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.
Born To Be A Rolling Stone
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never have no cares so never need to hide them,
From the sunny north down to the south I roam,
For I guess that I was born a rolling stone.
Sometimes I settle down and the road forgets me,
Then the wanderlust comes on and soon upsets me,
So I down tools and I just leave work alone,
My mates are far and many as I tramp through out the years,
Some are rich and some are poor but o'er a glass of beer,
They're all decent blokes who share a joke with no distinction shown,
And they're the mates of this old rolling stone.
yeah, I just take it easy you know.
How my life has changed, to me it seems like magic,
From what I used to be, some say it's tragic, (Ha ha)
Oh but that's a story better left alone,
For I guess that I was born a rolling stone.
So when I'm on the track and camped beside the highway,
Just a-lazing back an' gazing at God's skyway,
Will my footsteps ever reach that golden drone,
Will they ever welcome in this rolling stone.
The lyrics to Slim Dusty's song "Born To Be A Rolling Stone" depict the life of a traveler who is always on the move, wandering from one place to another. The singer of the song describes himself as carefree, without any worries, and always ready to leave when the wanderlust takes over. He is someone who enjoys traveling for its own sake, without much thought about the destination or the purpose of the journey. The song also talks about the friends he makes along the way, who come from all walks of life and share a camaraderie that transcends social status or wealth.
The underlying theme of the song seems to be the idea that some people are meant to be travelers, nomads, or wanderers, and that this lifestyle can be fulfilling even if it is not conventional. The singer of the song enjoys the freedom that comes with living on the road, even though his life may seem aimless and uncertain to others. He knows that he is not cut out for a settled life, and that he is happiest when he is on the move, discovering new places and meeting new people.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the song's lyrics reveal a deeper truth about the human condition - that we are all searching for something, be it happiness, meaning, or purpose, and that sometimes the journey itself is more important than the destination. The life of a rolling stone may seem chaotic or aimless to some, but for those who are born to wander, it is a source of joy and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
As the years roll on I tramp along beside them,
I've been traveling for a long time and I continue to travel alongside the years that pass.
Never have no cares so never need to hide them,
I live my life carefree, and I never feel the need to hide my worries because I have none.
From the sunny north down to the south I roam,
I travel all around from the northern regions to the southern regions.
For I guess that I was born a rolling stone.
I think I was born to be a traveler, always on the move and never in one place for too long.
Sometimes I settle down and the road forgets me,
Occasionally I stop traveling and settle down in one place for a period of time.
Then the wanderlust comes on and soon upsets me,
But then my desire to travel comes back and it upsets my settled life.
So I down tools and I just leave work alone,
When my urge to travel returns, I abandon my work and go on the road again.
For I guess that I was born a rolling stone.
Because I feel like traveling is what I'm meant to do.
My mates are far and many as I tramp through out the years,
During my travels, I've met many friends from different backgrounds and life experiences.
Some are rich and some are poor but o'er a glass of beer,
Despite their different financial situations, we still come together over a drink and share a good laugh.
They're all decent blokes who share a joke with no distinction shown,
All of my friends are good people who make me feel welcome, regardless of where I come from or what I do.
And they're the mates of this old rolling stone.
These people are my friends, and they accept me for who I am as a perpetual traveler.
How my life has changed, to me it seems like magic,
Looking back at my life, it feels like my experiences and travels have given me a magical perspective on life.
From what I used to be, some say it's tragic, (Ha ha)
Some people may look at my life and think it's a tragedy, but I don't see it that way.
Oh but that's a story better left alone,
My past and where I come from is not important to my current journey as a traveler.
For I guess that I was born a rolling stone.
Traveling is what I was meant to do, and I don't need to explain or justify it to anyone.
So when I'm on the track and camped beside the highway,
When I'm traveling and stop for the night, usually next to a road or highway.
Just a-lazing back an' gazing at God's skyway,
I like to relax and look up at the vast and beautiful skies above me.
Will my footsteps ever reach that golden drone,
I wonder if my travels will ever take me to a place that surpasses all expectations.
Will they ever welcome in this rolling stone.
And I wonder if I will be welcomed in such a place as a traveler who is always on the move.
Writer(s): David Kirkpatrick
Contributed by Zachary N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@brendanwilliams7291
Great song.