The almost cinematic aspect of the rise is now oft-cited; how the plucky sisters who had worked as Jillaroos, fruit pickers, roustabouts, cattle ranch hands and even enrolled in a wool classing course, while playing country music at agricultural shows, rodeos, anywhere that would have them, landed themselves in the CMAA College of Country Music in Tamworth and at seminar on marketing and networking conducted by singer Adam Brand early in 2005. How they listened intently, took him at his word and handed over a copy of their independent album of covers and originals, Little Bit Rusty .As Sophie recalls: “I walked up to him and gave him a copy – He looked at it and he was like, oh yeah. He goes ‘I’m going to play it in my ute when I leave here’ and we were like, ‘yeah, right, he’s not going to listen to it’.”
He listened, Compass Brothers Records head Graham Thompson listened and, within what seemed not much more than weeks, chunks of Australia was listening to an album that shot straight to number three on the ARIA Country Charts (with Golden Guitar nominations to follow). There was an instant connection to two gifted creators who, as Susan Jarvis wrote in Capital News, “Have a knack of finding fresh ways of seeing the bush and new approaches to writing and singing about it.” Reviews flowed warm and constant. The Qantas inflight magazine told its international readers: “Australian rather than American accents, catchy tunes, great harmonies, lyrics that make you laugh (“gone like a beer on a Friday night”) and kick-arse rhythms.
Now, with a third album under their collective belt, it would be hard to find an Australian performance and recording act so true to its origins, so intuitively in touch with its audience and so able to meet its needs and desires.
There is nothing quite like the assurance of success – which has come in the shape of two albums that are amongst the very highest-sellers in their label’s catalogue “At the start we weren’t sure if we’d be taken as a joke or seriously” Sophie admits. “We’re a bit different – its a mixture of the traditional, of country rock, comedy and loud drinking songs.” Which is fairly to be expected from a couple of girls who came through adolescence listening to Slim Dusty, John Williamson, Chad Morgan and Johnny Cash on one hand and Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers on the other, and now enjoy the likes of Terri Clark, and Australian peers and comrades – Adam Brand, Lee Kernaghan, Gina Jeffreys, Melinda Schneider and Sara Storer.
That assurance has provided a solid base from which to prepare and offer an ambitious third album – Dust Will Settle. “This is our best yet” enthuses Sophie. “I’m excited and also a little nervous about it. This time around we’ve tried to steer a bit of a different course. Perhaps as we get older the songs are not so lighthearted, they’re more grown up. I hope they realise it’s still us, the same girls.”
Unmistakably so. Certainly the songs are as sprightly, energetic and engaging as those on the first two albums but with a greater depth and diversity. It’s very much a song driven album, with five of them penned by younger sister Celeste. “Celeste has a very exciting future as a writer,” said one recent reviewer and her big sister is not inclined to disagree. “She’s really growing as a writer,” observes an admiring Sophie. “They’re great songs, we were all happy to put them on.” She had begun her own writing odyssey early with some of the originals on Little Bit Rusty written when she was just 15. There’s a telling intuition that comes from “Growing up in the bush – it gives us a connection, we’re one of them.” And as she told Susan Jarvis after the second album Long Five Days in 2006, “We always write from what we know – feelings, experiences, stories we’ve heard – and we record in a way that reflects our live shows.”
Live performances – spirited and seductive – are pivotal to the Sunny Cowgirls sudden, inexorable rise. “We just love playing to huge crowds of country people because we feel right at home and they really relate to our music,” says Sophie. And played to them they have – at the Gympie Muster and two years running at the Deniliquin Ute Muster which they nominate as their prime concert memories. “We get a great reaction all over, and some places stand out, like Mackay and Toowoomba ...... and Mulgildie this little ghost town in Queensland. I suppose our core audience is the B&S Ball and Ute crowd. They’re mostly 18-25 and pretty wild but a lot of older people also come to our shows. So we do an acoustic sit-down set, tell stories.” Stories are drawn from a life that saw them grow up on the Sunninghill farm at Dunkeld in rural Victoria then shifting to Western Australia when Sophie was 12 and Celeste 8. At high school in Perth the sisters stood apart – “We were the only kids wearing Blunnies and stuff” Celeste once related. “We’ve never been into the city culture – it just doesn’t suit us. As soon as school was over we headed back to the bush”.
