'MADE IN AUSTRALIA FROM LOCAL AND IMPORTED INGREDIENTS' - label on tomato sauce bottle.
What this is, and what it isn't:
The main idea of the site is to trace the original versions of songs recorded by Australian artists, mostly from the 50s, 60s or 70s. Sometimes that's easy, sometimes it's almost impossible.
You might not find Tamam Shud or Spectrum at this site, or even much by The Easybeats. That's because those bands tended to record original versions of their own songs, and my starting point is nearly always a cover version or remake. For exceptions, see below under Aussie Originals.
Each page starts with an Australian (or New Zealand) record. The versions are listed in reverse order, back to the original. After the original, later versions are listed in chronological order. Example:
1. JO JO ZEP & THE FALCONS – Security - Australia 1976
2. THANE RUSSAL AND THREE - Security - UK 1966
3. OTIS REDDING - Security - USA 1964 [Original version]
4. THE SAINTS – Security - UK 1978 [A later version]
I don't usually try to list every known recording of a song. For that, visit The Originals or other sites listed at my Links page under Original Versions and Covers.
'LOOK WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO MY SONG' - Melanie Safka
Credits (continued from the homepage):
Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Joop Jansen, Kees van der Hoeven, honeydhont, Phil Chapman, Brian Lee, Mike Robbins, Rod Stone, Peter Robinson, Davie Gordon, Dave Overett, John Gambrill, Jon Stratton, Dave Monroe, Phil Milstein, Ostin Allegro, Artie Kornfeld, David Walker, John Yeager, Ray Rivera, David Neale, Tertius Louw, Artie Wayne,
Al Kooper, Geoff Green, Gwyneth at PeterDoyleWebsite.com...
When I launched the site, I had no idea how many people would end up contacting me or answering my emails. They include experts in their fields, obsessive collectors, highly skilled researchers, people who were there, friends of the band, or just people who remembered some small fact that everyone else had forgotten.
All the writing is mine, and I'm responsible for the conclusions you read here, but they are some of the people who have emailed often, or have often answered my dumb questions. There are many others mentioned throughout the site.
My policy is to credit anyone who gives me information, corrections, suggestions or graphics that I end up using.
The words are mine: if I use someone else's words I make it clear that I'm quoting them.
'SEE WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WANTED TO KNOW!'
- What's On Central Coast recommends PopArchives.com.au.
Song categories:
Original version The first released recording, public performance or published manuscript of a song. Demo versions don't count, but some interesting or significant ones are listed.
Original version? I'm almost certain this is the original but I could be wrong. Contact me if you can help.
Red herring A song with the same title that is not the same song. There may be others lurking… Let me know if you spot them! Red herring? means I have no idea.
Influential version Not the absolute original, but it appears to be the main source for other versions.
Original version: live performance and Original version: soundtrack The song was first heard publicly in a stage musical or some other live performance, or in a film.
Original melody The feature song uses this melody - for example from a folk song or a classical composition - with its own lyrics added.
Original version: published work This is the original source of the song, but it was published - for example as sheet music - rather than being recorded at this time.
Original English language version
Original version with these lyrics This song has been recorded with various lyrics, but this is the first version with these lyrics.
Original vocal version or Original instrumental version These refer to songs that started out as an instrumental and had words added later, or vice versa.
Traditional Whoever wrote this is long gone and long forgotten.
'THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR AUSTRALIAN MUSIC LOVERS AND PEOPLE ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF THE RADIO INDUSTRY'
- Radio Tattler sums up PopArchives.com.au.
Clarification:
Australia
Although Normie Rowe's It's Not Easy or The Twilights' What's Wrong With The Way I Live were recorded in London, they made a far greater impact in Australia than in Britain, and they are sentimentally, if not technically "Australian". On the other hand, The Seekers had worldwide success with songs recorded outside Australia, so it seems a bit of a stretch to keep referring to such releases as "Australian". I've tried to be consistent, but I've probably slipped up here and there.
Aussie Originals
Although the main point of the site is to trace original versions of Australian covers, I have included some original Australian records. These are usually:
- records that were covered abroad or in Australia, often records that might be mistaken for cover versions. A good example is Lucky Starr's original version of I've Been Everywhere which some people believe to be a cover version of Hank Snow's US version.
