It was a long, passionate debate. After national competitions, opinion polls, a national ballot, and almost 160 years since the first alternative anthems were put forward to replace God Save the Queen, Australians finally decided upon a new national anthem.
The lengthy search for the song that represented the uniqueness of the land of Oz - something that was truly Australian - ended with Advance Australia Fair, written by Peter Dodds McCormick's, a Scotsman and prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, and which had been a popular favourite since its first performance in 1878.
During Australia Day celebrations, one may hear the rarely sung third verse of Advance Australia Fair, though few would be able to sing along and even fewer would remember the original first line of the song: "Australia's sons let us rejoice", which was replaced by: "Australians all let us rejoice". One may giggle at the lack of clarity of diction of singing children unaccustomed to the formal, antiquated lyrics. And with a melody that moves from note to note in great steps, it's no wonder that the song itself is often used to judge ones technical ability in singing auditions.
On Australia Day, it's no doubt that our 'unofficial' anthem, Waltzing Matilda will also be heard in many a home or public space. Although the lyrics are more direct and the melody more simplistic, it still requires an accompanying glossary for adults and children alike.
Yet the song of a farmhand who steals a sheep and would rather die than submit to capture by police, subsequently drowning in a creek, however far removed from modern Australian lifestyle and acknowledgement of indigenous Australia, still tugs at the heart-strings of Aussies at home and abroad.
The fact that we even have and continue to recognise an 'unofficial' anthem indicates that the debate never ended, however it's unlikely that the greater population of Australia would ever want to enter another long and passionate deliberation, when there are far more pressing issues at hand. Yet, I can't help but wonder that if the Australians of today were to create and debate on the issue, what song of today could encapsulate the Australian land, lifestyle, multiculturalism and both indigenous and white history?
A timeline of vocal deliberation:
1820s First moves to replace God Save the Queen with an anthem, unique to Australia.
1826 John Dunmore Lang's Australian Anthem and Australian Hymn were early nominations for a distinctively Australian anthem.
1860 Carl Linger's Song of Australia was still on the shortlist 117 years later when Australians voted at a national poll.
1878 Advance Australia Fair was first performed, sung by Andrew Fairfax.
1895 Banjo Paterson's Waltzing Matilda was written.
1943 & 1945 The Australian Broadcasting Commission held two anthem competitions.
1951 The Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations competition was won by Henry Krips with This Land of Mine.
1956 The Melbourne Olympic Games triggered a new round of passionate debate.
1974 In the results from a public opinion poll of 60,000 people between Advance Australia Fair; Waltzing Matilda; and Song of Australia, Advance Australia Fair polled 51.4 per cent; prompting the (then) Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, to announce that it would become our national anthem.
1977 A national poll with over seven million ballot papers issued gave the results of: Advance Australia Fair 43.2 per cent, Waltzing Matilda 28.3 per cent, God Save the Queen 18.7 per cent and Song of Australia 9.6 per cent.
1984 (April 19) the Governor-General issued a proclamation declaring that God Save the Queen was designated the Royal Anthem, to be played at public engagements in Australia attended by the Queen or members of the Royal family. At the same time, Peter Dodds McCormick's Advance Australia Fair was finally declared to be the official national anthem.
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