Down Under
Song
Down Under flute riff from Kookaburra...and losses. Giving evidence for EMI at a Federal Court hearing in Sydney today former The Sports rocker and long-time friend of Men At Work, Martin Armiger, admitted Down Under had an "identical melody" to Kookaburra. "But to my ears,... In this article: Down Under, Kookaburra, Martin Armiger, Men at Work, EMI, Australian Film, Television and Radio School, All You Need Is Love, The Sports, and Colin Hay |
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Sydney Morning Herald - National | October 26, 2009
Down Under riff based on folk song, court hears
Down Under riff based on folk song, court hears The famous flute riff in the hit pop song Down Under is an "unmistakable reproduction" of an Australian folk song and has made money from it without permission in several recordings, Qantas...
In this article: Kookaburra, Men at Work, Appropriation, America's Cup, Qantas, Greg Ham, EMI, and Finding Nemo
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Flute in dispute but koala was sitting in an old mangrove tree
...which owns the rights to Kookaburra, is suing the band and its record company EMI Music. They claim Down Under made a small fortune by reproducing a substantial part of Kookaburra without permission and want damages for lost earnings and a...
In this article: Colin Hay, Kookaburra, Venus, Jupiter, Sun, Mars, and Aries
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NME.com | July 30, 2009
Men At Work accused of copying Girl Guides song
...from the children's song Australian band Men At Work are being sued by a music publisher who claims their massive 1983 worldwide hit 'Down Under' plagiarises a song originally written for the Girl Guides. Publisher Larrikin Music is...
In this article: Men at Work, BBC News, Number One, Sony BMG, EMI, Australia, Sydney, and UK
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The Australian | June 24, 2009
Girls may have guided Men at Work song
...at Work's song Down Under A CASE to decide if famed Australian band Men at Work ripped off part of their hit song Down Under could be sidelined if it is found the song's copyright belongs to the Girl Guides. Larrikin Music, which claims...
In this article: Men at Work, Kookaburra, Colin Hay, EMI, Australian Stock Exchange, Sony, and Ron Strykert
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Setback for Men at Work in court wrangle
...infringement because it had never owned the rights to Kookaburra. Did Men at Work's Down Under rip off the children's classic Kookaburra Sits in an Old Gumtree? Listen and see. EMI, Hay and Strykert instead claimed Sinclair handed...
In this article: Men at Work, Kookaburra, Colin Hay, EMI, and Ron Strykert
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Kookaburra defence won’t fly
...in 1934 by a Melbourne music teacher, Marion Sinclair, for a Girl Guides competition. Sony BMG and EMI, with the two writers of Down Under, Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, had argued Larrikin never owned the rights to the children's song because...
In this article: Kookaburra, Men at Work, Defendant, A MUSIC, Colin Hay, and EMI
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Description from Wikipedia:
"Down Under" is the title of a pop song of reggae flavour, written by Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, recorded in 1981 by the Australian rock group Men at Work and featured on their debut album Business as Usual. This song went to #1 on American as well as international charts, including their native Australia and the UK. It was reissued in 1982 and is the only Men at Work song that went to number 1 in the UK.
It has become a popular and patriotic song in Australia. This song is played during the end credits of the Paul Hogan movie Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. The song is also partially played in the documentary television series, The Adventure of English, to help illustrate Australia's newfound confidence in its linguistic identity in the late 20th Century.
The lyrics are about an Australian traveller circling the globe, proud of his nationality and about his interactions with people he meets on his travels who are interested in his home country.
One of the verses refers to Vegemite sandwiches, among other things, and this particular lyric has become a well-known phrase. The flute part in the song is based around the tune of "Kookaburra", a well-known Australian children's rhyme. Originally, "Down Under" was released as the B-side to "Keypunch Operator", a rare custom-pressed single by Men at Work - some of the guitar melodies from that version were further developed into flute parts on the later release. The video also features several litre-size cans of what appear to be Foster's Lager (although the brand is removed), a beer native to Australia.
In May 2001, Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA) celebrated its 75th anniversary by naming the Best Australian Songs of all time, as decided by a 100 strong industry panel, "Down Under" was ranked as the fourth song on the list.
- Name:
- Down Under
- Genre:
- Pop
- Release Date:
- January 01, 1981
- Preceded By:
- "Who Can It Be Now?"
- Written By:
- Colin Hay, Ron Strykert
- Recorded By:
- Men at Work
- Length:
- 3:42
- Record Label:
- CBS
- Recording Dates:
- October 1981
- B Side:
- "Crazy"
- Audio Format:
- 7"
- From Album:
- Business as Usual
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