Under Cover Down Under (Part 1)

This two-part episode explores the history and merits of cover songs in Australian pop music. We’ll try to answer the question: is recording a cover song a good way to make, or break, an Aussie artist’s career? We begin our journey with a surprisingly successful cover of a stoner-rock band, by everybody’s favorite kids band. Then we travel back in time to the 60s, where lots of white guys named Johnny had hits with other people’s songs. We meet the mighty women of the 70s, who each defined their sound with well-chosen covers. We hear how pop, disco and blues records of the past were eightiesified (is that a word?) by new wavers, models and soapie stars, and pause our journey at the dawn of the 1990s.

Find the episode playlist on the Spotify Cara Diaria artist page.  Send questions or compliments to mykindofscenepod[@]gmail.com.

Sources:

• Wikipedia
• All The ARIA Singles Chart #1s” ARIA.com.au, Jan 28, 2022
• Lindvall, Helienne. “Behind the music: Can artists stop people from covering their songs?” The Guardian, Jun 18, 2009
• Newstead, Al. “The Wiggles’ historic Hottest 100 win…” abc.net.au, Jan 22, 2022
• “Johnny O’Keefe – Shout (live)” YouTube, Feb 8, 2012
• “Johnny O’Keefe” Discogs
• Gorr, Libby. “The history of John Farnham’s hit, Sadie The Cleaning Lady” abc.net.au, Apr 12, 2020
• Murphy, Mary. “Superstar Women and their Marriages” New York Magazine, Aug 9, 1976
• Watters, Jim. “Olivia Newton-John: Not Really the ‘Girl Next Door’” New York Times, Jun 11, 1978
• “Official Singles Chart Top 75 - 22 June 1980 - 28 June 1980” OfficialCharts.com. 
• “Interview Brian Canham Pseudo Echo” Female.com.au, 1999
• Renick, Eric. “Four-on-the-floor – That disco beat!” YouTube.com, Jun 10, 2018
• Rolfe, Brooke. “'No one really knew who she was!' Greg Petherick recalls his 'gut instinct' to record Locomotion with Kylie Minogue...” Daily Mail Australia, Aug 5, 2017
• Adams, Cameron. “Locomotion set Kylie on track” Daily Telegraph, Aug 2, 2007