A Swag of Aussie Poetry

A Swag of Aussie Poetry, originally Out of the Bluegums (150 Years of Australian Verse), is a mid-1980s recording project with celebrity voices reciting or singing Australian poetry.[1] The compilation consists of 53 works of prose and verse from writers across Australia's literary landscape, and features 31 narrators delivering a mix of folk ballads and bush poetry from the 1800s through to 20th century prose, and lyrical songs reflecting on life in their country. It was released originally as a double album and a double cassette on J&B Records in 1984 with 50 tracks.[2] The compilation was produced by Gene Pierson – born as Giancarlo Salvestrin,[3][4]

A Swag of Aussie Poetry
Original vinyl double album, released in 1984
Studio album by
Various
Released1984
2 August 2010 (2010-08-02)
Recorded1984
GenreSpoken Word/Poetry
Length104:42
LabelJ&B Records
Lifestyle Music
ProducerGene Pierson

In 2010 the material was digitally re-mastered as a 2-CD set on the Lifestyle Music label[5] which was released on 2 August 2010.[6][7] Pierson lamented the death of many contributing artists since the original album, "the fact this compilation has been re-mastered 25 years after they made their contributions means this is not only a memorial to our great poets but to those people who bought their words alive again for listeners in the 21st century".[citation needed] The cover art was by Australian outback painter, Pro Hart.[2] In Australia it appeared in September the following year.[8][9] The CD cover art is by Jenny Glaze and is based on The Swagman, circa 1908.[10]

Poets and writers

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Nancy (Nan) May McDonald, Douglas Stewart, Kate Llewellyn, A.D. Hope, Ronald McCuaig, R.F. Brissenden, Spike Milligan, P.J. Hartigan (John O’Brien), Dame Mary Gilmore, Jack Moses, Judith Wright, Les Murray, Henry Kendall, Mary Durack-Miller, Norman Lindsay, Vivian Smith, David Campbell, Henry Lawson, James McAuley, Rhyll McMaster, A.B. (Banjo) Paterson, R.D. Fitzgerald, Peter Lawson, Kenneth Slessor, John Blight, Dorothea Mackellar, Victor Daley, Ray Mathew, Kath Walker, Kenneth Mackenzie, Alwyn Lee, Alisha Salvestrin, Ron Jones, Peter Allen, Charles Perkins and Dame Edna Everage.[1]

Narrators

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Barry Humphries, Spike Milligan, Dame Joan Sutherland, Bobby Limb, Ron Jones, John Meillon, Bert Newton, Dame Edna Everage, Rolf Harris, Sir Robert Helpmann, Ita Buttrose, Peter Allen, Thomas Keneally, John Newcombe, Judy Stone, Smoky Dawson, Terry Willesee, John Waters, Dawn Lake, Judy Morris, Diane Cilento, Simon Townsend, Eddie Charlton, Charles Perkins, Dawn Fraser, Rowena Wallace, Michael Edgley, Peter Lawson, Ron Haddrick, Rev. Roger Bush and Alisha Salvestrin.[1]

