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.
Happy Jack
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was happiest when he was miserable if ever that could be so,
He′d wake up every mornin' with the world upon his back,
And so for the want of a better name we called him Happy Jack.
If ever you travelled on outback tracks as most us sometimes do,
With anxious eyes on the petrol gauge in the hope it would see you through,
You′re a 100 miles from nowhere and eighty still to go,
And when you′re out on the Black Soul flats and you know what some rain can do,
You hope for the best as you head for the west, then you whisper a prayer or two,
And just when you're halfway over and starting to breath again,
You say with sigh and a mournful eye "I think we′re in for rain."
And when on a long and lonely run with nothing in between,
The town you left is away in the past the next one a distant dream,
He'll prick up his ears and listen and then in accents low,
"I don′t like the noise she's makin′ boss, the diff's about to go."
When you've bumped over corrugations, so deep you could bury a cow,
You say to yourself "It′s pretty bad but the worst must be over now."
Then he′ll look at you with a woeful look and furrows on his brow,
The last fifty miles on the road they say is "the worst in Australia now."
Oh I wonder where he is today, this travelling mate I had,
Where ever he is it's safe to say "That things are really bad.
If it′s not the diff it's something else or the petrol′s gettin' low."
It′s pounds to peanuts and that's a bet, something's about to go.
The lyrics of Slim Dusty's song "Happy Jack" tell the story of a feller, a traveling companion, who seems to find happiness in misery. Despite his name, Happy Jack wakes up every morning with the weight of the world on his shoulders. His constant state of pessimism and negativity is highlighted throughout the song.
The first verse sets the stage for Happy Jack's character, describing how he is happiest when he is miserable. It suggests that he constantly carries a burden on his back, perhaps symbolizing his negative outlook on life. The second verse shifts the focus to the experiences of traveling through the outback, with Happy Jack serving as a sort of harbinger of doom. As the singer experiences the anxiety of a low petrol gauge and the uncertainty of rain on the horizon, Happy Jack's voice rings out, adding to the tension.
The final verse introduces another aspect of Happy Jack's character - his ability to sense trouble before it happens. As the singer embarks on a long and lonely journey with nothing but the open road ahead, Happy Jack's intuition alerts him to potential issues with the vehicle. The lyrics suggest that Happy Jack's predictions often come true and that he always expects the worst to happen.
Line by Line Meaning
I once knew a feller, a travelling mate, not bad as fellers go,
I had a companion in my travels, someone who wasn't too bad compared to others.
He was happiest when he was miserable if ever that could be so,
He found happiness in his misery, even though it seems contradictory.
He'd wake up every mornin' with the world upon his back,
Every morning, he would feel burdened by the weight of the world.
And so for the want of a better name we called him Happy Jack.
Because he appeared to be constantly burdened yet strangely content, we nicknamed him Happy Jack.
If ever you travelled on outback tracks as most us sometimes do,
If you have ever traveled on remote outback roads like many of us have done before,
With anxious eyes on the petrol gauge in the hope it would see you through,
Keeping a watchful eye on the fuel gauge, hoping it will last until your destination.
You're a 100 miles from nowhere and eighty still to go,
Being far away from any civilization, with a considerable distance still to cover.
You'll hear his voice like the crack of doom 'The petrol's getting' low',
Suddenly, you will hear his voice filled with concern, announcing that the fuel level is dangerously low.
And when you're out on the Black Soil flats and you know what some rain can do,
When you find yourself on the muddy Black Soil flats and fully aware of the destructive power of rain,
You hope for the best as you head for the west, then you whisper a prayer or two,
You remain optimistic as you continue westward, quietly offering prayers for a favorable outcome.
And just when you're halfway over and starting to breathe again,
At the point where you have covered half the distance and start feeling relieved,
You say with a sigh and a mournful eye 'I think we're in for rain.'
You express your realization with a sigh and a worried look, acknowledging that rain is imminent.
And when on a long and lonely run with nothing in between,
During a lengthy and isolated journey with no signs of civilization in sight,
The town you left is away in the past the next one a distant dream,
The town you departed from is now far behind, and the prospect of the next town feels like a distant dream.
He'll prick up his ears and listen and then in accents low,
He will suddenly become attentive and listen carefully, speaking in hushed tones.
'I don't like the noise she's makin' boss, the diff's about to go.
He expresses his concern to the driver, stating that he dislikes the strange noises coming from the vehicle's differential.
When you've bumped over corrugations, so deep you could bury a cow,
As you go over rough road surfaces with deep ruts that could easily hide a cow,
You say to yourself 'It's pretty bad but the worst must be over now.'
You try to reassure yourself, thinking that the current situation is severe but it couldn't get any worse.
Then he'll look at you with a woeful look and furrows on his brow,
However, he will gaze at you sadly, with creases of worry on his forehead.
The last fifty miles on the road they say is 'the worst in Australia now.'
He informs you that the final fifty miles of the road ahead is regarded as the most treacherous stretch in all of Australia.
Oh, I wonder where he is today, this travelling mate I had,
I find myself pondering about the current whereabouts of this former companion of mine.
Wherever he is, it's safe to say 'That things are really bad.
No matter his current location, it can be assumed that he is facing significant hardships.
If it's not the diff, it's something else or the petrol's getting' low.'
Whether it's not just the differential causing issues, but something else entirely, or the fuel level is once again becoming dangerously low.
It's pounds to peanuts, and that's a bet, something's about to go.'
It's almost certain that a significant problem is about to arise, and that's a definite wager.
Writer(s): David Gordon Kirkpatrick, Alexander Roland Cormack
Contributed by Levi A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@RedtailFox1
i grew up on Slim's music, started listening when i was 3 with my father. I have to own most of his songs now and play them every day. As for this song, i think i can safely say that we ALL know someone like 'happy jack'
@BlitzvogelMobius
I bet this is prerequisite Australian truck driver music XD
@joelapointe4288
how can I down load these