List of songs about Sydney

This is a list of songs which mention or are about Sydney the capital city of New South Wales, Australia, the suburbs of Sydney and nearby locations such as Katoomba, Newcastle and Wollongong.

The list is ordered alphabetically by suburb and within suburb alphabetically by song title. Where known the songwriters, performing artists and album or CD on which the track has appeared are listed.

Some of the tracks listed appear on the Sony Music 2000 double-compilation CD "Somewhere in Sydney - 30 songs from the harbour city" which was compiled and conceived by Glenn A Baker (Columbia 498747.2). Tracks on that compilation are marked with an asterisk (*).

In 2004, an article by music critic Bernard Zuel published in The Sydney Morning Herald discussed songs written about Sydney. A list of twenty-five songs about Sydney were also published. [cite news
first=Bernard
last=Zuel
author=The Sydney Morning Herald
url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/17/1095393996747.html?from=storylhs
title=A Tale Of Two Cities' Ditties
work=
publisher=Fairfax Digital
pages=
page=
date=2004-09-18
accessdate=2006-07-22]

Fairfax sister publication, The Age ran a concurrent article discussing songs written about Melbourne at the time. Interestingly, Paul Kelly had four songs featured in each list. Furthermore, one song, "From St. Kilda To Kings Cross" was featured in both lists. [cite news
first=Michael
last=Dwyer
author=The Age
url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/27/1093518069546.html
title=Songs Of Melbourne
work=
publisher=Fairfax Digital
pages=
page=
date=2004-08-28
accessdate=2006-07-22]

Bondi

"Bondi"*(Elliott Weston)Elliott Weston

"Section 5 (Bus to Bondi)" (Rotsey/Hirst/Garrett/Moginie) Midnight Oil

Botany

"To the Shores of Botany Bay" (Traditional arrangement The Bushwackers) The Bushwackers

Camperdown

"Rose of Camperdown" *(Fenton/Rumble)Holly

Circular Quay

"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (Eric Bogle) Eric Bogle "Now I'm Easy" (Larrikin Records).

"If We Can't Get It Together" (Tim Rogers) You Am I

"Reckless" (James Reyne) Australian Crawl "Semantics" (EMI); Paul Kelly "Hidden Things"; James Reyne "Electric Digger Dandy"; John Farnham "I Remember When I Was Young"

Darlinghurst

"Darling it Hurts" (Paul Kelly) Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls

"Darlinghurst Nights" (Robert Forster) The Go-Betweens

"Darlinghurst Road" *(R.Thorpe/Noel Watson)Noel Watson

Erskineville

"Erskineville" (The Gadflys)

"Sicilian Born" *(Graeme Connors) Graeme Connors Album "North"

"Siege Of Union Street" *(Alistair Hulett) Album "The Cold Grey Light Of Dawn"

Five Dock

"The Cicada That Ate Five Dock" *(John Sammers)Outline

Glebe

"Glebe" The Tactics

"Lauren from Glebe" Muscles

Hornsby

"Houndog" * (Don Walker) Cold Chisel

Katoomba

"Until" (Michael Quinlan) The Mexican Spitfires "Lupe Velez" EP Red Eye Records

Kings Cross

"Breakfast at Sweethearts" *(Don Walker)Cold Chisel Album "Breakfast at Sweethearts"

"From St. Kilda to Kings Cross" (Paul Kelly) Paul Kelly And The Messengers Mushroom Records CD "Hidden Things" Paul Kelly Mushroom Records LP/CD "Post"

"Girls on the Avenue" Richard Clapton

"Metho Blues" (Don Walker) Cold Chisel Album "Breakfast At Sweethearts (Enhanced)" (originally recorded 1977, included on enhanced CD released 1999)

"At the Piccolo Bar" (Don Walker) Don Walker

"El Alamein Blues" (Don Walker) Catfish

Lavender Bay

"Long Jumping Jeweller (of Lavender Bay)* (Glenn Shorrock) Little River Band

Leichhardt

"Norton Street" *(Raoul Graf/Ed Kuepper) Raoul Graf

Manly

"Reckless" (James Reyne) Australian Crawl "Semantics" (EMI)

Maroubra

"Stomping At Maroubra" Little Pattie

Marrickville

"Miracle in Marrickville" John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong Single Red Eye Records