Track listing

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CD 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Narrator/performerLength
1."The Convict and the Lady"James McAuleyRon Haddrick3:02
2."Trees"Dorothea MackellarDawn Lake1:01
3."Ben Hartigan"Mary Durack-MillerRolf Harris6:00
4."Profiles of My Father"Rhyll McMasterDiane Cilento1:58
5."Waratah & Wattle"Henry LawsonRobert Helpmann1:47
6."Candles"Nan McDonaldJudy Morris3:27
7."The Silkworms"Douglas StewartJohn Meillon1:42
8."Windy Gap"David CampbellEddie Charlton0:58
9."My Wife’s Second Husband"Henry LawsonPeter Lawson2:00
10."Heritage"Mary GilmoreBobby Limb1:16
11."No More Boomerang"traditionalCharles Perkins1:50
12."Friendship & Love"Kenneth MacKenzieIta Buttrose2:04
13."I Still Call Australia Home" (spoken)Peter AllenPeter Allen1:31
14."Nationality"Mary GilmoreJoan Sutherland0:39
15."Separation"Henry LawsonRoger Bush1:22
16."The Company of Lovers"Judith WrightRowena Wallace1:11
17."An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow"Les MurrayThomas Keneally3:09
18."Bellbirds"Henry KendallJudy Stone2:38
19."The Man from Snowy River"Banjo PatersonJohn Newcombe5:56
20."The Wild Colonial Boy"traditionalSmoky Dawson2:53
21."Our Love is so Natural"Judith WrightDawn Fraser1:09
22."The Magic Pudding"Norman LindsaySimon Townsend2:39
23."Family Album"Vivian SmithJudy Morris1:12
24."Letter from Garella Bay"R. F. BrissendenJohn Meillon1:55
25."Orchid in My Glass" / "A Poem for the Lonely" / "Wasp" / "Woodworm" Spike Milligan1:17
26."The Chocolate Soldier" Ron Jones4:00
Total length:58:36
CD 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Narrator/performerLength
1."The Last of His Tribe"Henry KendallJohn Waters2:19
2."A Round Song"Rhyll McMasterDiane Cilento1:07
3."Said Hanrahan"John O'BrienTerry Willesee3:03
4."Nurse no Long Grief"Mary GilmoreJoan Sutherland0:34
5."Nine Miles from Gundagai"Jack MosesBobby Limb1:56
6."Death of a Whale"John BlightSimon Townsend3:27
7."My Country"Dorothea MackellarBert Newton1:58
8."Dreams"Victor DaleyDawn Lake1:41
9."Young Man's Fancy"Ray MathewEddie Charlton1:11
10."The Dispossessed"Kath WalkerCharles Perkins1:26
11."Imperial Adam"A. D. HopeThomas Keneally2:38
12."Love Me and Never Leave Me"Ronald McCuaigIta Buttrose1:04
13."Eve"Kate LlewellynIta Buttrose0:56
14."Country Towns"Kenneth SlessorSmoky Dawson1:21
15."The Southern Cross"Alwyn LeeBarry Humphries1:20
16."Edna’s Ode to Silver"Barry HumphriesEdna Everage1:50
17."Beach Burial"Kenneth SlessorJohn Waters1:14
18."An Aboriginal Smile"Mary GilmoreDawn Fraser0:28
19."Johnny Walker"Mary Durack-MillerRolf Harris6:09
20."We Are Going"Kath WalkerRowena Wallace1:57
21."Clancy of the Overflow"Banjo PatersonMichael Edgley2:05
22."Woman to Man"Judith WrightJudy Morris1:20
23."This Night's Orbit"R. D. FitzgeraldJoan Sutherland1:30
24."Until You're Home Again"Peter LawsonPeter Lawson1:35
25."Polarities"Kenneth SlessorRon Haddrick1:26
26."A Prayer for the Nuclear Age"Les MurrayRoger Bush1:23
27."The Way I See The World"Alisha SalvestrinAlisha Salvestrin1:40
Total length:46:06

References

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  1. ^ a b c "A Swag of Aussie Poetry [Sound Recording]". State Library of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Various Artists – Out of the Bluegums". GEMM. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  3. ^ Carter, Denise (15 September 2012). "From Rolling Stones to Mossy Rocks – a Music Icon Chooses the Quiet Life". The Cairns Post. News Limited (News Corporation). Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  4. ^ Pierson, Gene; Papesch, Claude (2008), Spinning the Moments, Festival Music/Philips Records/Chart Music/Zodiac Records/Infinity: [Released by EMI Music (N.Z.)]. National Library of Australia, retrieved 8 June 2013, Compilation of all the pop rock music recorded in New Zealand by Australian-born singer Gene Pierson [aka Giancarlo Salvestrin].
  5. ^ "A Swag of Aussie Poetry". Lifestyle Music. National Library of Australia. 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  6. ^ "A Swag of Aussie Poetry: Various Artists". Amazon. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  7. ^ "A Swag of Aussie Poetry by Various Artists". iTunes. (Apple Inc.). 2 August 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  8. ^ "New Australian Releases". Australian Recording Industry Association. September 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  9. ^ "ARIA New Releases Albums – Week Commencing 19th September 2011" (PDF). The ARIA Report (Issue #11215). Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Swagman". State Library of South Australia. 1908. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
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