- recordings of American or British songs that weren't previously recorded in the USA or the UK. Such songs may have come directly from a publisher, perhaps after a demo recording made its way to Australia. Jon English's Hollywood Seven is an example of this.
-
a few original Australian songs that are included because there is an interesting story behind their origin. Barefoot Boy is an example, as are some of the songs The Bee Gees gave away.
Lindsay Martin
For a long time I used the name "Lindsay Martin" on Internet forums and newsgroups but I got tired of juggling two identities and gave it up. See, for example, some of my posts to Spectropop.
Cover version… or is it a remake? And do you care?
Most people say cover when they're talking about any other version of an original song. However, it's worth being aware that some people make a distinction between cover versions and remakes.
A cover version was made while the original was still popular, or likely to become popular shortly, and was released to take advantage of that.
This happened a lot in the 50s, when several versions of a song often appeared on the charts at once.
A remake is a recording of the song made at any time later, although many people use cover version loosely to refer to both cases.
At least in Australia in the 50s and 60s, a remake was often referred to as a revival.
See this discussion about remakes versus covers at Google Groups.
'THE SECRET ORIGIN OF MANY AUSTRALIAN POP HITS' - PopArchives in a nutshell, from The Chaz Music Room.
Chart positions:
Australia: From Gavin Ryan's Chart Books for Australia's four largest cities. These books are based on all available charts for each city. New Zealand: From New Zealand Music Charts 1966 to 1996 - Singles, compiled by Dean Scapolo. Sadly, New Zealand charts didn't begin until 1966, and even then they were a Top 20 magazine readers' poll. From 1970 sales figures were used, and the official Recording Industry (RIANZ) Top 40 began in 1975. USA, UK and other countries: I have used a number of sources for these, including reference books and chart websites, and they are offered as an indication only of chart positions.
'SUPERBLY INFORMATIVE' - Milesago on PopArchives.
Sources:
All the writing here is new: there is no cutting and pasting from other websites. If I use a quotation it is acknowledged.
If I use another website as a source, a link back to the site is included. However if a piece of information is generally known, and found in numerous sources, I haven't included a reference.
My policy is to credit anyone who emails with information, corrections or suggestions.
Standard reference works are sometimes acknowledged using these abbreviations:
ER1, ER2: Phil Hardy & Dave Laing (eds),
The Encyclopedia of Rock, Volume 1: The Age of Rock'n'Roll (1975) and Volume 2: From Liverpool to San Francisco (1976);
RSE: Patricia Romanowski and Holly George-Warren,
The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock' & Roll (1995 and earlier editions);
WWAR: Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara, Paul McHenry (compilers),
Who's Who of Australian Rock (2002 and earlier editions);
AMGR: Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine (eds),
All Music Guide to Rock (2002).
AMGC: Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine (eds),
All Music Guide to Country (2003).
GRD: M.C. Strong
The Great Rock Discography, 3rd edition (1996).
ARD: Chris Spencer,
The Australian Rock Discography 1956-69 and 1970-79 (1996)
Learned from Experience:
'AFTER YOU NAIL AN ORIGINAL, WAIT: SOMEONE, SOME DAY, WILL EMAIL YOU WITH AN EARLIER VERSION.'
- Lyn's first rule of song history.
'ASK THE SINGER, PRODUCER OR SONGWRITER FOR INFORMATION, BUT DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY TURN OUT TO BE WRONG.'
- Lyn's second rule of song history.
'THERE'S A BLOKE IN BELGIUM OR FINLAND WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS STUFF THAN AUSTRALIA'S ROCK BRAIN OF THE UNIVERSE.'
- Lyn's third rule of song history.
'IF YOU'VE DUG UP A REALLY OBSCURE ORIGINAL VERSION OF A WELL-KNOWN SONG, DON'T EXPECT FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBOURS OR THE GUY AT THE POST OFFICE TO GET EXCITED ABOUT IT OR EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU BOTHERED IN THE FIRST PLACE.'
- Lyn's fourth rule of song history.
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