Newcastle

"Newcastle Song" (Bob Hudson) Bob Hudson M7 Records Single (1975)

"Star Hotel" (Don Walker) Cold Chisel

Newtown

"King St" *John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong Single Red Eye Records

"Newtown Dreaming" *(Willoughby) Mixed Relations

"Rock'n'Roll Band And A Schooner Of Beer" *(H. Ree) McBodybag

"Year of the Rat" The Whitlams

"12 Hours" The Whitlams

"Newtown (La La La)" Cuthbert and the Night Walkers

"A Walk Down King St" Spurs For Jesus

North Shore

"North Shore Girls Get Off" *(Dave Beniuk) David Beniuk

Paddington

"Oxford Street" *(Dorian Mode) Dorian Mode

Palm Beach

"Deep Water" (Richard Clapton) Richard Clapton

Parramatta

"Parramatta Hot Rod Man" *The Whiteliners"Parramatta Hot Rod Man" Satellite V"Parramatta Hot Rod Man" Gaitorbait

"Tomorrow" (Don Walker) Cold Chisel

Randwick

"Randwick Bells" * (Paul Kelly) Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls

Redfern

"Ivy Street" (Timothy (Tim)O'Reilly) The Mexican Spitfires "Lupe Velez" EP Red Eye Records

"The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw" Perry Keyes "The Last Ghost Train Home" Album Laughing Outlaw - the song mentions several other Sydney suburbs

The Quirky Works of Bernard BolanBernard BolanAN ABC RECORDING - includes THE CLONE song "One of Australia's most highly regarded singer-songwriters, Bernard became famous in the 1970s when his single, The Rose Bay Ferry reached the number one spot on the Australian music chart. Bernard is an Englishman by birth, a solicitor by profession and a wordsmith by choice. His lyrics reflect his many moods and his compositions reveal his inherent musical talent." - ABC

TRACK LIST

The Clone Rose Bay Ferry Myrtle Campbelltown and District Village Fete The Head Toorak Tram Peru Basingstoke One way of Living your Life The Gnome Tits in a Tangle Corgi and Bess Australia Square Football Song

Upon Sober ReflectionBernard Bolan

This is Bernard's third CD. "I've known Bernard Bolan for more than 25 years and there is still no-one in the Australian music scene who combines wit, whimsy and sheer sassy style in quite as seamless a package as he does. This CD showcases his unique talents perfectly - an album of old and new songs of reflection both serious and frolicsome and as always, a joy to listen to." - Judy Small

TRACK LIST

Upon Sober Reflection Sally Tears in the Pages Wahroonga Winos Not Many Fish Touch of you Send the city Sunshine Mourn Ye Mines The Old No 10 Snowballs at the teacher Autumn The Sailor An Eclectic CollectionBernard BolanA matchless collection of mostly new songs which take you, and his recent audiences, on a joyous emotional roller-coaster ride - "sharing his life, and his love, and his laughter". A great new journey for an old campaigner, recorded during recent tours to Southern NSW and Victoria

TRACK LIST

I'm Lazy Parramatta If I Were Free Ferdinand Made Them Out Of Wood Flowers and the Wine Basingstoke Takes A Little Time SolicitorÅfs Song Folk 2000 Tears Their Toll One Way Of Living Your Life The Performer An Eccentric CollectionBernard BolanCATALOGUE NO: CDBB002Bernard has been writing and singing his songs for well over twenty years. Along with all his old favourites, this CD has some new songs. The collection includes songs about gnomes, cavorting suburban ladies and wayward ferries and trams.

TRACK LIST

Corgi and Bess Toorak Tram Crumpet and Grog Opera House Rose Bay Ferry Uncle Fred Lindfield Ladies Ferdinand The Gnome The Football Song WednesdayÅfs Child Myrtle Peru The Head Same Time Next Year

The Liveliness of the Long Playing Bernard BolanBernard Bolan(LP - 1973) (no longer available)SIDE 1 Australia SquareUncle FredRose Bay FerryToorak TramOpera House

SIDE 2 Crumpet and GrogThe GnomeReverend Duncan DonaldThe HeadNot Many FishNew South Wales Folk Federation

Send the City Sunshine Bernard Bolan(LP - 1983) (no longer available)SIDE1 BasingstokeMourn Ye Mines of MerthyrThrow Snowballs at the TeacherCampbelltown and District Village FeteSend the City SunshinePeru

SIDE 2 Football SongWednesday's ChildSallyThe Old Number TenPiddle in a PotThe BaiteTears Their Toll Can Take

Passage of Time Bernard Bolan(LP - 1986) SIDE1 Myrtle The TurtleFilthy Stinking RichRioDown There In PeruTits in a TangleNo! No! No! No!

