Jack O’Hagan, MBE, a Melbourne composer of Irish background and one of Australia’s most prolific composers of popular music, was known in his time as ‘The Irving Berlin of Australia’. Most Australians know the classics 'Along The Road to Gundagai', 'Where The Dog Sat On The Tuckerbox' and 'Our Don Bradman' but there were many more. Jack published approximately 200 songs and left a legacy of around 600 compositions to Australian social, cultural and musical heritage.
I'm not Australian, I'm Korean, but I happened to hear this singer's song. I'm glad to know this wonderful singer from Australia in the 1930s. This singer's song makes me feel sentimental.
Jack O'Hagan wrote and performs the song - he was my grandfather and yes, he was a very sentimental person. He would have loved your comment. His autobiography 'Along the Road to Gundagai, Biography of Jack O'Hagan' is available at www.jackohagan.com.au for anyone interested.
When we were one and the year after the 1967 referendum. 1968 my year of commencement of my National Service training. A time when love of country was everything. Sadly today about 30% of the population are trying to force their disrespect for this beautiful country on us all. Stuff em all and the woke Companies, and Corporates forcing their politics down our throats. Let us stand up and be counted as patriots of AUSTRALIA in 2024 and every year into the future.
Every year unfortunately our numbers that remember and celebrate the Australia of this time grow smaller and the vision painted by this wonderful song grows dimmer. What do we do about it when our demography is no longer considered influential or worse? Being told we need to be educated when I’m more educated and have achieved more than all of these woketards put together. Im just glad I’m ready to go.
Yes, I have one of those - they're rare these days I expect. It has Waltzing Matilda on the other side. What is the Jolly Swagman bag? Was that the restaurant?
@@jackohagan159 The 45 record was in the bag with other material I was only 6 yr old at the time and remember getting it from the old Ampol service station
@@DavidPola1961 It was a pretty big deal at the time David - I remember pulling into the station to get copies too.We were so excited - Jack was my grandfather. If you want to find out more about him check out www.jackohagan.com.au. Biography coming out this year.
As a matter of fact, I think 'We Are Australian' is more appropriate for this time in our history, it's definitely a great Australian national song and more inclusive, but there is no need to call people 'plebs' because they think differently from you.
Right now Australia is suffering from drug addicted mental illness disease but we will pull through...the 67% of us who don't have the disease will make sure if it
Unfortunately, it didn't get to the final vote - it was the only possible contender still under copyright. 'Waltzing Matilda' was put to the final vote but not 'God Bless Australia'. I don't think they wanted "God' to feature in our national anthem.
If they had chosen this as their national anthem, and not been hornswoggled out of it by the politicians, then ohh what a different country I would be living in today. GOD bless Australia, the land of the free.
Actually, it was written to the melody of 'Waltzing Matilda' because it was a melody and that everyone knew - already an Australian 'anthem'. Jack O’Hagan knew it was a fine piece of music, perfectly suited to his national song, and that if people knew the melody they could easily embrace new words - similar to football club songs that are written to melodies of songs everyone already knows. He felt the words of 'Waltzing Matilda' did not have the gravitas for a national song that he hoped would be played all over the world - what other countries would know what a jumbuck or billabong was? Most Australians didn't know. Jack was patriotic, religious and of the Menzies era but it was a very heartfelt contribution. I know that because Jack was my grandfather. They were very different times - not much immigration, a different type of community and little or no recognition of our First Nations people. It was not selected for the final Australian anthem competition because the powers that be wanted to avoid 'God' and, I believe, because it was the only song entered that was under copyright - an expensive option for an anthem.
@@jackohagan159 im not trying to undermine the contribution, but the selection and promotion of this song by such a large corporation at quite an expense does raise questions about motivation and intentions. It might not have been written directly for that purpose, but ampols intentions must be to undermine working class music, there's little other explanation I can think of.
I still have my red 33rpm but the size of a 45, and the rest of my " Young Ampol " and other things that I have in my restored 1973 HQ 350 Monaro 4speed..
That red floppy 45 size 33rpm is probably a real collector's item now David. I've still got one too. I remember the family driving into the station to get a few - we were so excited for our grandfather, Jack O’Hagan. It looked like it might become the national song/anthem for a while but, sadly, didn't get through to the final competition.
