Over the course of his career, he collected more gold and platinum albums than any other Australian artist.
Dusty not only recorded songs written by himself and other fellow Australian performers, but also recorded classic Australian poems by Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson with new tunes, to call attention to the old 'Bush Ballads.' An example is The Man from Snowy River by Paterson.
In 1970, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to music. In 1971 he won Best Single at the Australian Country Music Awards at the Tamworth Country Music Festival (Slim's wife Joy McKean won Song of the Year as writer of the song for which he won best single). In all, he won a record 35 "Golden Guitars" over the years.
He died at home in St Ives, New South Wales on 19 September 2003 after a protracted battle with cancer, at age 76.
The Slim Dusty Story started back in the 1940s on a remote dairy farm in the hills behind Kempsey, NSW, when a 10-year-old boy dreamed of being a country music singer. His name was David Gordon Kirkpatrick... he called himself "Slim Dusty" and began to live that dream.
But even the most optimistic farm boy would never have imagined the life that was to unfold... a life that would establish Slim as the voice of the nation, the chronicler of Australian history in song.
Slim managed to hold on to those early visions of writing and singing about the bush because during his lengthy career, he always stayed in touch with his audience. And he did this in a very real and meaningful way, so much so that his fans would feel that Slim was one of their mates and his songs "just a good yarn you might hear from a mate at the pub, around a campfire in the bush or at a back yard barbie".
He described his music as "songs about real Australians... "I have to be fair dinkum with my audience. I can't see any other way of doing it," he said. "You have to believe in what you are singing about."
Slim Dusty was the first Australian to have a number one hit record and the only Australian to ever receive a 78rpm Gold Record (for A Pub With No Beer in 1958)...
He was the first Australian to have an international record hit and the first singer in the world to have his voice beamed to earth from space (astronauts Bob Crippen and John Young played Slim's recording of Waltzing Matilda from the space shuttle "Columbia" as it passed over Australia back in 1983).
During an amazingly successful career spanning over six decades, Slims' continued popularity saw him rewarded with more Gold and Platinum Awards for sales of his singles, eight-tracks, cassettes, CD's, videos and DVDs... more than any other Australian artist!
He received an unequaled 37 Golden Guitar Awards, two ARIA's (Australian Recording Industry Association awards), inductions into the ARIA Hall of Fame and the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown.
Slim was recognized for his long time services to Australian entertainment with an MBE and an Order of Australia. In 1999, Prime Minister John Howard named Slim Dusty Australia's Father of the Year and Senior Australian of the Year. There were many other awards and honors... too many to name here!
Dusty died at his home in St Ives, New South Wales on 19 September 2003 at the age of 76, after a protracted battle with cancer.
A Land he calls his own
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
track
Far from the coast and the city lights in the heart of
the great outback
And close behind on a big bay horse astride his leather
throne
Sits a native of Australia, in a land he calls his own.
from this place
And weeping spirits of the soil kept calling to his
race,
Though the earth is cold and empty now, since he
wandered from his home
Where is our native brother, in this land he calls his
own.
When sacred soil was plundered, and the elders made a
stand
Their words were left rejected and drove them to the
sand
And the big man in the city, happy with the deal hed
sold
Condemned a thousand people, from the land they call
their own.
The land is dead and silent and the white man's hand is
gone
And the trees and birds have left us, and the more we
hear their song
Though theyve lift the spirit from you and carved you
to the bone
Were back to claim our birthright this place we call
our home,
So big bullocks walking down the red and dusty track
Far from the coast and the city lights in the heart of
the great outback
And close behind on a big bay horse astride his leather
throne
Sits a native of Australia, In a land he calls his own.
The song "A Land he calls his own" by Slim Dusty portrays the heartbreaking story of a native Australian who is separated from his homeland due to the laws of man. This character is a proud and strong representation of his culture as he sits tall on a big bay horse, watching the big bullocks walking down the red and dusty track. He is in the heart of the great outback, far away from the coast and city lights, in a place he calls his own. However, despite his pride in being an Australian, he has been forced to leave his original homeland due to the laws created by man.