SIDE 2 Lindfield LadiesLa-Di-DahI'll Land You n UranusI'd Rather That You Left Me With My DogI'm A Wonderful FellowTears In The PagesDrop Kick Me Jesus

Stanmore

"The Battle of Stanmore" Died Pretty

Strathfield

"Murder City Nights" (Denis Tek)Radio Birdman

"Rookwood" (Stephen McCowage)The Mexican Spitfires "Lupe Velez" EP Red Eye Records

Summer Hill

"Summer Hill Road" (R.Burton/G.Paige) The Executives Single Festival Records

Sydney

"Old Sydney Town" Alopi Latukefu and the Palermo Express

"City of Lights"* (Grant McFarland)Grant McFarland

"I Wonder What They're Doing (in Sydney Today)"*(Mick Thomas) Michael Thomas

"Khe Sanh" (Don Walker) Cold Chisel Atlantic records Single (April 1978)

"Harbour Town" Icehouse

"Larrikin Town" *(Keith Glass) Keith Glass

"Lights of Sydney Town" *(Alistair Hulett)Roaring Jack

"My City of Sydney" (Tommy Leonetti/Robert Trout) [cite web |title= Australasian Performing Right Association |publisher= APRA |url= http://www.apra.com.au/site/public/searchworksresult.stm |accessdate= 2007-09-29 ] Tommy Leonetti, Mary Schneider, *XL Capris, Frenzal Rhomb

"Somewhere in Sydney" *(Greg Macainsh)Skyhooks

"Sundays in Sydney" *(Dave Steel) Dave Steel

"Sydney Born Man" *(Peter Martin)SCRA

"Sydney From A 727" (Paul Kelly) Paul Kelly And The Messengers Mushroom Records CD "Comedy"

"Sydney Ladies" *(Broderick Smith/Kerryn Tolhurst The Dingoes

"Sydney or the Bush" *(Norma O'Hara Murphy)Norma O'Hara Murphy

"Sydney Song" *Eskimo Joe

"Sydney Town" *(MIchael Quinlan) The Mexican Spitfires "Lupe Velez" EP Red Eye Records

"Sydney Town (The more they try to keep you down in)"* (Hardy/Gary Sheaarson) - [http://unionsong.com/u139.html lyrics] by Frank Hardy recorded by Gary Shearson

"Town Hall Steps" (Timothy (Tim)O'Reilly)
The Mexican Spitfires "Lupe Velez" EP Red Eye Records

"You Gotta Love This City" *(Tim Freedman)The Whitlams

"Wedding Cake Island" Midnight Oil

Tamarama

"Tamarama Doorslammer" *(C.Sue/A.Wilson) Killers On The Loose

White Bay

"The White Bay Paper Seller" *(Judy Small) Judy Small

Woolloomooloo

"Numbers Fall" * (Don Walker) Cold Chisel

"Woolloomooloo Lair" *(D.Newton/M.Williamson/R.Corbett)The Bushwackers

"Ruby" (Don Walker) Catfish

"Ticket In Tatts" (Mick Thomas)Weddings Parties Anything

The Illawarra

Despite their geographical closeness, most songs about Wollongong have been written about Wollongong's cultural distinctness. Many of these are tongue in cheek.

"I've Been Everywhere Man" Aunty Jack

"Queen of the Gong" Aunty Jack

"Wollongong the Brave" Aunty Jack

"Wollongong on My Mind" Aunty Jack

"Beachcomber from Wollongong" John Williamson

"Lights of Wollongong" Aubrey & Martin

See also

* I've Been Everywhere - a popular novelty song which mentions, inter alia, several Sydney suburbs albeit not Sydney itself.

Footnotes