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.
Clean Up Our Own Backyard
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things are crook at Tallarook and there ain't no work in Burke,
But we still find room for the many who come a-knockin' at our door,
And we sell our wide brown acres without a second thought,
Some will say we are building a nation rich and strong,
But if you take a closer look at it perhaps we've got it wrong,
Makes you think maybe we're a bit crazy doing it quite so hard,
In the country towns and the land around, in the city streets and slums,
The dreamtime lore has gone before and the walkabout is done,
On the streets at night you see the plight of our old ones and our young,
And the Salvo refugge overflows, but still the people come.
Just a little drop of caring in an ocean of neglect,
Can't stem the tide of anger from the lost and dispossessed,
In the land of promise keepin' our promise gets to be too hard,
Shouldnt be a crime to take the time to clean up our own backyard.
Make you think maybe we're a bit crazy doing it quite so hard,
Shouldnt be a crime to take the time to clean up our own backyard.
The song "Clean Up Our Own Backyard" by Slim Dusty highlights the urgent need to address the pressing issues all around us as a nation. The lyrics start with a reference to an old rhyme that talks about tough times in certain towns and no job opportunities. However, despite that, the country finds room and welcomes those who come seeking help. But the song questions the approach we have taken till now - selling off our vast lands without a second thought, building a nation "rich and strong," and it suggests we might have gotten it wrong.
Slim Dusty believes that we have the means and the responsibility to take care of the issues that plague our land. He points out the deplorable conditions of the streets, the lack of support for the vulnerable sections of the population, and the overflowing Salvo refuge. The lyrics also suggest that a little bit of care could go a long way in addressing the issues of neglect and anger from the dispossessed.
The song acknowledges the hardship of living up to the promise of the land of promise, but continues to stress the need to clean up our backyard. It's a heartfelt call for unity and responsibility towards building a better country by prioritizing and fixing our own issues.
Line by Line Meaning
There's an old rhyme that pits out time take it for what it's worth,
There is an old saying that time marches on relentlessly, and we should take heed of its significance, whether positive or negative.
Things are crook at Tallarook and there ain't no work in Burke,
Difficult circumstances prevail in certain places that make it challenging for people to find employment and sustain themselves.
But we still find room for the many who come a-knockin' at our door,
Despite the challenges, we continue to welcome and accommodate those who seek refuge and a better life at our doorstep.
And we sell our wide brown acres without a second thought,
We readily sell off our vast lands without much consideration for the long-term impacts on our society and environment.
Some will say we are building a nation rich and strong,
Some may argue that our actions of welcoming and selling land are contributing to the growth and prosperity of our country.
But if you take a closer look at it perhaps we've got it wrong,
However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that our actions may not be sustainable or ethical in the long run.
Makes you think maybe we're a bit crazy doing it quite so hard,
It is worth considering that our actions may be extreme and misguided, and that a more moderate and thoughtful approach would be better in the long run.
Shouldn't be a crime to take the time to clean up our own backyard.
We should prioritize taking care of our own community and environment before expanding and exploiting beyond our means.
In the country towns and the land around, in the city streets and slums,
Challenges and neglect exist not just in rural areas, but in urban settings as well, affecting people from all walks of life.
The dreamtime lore has gone before and the walkabout is done,
The traditional ways of life and spiritual connections to the land have been disrupted and dismantled in many places, leaving a void in meaning and identity for Indigenous peoples.
On the streets at night you see the plight of our old ones and our young,
The struggles and suffering of vulnerable populations such as the elderly and the youth are visible in public spaces, highlighting the failure of our social systems to adequately support them.
And the Salvo refugge overflows, but still the people come.
Even with the overflowing of Salvation Army shelters, people continue to flock to them in search of relief from their dire circumstances.
Just a little drop of caring in an ocean of neglect,
Although it may seem like a small gesture, a little bit of compassion and attention can go a long way in addressing the overwhelming problem of neglect and apathy.
Can't stem the tide of anger from the lost and dispossessed,
Despite our efforts, it is difficult to quell the righteous anger and frustration of those who have been marginalized and abandoned by society.
In the land of promise keepin' our promise gets to be too hard,
Even in a country that promises so much potential and opportunity, it can be challenging to fulfill the promises we make to ourselves and to others.
Shouldnt be a crime to take the time to clean up our own backyard.
We need to prioritize taking care of our own communities and environment before expanding and exploiting beyond our means, and there is nothing wrong with slowing down to do what needs to be done.
Make you think maybe we're a bit crazy doing it quite so hard,
It is worth considering that our actions may be extreme and misguided, and that a more moderate and thoughtful approach would be better in the long run.
Shouldnt be a crime to take the time to clean up our own backyard.
We need to prioritize taking care of our own communities and environment before expanding and exploiting beyond our means, and there is nothing wrong with slowing down to do what needs to be done.
Writer(s): joy mckean
Contributed by Violet S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sandra
on One Truckie's Epitaph
My brother Terry Radke was the man Slim wrote the song for after he received a letter from Terry's youngest son, Lync. Thank you
Charley Boyter
on Axe Mark On a Gidgee
With horsebells to keep me company
Jake
on Your Country's Been Sold
You say you belong to Australia my friend
And rightly you’d die for this land to defend
But let us be honest, it’s sad but it’s true
Australia my friend doesn’t belong to you
Our country’s been sold by the powers that be
To big wealthy nations way over the sea
We couldn’t be taken by bayonets or lead
And so they decided to buy us instead
And talking of wars and the blood that was spilled
The widows, the crippled, the ones that were killed
And I often wonder if their ghosts can see
What’s happening now to their native country
I wonder if ghosts of the fallen can see
The crime and corruption and vast poverty
With a lost generation of youth on the dole
Who drift on life’s ocean without any goal
I once had a dream of our country so grand
The rivers outback irrigated the land
With towns and canals in that wasteland out there
And big inland cities with work everywhere
With profit from farming and factory and mine
Was used to develop a nation so fine
Then I woke from my dream into reality
That the wealth of our nation goes over the sea
Yeah you say you belong to Australia my friend
And rightly you’d die for this land to defend
But let us be honest, it’s sad but it’s true
Australia my friend doesn’t belong to you