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.
Losin' My Blues Tonight
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh you've done me wrong but it won't be long
'Ere my blues are out of si-ight
And this old green ra-attler's ready to go
Rollin' out of tow-own tonight
See her steam and hear the whistle scream
And we're off on the northern line
Flyin' 38 never known to be late
Rock 'n' ro-oll alo-ong on time
Oh swing that pole and hear that engine roll
Keep the signals clear tonight
Women, wine and so-ong, I've had you too long
Gonna lose my blues tonight - yeah
Oh-de-lay-ee-oh, de-lee-do-lay-ee-oh, do-lee-do-lay-ee-ee-ee
I've been in town and I've been foolin' around
And spent some ti-ime in jail
Gonna start again, don't know where-ere or when
But tonight I'm changin' my trail
It's good to see the bush land free
'Neath the moon and the stars so bright
And this old green ra-attler seems to know
I'm a-losin' my blues tonight
Oh swing that pole and hear that engine roll
Keep the signals clear tonight
Women, wine and so-ong, I've had you too long
Gonna lose my blue-ues tonight
Oh let the smoke cloud fly, I'm sayin' goodbye
I'm gonna lose my blues tonight
Gonna lose... my blues... toni-i-ight...
Slim Dusty's song Losin' My Blues Tonight is a cheerful, upbeat song about leaving town and leaving your blues behind. The opening lines - Oh-de-lay-ee-oh, de-lee-do-lay-ee-oh, do-lee-do-lay-ee-ee - are a catchy, nonsensical refrain that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer tells us that he's been done wrong, but he's not going to let it get him down - soon his blues will be out of sight. He's got a train to catch, an old green "ra-attler," and it's ready to roll out of town tonight. The train ride is described in a way that makes it sound like a lot of fun - the steam engine is whistling, they're flying along the tracks at 38 miles an hour, and the singer and his fellow passengers are swinging poles and singing songs.
The second verse reveals that the singer has been in town for a while, and he's been carrying around some baggage - he's been fooling around and spent some time in jail. But now he's ready to start over, and he's not sure where he's headed. He just knows that he's leaving town tonight, and that's all that matters. He's happy to be leaving the city behind and heading back out into the bush, where the moon and stars are bright and the land is free. The refrain returns - swing that pole and hear that engine roll, keep the signals clear tonight, women, wine and song, I've had you too long - and the singer repeats that he's going to lose his blues tonight. The song ends with the smoke from the train rising into the sky as it chugs further away from town.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh-de-lay-ee-oh, de-lee-do-lay-ee-oh, do-lee-do-lay-ee-ee
Introductory sounds to improve the rhythm and melody of the song.
Oh you've done me wrong but it won't be long
Although you've hurt me, I will soon forget all the pain.
'Ere my blues are out of si-ight
Before my sadness disappears.
And this old green ra-attler's ready to go
The old train that is green with rust and wear is prepared for the journey.
Rollin' out of tow-own tonight
Leaving the town behind tonight.
See her steam and hear the whistle scream
Watching the steam rise from the train and hearing the whistle blow.
And we're off on the northern line
Going on a journey on the northern rail line.
Flyin' 38 never known to be late
The train is a Flying 38, known for never being late.
Rock 'n' ro-oll alo-ong on time
The train is moving smoothly and quickly, rock and rolling as it travels.
Oh swing that pole and hear that engine roll
The train conductor is swinging the pole to keep the train moving smoothly and the engine is rolling.
Keep the signals clear tonight
Make sure that the signals are visible and unambiguous tonight.
Women, wine and so-ong, I've had you too long
I have indulged in women, wine, and song for too long.
Gonna lose my blues tonight - yeah
Going to forget my sorrows and enjoy myself tonight.
Oh-de-lay-ee-oh, de-lee-do-lay-ee-oh, do-lee-do-lay-ee-ee-ee
Repeating the introductory sounds to improve the rhythm and melody of the song.
I've been in town and I've been foolin' around
I have been living in the city and have been having fun.
And spent some ti-ime in jail
And have been incarcerated for a while.
Gonna start again, don't know where-ere or when
I am going to start anew, not knowing where or when.
But tonight I'm changin' my trail
But tonight I am leaving the path I have been on.
It's good to see the bush land free
It is good to see the open and unrestricted natural landscape.
'Neath the moon and the stars so bright
Beneath the bright and luminous moon and stars.
And this old green ra-attler seems to know
And the old green train seems to understand.
I'm a-losin' my blues tonight
That I am going to lose my sorrows tonight.
Oh swing that pole and hear that engine roll
Swing the pole and hear the engine rolling smoothly.
Keep the signals clear tonight
Make sure the signals are visible and unambiguous tonight.
Women, wine and so-ong, I've had you too long
I have indulged in women, wine, and song for too long.
Gonna lose my blue-ues tonight
Going to forget my sorrows and enjoy myself tonight.
Oh let the smoke cloud fly, I'm sayin' goodbye
Let the clouds of smoke fly as I say goodbye.
I'm gonna lose my blues tonight
I am going to forget my sorrows tonight.
Gonna lose... my blues... toni-i-ight...
Going to lose my sorrows tonight.
Contributed by Taylor D. 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