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.
G
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Line by Line Meaning ↴
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
Isn't great to be an Aussie
Takin' a walk along the street
Lookin' in shops or buyin' a paper
Stoppin' and havin' a yarn with people that you meet
Down at the pub or at a party
Whenever you're stuck for what to say
If you wanna be dinky-di, why don't you give it a try
Look 'em right in the eye and say goo'day
G'day g'day, how ya goin', hat d'ya know, well strike a light
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
Now when Italians meet they all go crazy
The blokes all like to hug each other too
The Yanks invented "hi" "and see you later"
While the Pommy will shake your hand and say "how do you do"
Now watch out for a Frenchmen or he'll kiss you
The Spaniards go for "Olah" and "Olay"
But in the land of the cockatoo, pole cats and the didgeridoo
When you meet an Aussie ten-to-one here's what he'll say
G'day g'day, how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
It's a greeting that you'll hear across Australia
From Geraldton to Goulburn, Gundagai
It's as dinkum as the Dingo and the Dahlia
And you spell it with a G, apostrophe, a D-A-Y
G'day g'day, how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
G'day g'day, and how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
G'day g;day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day
Just say G'day g'day g'day and she'll be right
G'day g'day, how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
Hello, how are you doing? What do you know? Well, isn't it amazing?
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Hello, hello, and how are you?
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
Just say hello, hello, hello, and everything will be fine
Isn't great to be an Aussie
Isn't it wonderful to be an Australian?
Takin' a walk along the street
Walking along the street and enjoying the surroundings
Lookin' in shops or buyin' a paper
Browsing through shops or purchasing a newspaper
Stoppin' and havin' a yarn with people that you meet
Stopping and having a chat with the people you come across
Down at the pub or at a party
At the pub or during a party gathering
Whenever you're stuck for what to say
When you don't know what to say
If you wanna be dinky-di, why don't you give it a try
If you want to be authentic, why not give it a try?
Look 'em right in the eye and say goo'day
Look them directly in the eye and say hello
Now when Italians meet they all go crazy
When Italians meet, they get very excited
The blokes all like to hug each other too
The men also enjoy hugging each other
The Yanks invented 'hi' 'and see you later'
Americans created the greetings 'hi' and 'see you later'
While the Pommy will shake your hand and say 'how do you do'
Meanwhile, the British will shake your hand and greet you by saying 'how do you do'
Now watch out for a Frenchmen or he'll kiss you
Be cautious around a Frenchman, as they might try to kiss you
The Spaniards go for 'Olah' and 'Olay'
Spaniards use 'Olah' and 'Olay' as their greetings
But in the land of the cockatoo, pole cats and the didgeridoo
However, in Australia, known for its cockatoos, native cats, and the didgeridoo
When you meet an Aussie ten-to-one here's what he'll say
When you meet an Australian, most likely this is what they will say
It's a greeting that you'll hear across Australia
It's a greeting that is commonly heard throughout Australia
From Geraldton to Goulburn, Gundagai
From Geraldton to Goulburn, and all the way to Gundagai
It's as dinkum as the Dingo and the Dahlia
It's as genuine and authentic as the Dingo and the Dahlia
And you spell it with a G, apostrophe, a D-A-Y
And you spell it with the letters G, apostrophe, D-A-Y
G'day g'day, and how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
Hello, hello, and how are you? What do you know? Well, isn't it amazing?
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Hello, hello, and how are you?
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
Just say hello, hello, hello, and everything will be fine
G'day g'day, and how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
Hello, hello, and how are you? What do you know? Well, isn't it amazing?
G'day g;day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Hello, hello, and how are you?
Just say g'day g'day g'day
Just say hello, hello, hello
Just say G'day g'day g'day and she'll be right
Just say hello, hello, hello, and everything will be fine
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bryony Marks, Christopher Lilley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rae7158
Heard this song while at an antique shop when I visited Australia (Brisbane) in 2016. Every time I hear this tune, it brings me back.
@wolfsteingaming2095
G'day G'day, from Morocco.
This is by far the most satisfying song my ears has ever heard.
@bradleybrown8428
I’m a brit and I’ll be honest this song has brought me to tears. it’s awesome!
@manejap5
gday aussies RIP slim dusty
@VexensTrue
growin up I was told he wrote this for my home towns radio. We just sing it as the chorus. gday gday, an how ya goin, waddya know? We'll strike a light, gday gday an how ya goin you say gday gday gday an youll be right. Probably a lie. But still. That was my childhood.
@fingerrs2581
Thank you 🇦🇺
@noelineriordan
We had this song played for my husbands farewell he was carried in to the chapel with this song
@beadsstitcher
I dedicate this song to my father in-law who loved Slim Dusty all his life.He is celebrating his 84th birthday today on Anzac day.
@lovinkaussiechannel4047
This song brings me back to Ballarat 😄🎤🎹🎼
@onehornoneeyeflyingpurplep2855
Dad I hope you hear this I miss you 24/11/09 never forget that day we didn't cry we celebrated your life. But I truly do miss you I didn't want you to leave but I hope you say g'day one more time please xo