That’s essentially where they have stayed, spread out on acres with room for their beloved old Holden utes (as the bumper sticker seen on the cover of Little Bit Rusty declared: ‘A Woman’s Place Is In A Ute’). “Living in Tamworth we’re still able to go around the country” says Sophie. “The Central Coast, where a lot of Australian country artists are based, just didn’t work for us. We’ll always be country girls.”
Inspirational, role model ones too. “Young girls come and tell us they want to grow up and drive utes, have dogs, play guitar, sing songs, have lots of fun – just like us. Kids 4-5 know the words to all to our songs. It’s a bit of a worry because there’s a fair few drinking songs. Oh dear!” And now there’s the cheeky Naked, which was inspired by a song Sophie had heard by her old W.A. mate Courtney Murphy, I Think About You Naked. Oh dear, indeed.
Destined for much raucous recycling is anthem-on-the-rise – Live It Loud. “We know that’s going to really go off live” laughs Sophie, “Grog Monster and Dancing On The Darling too.” She nominates the affecting Pink Galah, which arrives at particularly satisfying time in her emotional life, as “the most personal song I’ve ever written. It came to me sitting on the verandah at home one day; I was thinking about how galahs and parrots have a life partner.” The album’s title track also has layers beyond the surface. “It actually refers to depression,” she reveals. “When you grow up in the county you see it around you. The effect of drought on people is not widely understood. But it’s not a depressing song; it’s a song about hope, about coming out the other side of trials because, in time, the dust will settle.”
Rabbit may have an obvious Australian connection but was in fact inspired by the works of a prim Englishwoman born in the century before last. “I’ve always had a thing about foxes and rabbits” details Sophie, “ever since I read the Beatrix Potter books when I as really young. Mr. Todd the fox scared me half to death but I never forgot him.” Celeste was similarly inspired to pen the sweetly serenading Kelpie, which was inspired by a poem she once came across. “Celeste is a mad kelpie lover,” confirms Sophie. ‘She’s always wanted to write a song about a dog and now she has, and it’s a really good one!”
Produced by Graham Thompson, who has one of the country’s best strike rates, Dust Will Settle is an elastic album that rolls out and over you. It concludes with a classic, though underheard, 60s hit that he suggested the girls work up as a duet with their mentor Adam Brand. Someday was a 1966 top ten solo hit by Tony Barber, guitarist for the original hit lineup of Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs (He’d also penned that group’s first hit, Blue Day). It is a rollicking piece they can’t wait to take out on the road. “Someday is a super-fun song to sing,” confirms Sophie. “It’s always hard work but we really look forward to touring – to see what our audience gives back to us. I do find it hard to find time to write on the road, it gets stressful, but once we have the songs done all we want to do is play them to people. We get asked if we’re looking to go overseas and, while I guess I’m curious about Nashville and maybe going there to suss it out, there’s no real urge because the people we play to here can be so incredible.”
What becomes evident, when the Sunny Cowgirls get on a stage, is how much these two sisters (now 21 and 25) spark off each other. “We’re very happy people and we’re best mates - I hope that comes across on the album” says Sophie. “I may be four years older but I’m not the boss. ‘Less is good at giving it back!”