@@jackohagan159 Sorry for the late reply, I had to tell you that when I bought mine it had the red disc, my twin brother ruined my colouring book so my father bought me a replacement and it had a black disc🙄 so I kept them both...🙏🕎🌎🌍🌏✝️🪔
In this vast sacred land of ours, We call Australia Blessed by our land and seas, Far and wide, Built by our fathers whom, Built these very lands, We call Australia, The land of the free, We call Australia, Our land Australia, Home of the ANZAC, The strong and the free, Its our own land our homeland, To cherish apon eternity, We call Australia the land of the free, Here in this land of ours, Australia, Our proud traditions, Blessed by our southern cross, We're a peace loving race, BUT when allies are in daring need, LET THE WORLD KNOW WE WILL ANSWER THE CALL! We call Australia, Our land Australia, Home of the ANZAC, The strong and the free, Its our own land our homeland, To Cherish apon eternity, We call Australia the land of the free, We call Australia, Our land Australia, Home of the ANZAC, The strong and the free, Its our own land our homeland, To Cherish apon eternity, We call Australia the land of the free,
Lyrics for those who wish to singalong: Here in this God given land of ours, Australia This proud possession, our own piece of earth That was built by our fathers, who pioneered our heritage, Here in Australia, the land of our birth. God bless Australia, Our land Australia, Home of the ANZAC, the strong and the free It’s our homeland, our own land, To cherish for eternity, God bless Australia, The land of the free. Here in Australia, we treasure love and liberty, Our way of life, all for one, one for all We’re a peace loving race, but should danger ever threaten us, Let the world know we will answer the call God bless Australia, Our land Australia, Home of the ANZAC, the strong and the free It’s our homeland, our own land, To cherish for eternity, God bless Australia, The land of the free.
Here in this God given land of ours, Australia This proud possession, our own piece of earth That was built by our fathers, who pioneered our heritage, Here in Australia, the land of our birth. REFRAIN God bless Australia, Our land Australia, Home of defenders, the strong and the free It's our homeland, our own land, To cherish for eternity, God bless Australia, The land of the free. Here in Australia, we treasure love and liberty, Our way of life, all for one, one for all We're a peace loving race, but should danger ever threaten us, Let the world know we will answer the call REFRAIN
Written in a very different time. Jack O'Hagan was my grandfather and he put his heart and soul into it. I am glad you like it. Thank you for your kind words.
@@jackohagan159 yes it sertenly was a different time such good times such a beautiful song it brought tears to my eyes very touching you must be proud of your grandfather blessings to you and your family
There's another version of this on RU-vid too. It has the same audio, but cleaned up, and some updated video. Both are wonderful, you should see them both. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qb67Y638rHI.html
As you said previously, it's a 'comfy' song Lewis. You'd probably like Jack's 'When the Sun Goes Down' recorded by Doug Owen in 1967 on LP 'A Toast to Gundagai' too I think. That's always been a Jack O'Hagan song I found 'comfy'. I'll upload it soon.
@@gummi9948 Thank you. I truly appreciate your comment. 'Along the Road to Gundagai, Biography of Jack O'Hagan and Birth of Australian Pop Culture' will be available by December 2023 if all goes well with print and delivery. If you are interested you can pre-order at www.jackohagan.com.au - soon to be updated with prices and further information.
As an immigrant who was born in Samoa, and migrated here to Australia via an NZ passport as an 8 year old boy in 1986, I proudly call Australia home. I thank God for our nation, and for the founding forefathers which built this nation. What a blessing if this were to become the national anthem, but we know that those God hating devils on the left in parliament would never allow any song that has God or any Christian reference in the lyrics to be allowed. God bless Australia, the land of the free... but for how long?
It's really magnificent isn't it. There is an instrumental version on the flip side of the 45rpm which is incredibly moving - basically a slow, rich version of Waltzing Matilda. My grandfather, Jack, was so disappointed that it didn't become the national anthem. It was his swan song.
I voted for this when we had the referendum for our national anthem. That was so long ago now. Thank you for the memory. Ampol was an Aussie oil company. Amazing when you compare it to now. The good old days when Australians owned Australia and noone else did except God.