The character in the song, along with his people, continues to be haunted by the weeping spirits of the land, calling him back to his original home. They are all plagued by the fact that the land has become cold and empty since they were driven out of it. The elders of the land tried to make a stand against the plundering of their sacred soil, but their voices were ignored by a big man in the city who was happy with the deal he had made, condemning thousands of people from their land.
The song represents the struggle of the indigenous people of Australia and their disconnection from their homeland. It reflects the deep spiritual ties that exist between the native people and their land, which was disrupted by the colonizers. It is a poignant reminder of the harsh reality of colonization and its impact on the people who were displaced and sent away from their homes.
Line by Line Meaning
Big old bullocks walking down the red and dusty track
A pair of sturdy oxen traveling along a rustic and arid path
Far from the coast and the city lights in the heart of the great outback
Far away from the ocean and urban areas, situated in the central wilderness
And close behind on a big bay horse astride his leather throne
Riding on a large brown steed, seated comfortably in his saddle
Sits a native of Australia, in a land he calls his own.
An indigenous Australian man rooted in a land that he considers his rightful home
Though his by birth, the laws of man, have kept him from this place
Despite being born there, human regulations have restricted his presence in this particular locale
And weeping spirits of the soil kept calling to his race,
The mournful essence of the earth cried out to his people,
Though the earth is cold and empty now, since he wandered from his home
The ground feels barren and desolate without his presence after he journeyed away
Where is our native brother, in this land he calls his own.
Where has our fellow aboriginal kinsman gone, who cherishes this territory as his rightful abode.
When sacred soil was plundered, and the elders made a stand
When the sanctified ground was stolen, and the senior members of the community resisted
Their words were left rejected and drove them to the sand
Their appeals were ignored, and this forced them into a rough and gritty domain
And the big man in the city, happy with the deal he'd sold
The influential figure in the metropolis was content with the agreement he had made
Condemned a thousand people, from the land they call their own.
He doomed a myriad of individuals, evicting them from the place they regard as their rightful domain
The land is dead and silent and the white man's hand is gone
The terrain is lifeless and tranquil, with the absence of the influence of the Caucasian community
And the trees and birds have left us, and the more we hear their song
The flora and fauna have deserted our environs, and the more we long to be reunited with their melodies
Though they've left the spirit from you and carved you to the bone
Even though they've depleted your morale and sapped your vitality
We're back to claim our birthright this place we call our home,
We have returned to assert our inherent entitlement to this plot of land we consider our dwelling.
So big bullocks walking down the red and dusty track
A pair of powerful oxen making their way along a rustic, tawny passage
Far from the coast and the city lights in the heart of the great outback
Removed from the shorelines and urban illumination, positioned in the central wilderness
And close behind on a big bay horse astride his leather throne
Riding on a large brown steed, seated comfortably in his saddle
Sits a native of Australia, In a land he calls his own.
An indigenous Australian man rooted in a land that he considers his rightful home
Contributed by Kaitlyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@russellned7640
I'm a aboriginal but I love all slim songs because my grandmother love his song...god bless to you slim the LEGEND 🙏
@Norm-eq6qy
Uncle slim, thank you for all the years of wonderful music, I'm truely proud to be a aboriginal Australian
@scottmullins8024
I'm a aboriginal but still couldn't stop wiping the tears from my eye's no one can replace slim dusty
@darylwaynesullivan5798
I still hear is songs the boy now man from the nullu good on you slim may god hold you safe in palm of his hand's
@billturner7363
hobbit lad yo mate this is me other account and I can assure you I am not British, I am danish, German, French and Irish.
@alterstassfurter5743
u r an aboriginal?? and ?? ur blood is as red as mine..:-)
@badpossum440
Slim didn't care if you were black white or brindle, he sang for all of us.
@stephencuskelly920
He was a legend in his time and still is,I only met him and joy once in the 70s,very down to earth people that thought highly of our aboriginal community's ... still sadly missed today
@anendiwakar7158
Hey this is great brings back memories proud Australia.
@user-ks4er1xf5z
Good onya Cobber