SUMMER
The Sunny Cowgirls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're running round with it the sprinklers on
At last it feels like winter's finally gone
And now we're gearing up for fun, ooh
Here that sound
Our feet are tappin' and the music's loud
Slip slop and slappin' drinking cold ones down
While we're soaking up the sun
Cos it's summer summer summer summer
Our Aussie summer summer summer summer
Our favourite time of year Christmas cheer
Australia Day is nearly here
It's summer, ooh
All aboard
Jump off the jetty skiing all day long
Then throw a line into the dam, ooh
A clear blue sky
Has now set into a balmy night
Corona's chasing down the fish we fried
And as we settle in the sand
Feeling fit and tanned
Chorus
Hot water comes out both our taps
The snakes are under the tank
Singlet and bikini lines
The seatbelt's a branding iron
The bitumen will melt your thongs
The aircon's blasting all night long
That's how you know your in an Aussie
Chorus
Chorus
The Sunny Cowgirls's song Summer is a fun-filled celebration of the Australian summertime. The song opens with the welcoming of warmer weather, as the fresh cut lawn is being enjoyed and sprinklers are turned on. The feeling of joy and relief that winter has passed is expressed in the opening lines. The chorus of the song highlights the quintessential Aussie Summer with trips to the beach, drinking cold ones, and celebrating festive events with family and friends. The second verse of the song speaks of activities enjoyed in the lush Australian countryside like skiing all day, throwing a line into the dam, and settling in the sand. The song concludes by referencing some comically Australian experiences like the hot water coming out of both taps and the branding iron which is the seat belt.
Line by Line Meaning
Fresh cut lawn
The sight of a recently trimmed lawn
We're running round with it the sprinklers on
Children are playing under the sprinklers on the freshly cut lawn
At last it feels like winter's finally gone
The change in weather indicates the end of the winter season
And now we're gearing up for fun, ooh
The arrival of summer signals the start of exciting outdoor activities
Here that sound
The sound of music or celebration in the air
Our feet are tappin' and the music's loud
People are dancing and the music is playing at a high volume
Slip slop and slappin' drinking cold ones down
People are applying sun protection lotion and enjoying cold drinks
While we're soaking up the sun
People are enjoying the warmth and brightness of the sun
Come on everybody
An invitation for everyone to join in the fun
Cos it's summer summer summer summer
A declaration that the season of summer has arrived
Our Aussie summer summer summer summer
An acknowledgement that it is summer in Australia
Our favourite time of year Christmas cheer
The season of summer coincides with the celebration of Christmas
Australia Day is nearly here
The national holiday of Australia is soon approaching
All aboard
An invitation to everyone to join in on the fun activities
Jump off the jetty skiing all day long
Engaging in water sports such as jet skiing throughout the day
Then throw a line into the dam, ooh
After a long day of water activities, the artist suggests fishing in a nearby dam
A clear blue sky
A vividly blue, cloudless sky
Has now set into a balmy night
The clear blue sky has transitioned into a warm, comfortable night
Corona's chasing down the fish we fried
Enjoying ice-cold Coronas with freshly fried fish
And as we settle in the sand
Relaxing on the beach
Feeling fit and tanned
Achieving a healthy, bronzed physique
Hot water comes out both our taps
The temperature outside is so hot, even the water from the hot taps is warm
The snakes are under the tank
Warning of typical summer occurrences, such as snakes taking shelter under water tanks
Singlet and bikini lines
A playful reference to the tan lines of summer clothing
The seatbelt's a branding iron
The heat from the sun and the car seatbelt can cause painful burns
The bitumen will melt your thongs
Walking on hot, melted asphalt can damage or melt rubber flip-flops, also known as 'thongs' in Australia
The aircon's blasting all night long
The singer is highlighting the necessity of air conditioning during hot summer nights
That's how you know your in an Aussie
These are all typical occurrences during an Australian summer
Chorus
Repeating the chorus to emphasize the joy and excitement of the summer season
Contributed by Caden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
johdampet
I can never get enough of listening to you guys sing! You're the best!
Country Music Lover 101
Thankyou Compass Brothers for posting this! Can't wait till the new Sunny Cowgirls Album "Summer" comes out!
Katelyn G
depicts exactly what summer means to aussies... I love it.
Jørgen Petersen
Great song & video! I look forward to see you at your show @TREC and hear some more of your new songs
lilsassystar7988
man Australia has some great country singers!
meee223
Great song and video!!! This Canuck loves it! See ya in Tamworth...out of the cold and time to warm up!
Chloe Hills
WOO!! AUSSIE SUMMER!!
CompassBros
Limewire? the album isn't even released... please do the right thing and buy the album. This ensures The Sunny Cowgirls can continue to make music...