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.
You'Ve Got To Drink The Froth To Get The Beer
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
moan
And no one wants to pay their tax or the interest on
their loan
But as you struggle on through life for all that you
hold dear
Remember that you've gotta drink the froth to get the
beer
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
No matter what you read or no matter what you hear
It's a lay down hand you bet you're gonna pay for all
you get
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
How often have you heard about the overnight success?
The man who made it to the top in a month or two or
less
They say he got it easy with friends who opened doors
But nine times out of ten he's battled twenty years
before
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
No matter what you read or no matter what you hear
It's a lay down hand you bet you're gonna pay for all
you get
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
Don't waste your time complainin' cause no one wants to
know
In life there's no rehearsal it's straight on with the
show
As you're roarin' down a highway smooth as a feather
bed
Keep an eye out for a sign that says gravel road ahead
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
No matter what you read or no matter what you hear
It's a lay down hand you bet you're gonna pay for all
you get
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
The lyrics to Slim Dusty's song "You've Got To Drink The Froth To Get The Beer" are a motivational reminder to those who are struggling or complaining about the difficulties of life. The song opens by acknowledging that there are some people who like to protest or complain and avoid paying their taxes or debts. However, the song encourages listeners to remember that in order to achieve success, they must be willing to drink the froth of their efforts in order to taste the beer of success. Essentially, the song is reminding us that we must work hard and persevere through the struggles in order to achieve success.
The lyrics also talk about the idea of overnight success and how many people believe that successful people got there easily, but Slim Dusty points out that most successful people have battled for years, if not decades, before they achieved success. This is another reminder that success takes time, effort, and dedication.
Overall, the song is uplifting, motivational, and a reminder that success requires hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to accept the challenges and effort required to achieve our goals. It encourages us to keep pushing forward, even when the road ahead seems rough, and to always remember that we've got to drink the froth to get the beer.
Line by Line Meaning
There's some who like to protest and a lot who like to moan
Some people tend to complain and protest things while others just moan.
And no one wants to pay their tax or the interest on their loan
Most people don't like to pay taxes or the interest on their loan.
But as you struggle on through life for all that you hold dear
Despite the struggles in life, people continue to hold onto what is dear to them.
Remember that you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
You have to go through the difficulties in order to reach the benefits.
Hey you've gotta drink the froth to get the beer
You have to go through the difficulties in order to reach the benefits.
No matter what you read or no matter what you hear
Regardless of what you hear or read, the truth is that you must face the struggles.
It's a lay down hand you bet you're gonna pay for all you get
It's inevitable that you'll have to pay for what you've received through hard work.
How often have you heard about the overnight success?
Frequently one hears about people before they reach success.
The man who made it to the top in a month or two or less
There are people who reach success very quickly.
They say he got it easy with friends who opened doors
Some people might say that he received the success because of his connections.
But nine times out of ten he's battled twenty years before
Few people know that this person might have gone through difficulties for many years before reaching success.
Don't waste your time complainin' cause no one wants to know
No one wants to hear complaints, rather they'd rather hear solutions to problems.
In life there's no rehearsal it's straight on with the show
Life doesn't give second chances so we need to make the most out of it.
As you're roarin' down a highway smooth as a feather bed
Sometimes, everything seems to be going well in life.
Keep an eye out for a sign that says gravel road ahead
However, it's important to always watch out for potential difficulties ahead.
Contributed by Dominic M. 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