire country in a single gimmicky song.

When it comes to the APRA Top 30, I know:
Midnight Oil (I prefer Forgotten Years to Beds are Burning)
Men at Work
The Loved Ones (The Loved One is such a good song)
Crowded House
AC/DC
The Saints
The Divinyls (I prefer Boys In Town)
Hunters & Collectors
Nick Cave
Yothu Yindi
Savage Garden
Powderfinger

As for my favorite Australian song... There are too many bands to choose from. My first instinct would be to pick something from INXS as I was a huge INXS fan growing up. So, I have a lot of songs to choose from there. But then I would also have to think about The Divinyls, Silverchair, The Vines, AC/DC, "Jessie's Girl", Sick Puppies, Wolfmother, Midnight Oil, Youth Group, The Avalanches, The Bee Gees, Sia, Grinspoon, Jet...

In the end, there is only one right answer

1- AD/DC
2- Bee Gees
3- Wiggles

When I think of Australian music I go right to the Birthday Party, and Nick Cave. Of course Men at Work were huge here, which helped me learn that Vegemite is delicious. I also think of And the Band played Waltzing Matilida, which is a very powerful song about Gallipoli told from an Austrailian soldier's perspective.

Okay, if we're counting the Bee Gees (who, I just learned from wikipedia, weren't born there but did start their career there at a young age), then I'll go with "Islands in the Stream".

Honestly, before reading this thread, the only song I could have come up with was "Land Down Under" -Men at Work. But of the songs listed here, Midnight Oil's "Beds are Burning" is my favorite. I love the cheesy breakdown. Had no idea about AC/DC, but I'm not particularly into them. "Friday on My Mind" is great song, too.

I ran across Ball Park Music from the SXSW showcases, I dig their stuff.

I especially fucking love this song:

if you are metal enough...............

Rock a Bye Your Bear!!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/yteAOsWFSXI

I guess I am not metal enough

My Boomerang Won't Come Back

[edit -- just teasing]

"Under the Milky Way" by The Church is one I particularly like.

Oh man, The Church are Aussies, too? I gotta second "Milky Way" in that case.

There's a lot of "I didn't know they were Australian" on that list.
I love Never Tear Us Apart (and I was just reminded to listen to that cover Tyrrell and J$ and I did, which always makes me happy).
I am a big fan of The Church and have seen them in concert. Let's say "Reptile"...
Also Not Drowning Waving... I think "Spark".
For Men At Work I like "Who Can It Be Now".
There are probably other bands I am not thinking of right now.
-bill

I actually have a hard time driving through Texas without listening Paul Kelly's 'Cities of Texas.' Foggy Highway is one my favorite albums. I absolutely love the song 'Don't Stand So Close to the Window,' and I believe it is cowritten; but in my mind that is some great songwriting. I'm happy to hear he made the list twice because he's fantastic worldwide and should be known of everywhere--but I especially love the way that album sounds.

Another great Australian band/song I just thought of today.