Advance Australia Fair Dark And Everything Between

Advance Australia Fair is the official national anthem of Australia.

Composed by Peter Dodds McCormick late in the 19th century, the song was first performed by Andrew Fairfax at a Highland Society function in Sydney on November 30, 1878.

The song quickly gained popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.

McCormick was awarded £100 for its composition In 1907.

Although the song was first performed in 1878, it did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984.

Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song.

The Seekers: Advance Australia Fair

(Where else, but at an Aussie Rules Football final in 1994).

Advance Australia Fair: The Lyrics

Australians all let us rejoice For we are young and free
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil Our home is girt by sea
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts Of beauty rich and rare
In history’s page, let every stage Advance Australia Fair
In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We’ll toil with hearts and hands
To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands
For those who’ve come across the seas We’ve boundless plains to share
With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair
In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair

Thanks to Blogging Sueblimely for reminding me of the
Seekers’ song, ‘I Am Australian’.

Many feel that this song should be the national anthem, as it better depicts the diversity of Australia.

While settled by the British, with a white European culture, Australia today is made up of people from all the nations on earth!

Whether Peter Dodds McCormick was referring to fair in the sense of skin color, I don’t know.

I do know that Australia has the chance to build a just, cohesive society out of many conflicting sub cultures!

I wonder if we can pull it off…

The Seekers: I Am Australian

The Original ‘Advance Australia Fair’ Lyrics

These are the original lyrics by Peter Dodds McCormick. (left)

Comparing them with the lyrics of the present song give an idea of the changes that have occurred in Australia over the years.

Some of the changes that have occurred include replacing ‘sons’ with ‘all’, deleting references to empire, and making it shorter. And of course, Brittania no longer rules the waves…

Australia’s sons let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
“Advance Australia fair!”

When gallant Cook from Albion sail’d,
To trace wide oceans o’er,
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore.
Then here he raised Old England’s flag,
The standard of the brave;
With all her faults we love her still,
“Britannia rules the wave!”
In joyful strains then let us sing
“Advance Australia fair!”

Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this youthful Commonwealth
Renowned of all the lands;
For loyal sons beyond the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
“Advance Australia fair!”

While other nations of the globe
Behold us from afar,
We’ll rise to high renown and shine
Like our glorious southern star;
From England, Scotia, Erin’s Isle,
Who come our lot to share,
Let all combine with heart and hand
To advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing
“Advance Australia fair!”

Shou’d foreign foe e’er sight our coast,
Or dare a foot to land,
We’ll rouse to arms like sires of yore
To guard our native strand;
Britannia then shall surely know,
Beyond wide ocean’s roll,
Her sons in fair Australia’s land
Still keep a British soul.
In joyful strains then let us sing
“Advance Australia fair!”

These posts may also be of interest:
Explorers Lose Their Lives…
Botany Bay…
Mountain Crossing…
Who Invented Australia?
I Still Call Australia Home
Celebrating Australia Day, January 26 2008!

This is the last of my Australia Week series of posts, I hope that you have enjoyed them.