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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australian anthems: the Seekers – The Carnival is Over | Australian anthems: the Seekers – The Carnival is Over |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Last | Last |
| week, Andrew Mueller wrote beautifully about how Midnight Oil played the | week, Andrew Mueller wrote beautifully about how Midnight Oil played the |
| subversive anti-anthem Beds are Burning at the closing ceremony of the 2000 | subversive anti-anthem Beds are Burning at the closing ceremony of the 2000 |
| Sydney Olympic Games, the band dressed in black outfits emblazoned with the | Sydney Olympic Games, the band dressed in black outfits emblazoned with the |
| word “sorry” – an apology from the inhabitants of a proud country founded on | word “sorry” – an apology from the inhabitants of a proud country founded on |
| pillage and genocide. | pillage and genocide. |
| The song | The song |
| that was originally marked for that spot was actually the Seekers’ The Carnival | that was originally marked for that spot was actually the Seekers’ The Carnival |
| is Over – not so surprising perhaps, as its refrain of “Now the harbour light is | is Over – not so surprising perhaps, as its refrain of “Now the harbour light is |
| calling/This will be our last goodbye” has long since slipped into Australian | |
| hearts, and it has been used to close numerous sporting and cultural events, | hearts, and it has been used to close numerous sporting and cultural events, |
| notably Expo ’88. Unfortunately, singer Judith Durham had broken her hip. (The | notably Expo ’88. Unfortunately, singer Judith Durham had broken her hip. (The |
| group ended up performing it at the Paralympics, Durham seated in a wheelchair.) | group ended up performing it at the Paralympics, Durham seated in a wheelchair.) |
| Nonetheless, | Nonetheless, |
| it’s an odd song to have finish sporting events – traditionally celebratory – | it’s an odd song to have finish sporting events – traditionally celebratory – |
| as it’s actually a desperately sad tale of lost love, played out under the | as it’s actually a desperately sad tale of lost love, played out under the |
| darkening skies and echoing fields of a departed fair. | darkening skies and echoing fields of a departed fair. |
| High above, the dawn | High above, the dawn |
| is waking | is waking |
| And my tears are falling rain | And my tears are falling rain |
| For the carnival is over | For the carnival is over |
| We may never meet again | We may never meet again |
| The song | The song |
| feels supremely evocative. A light military tattoo taps out on the drum – | feels supremely evocative. A light military tattoo taps out on the drum – |
| perhaps evoking Australia’s troubled origins – while over four-part | perhaps evoking Australia’s troubled origins – while over four-part |
| harmonies, an acoustic guitar and a stand-up bass, Durham sings its words of | harmonies, an acoustic guitar and a stand-up bass, Durham sings its words of |
| farewell with a serene beauty that induces feelings of yearning and | farewell with a serene beauty that induces feelings of yearning and |
| bereavement: emotions that must have felt particularly apposite for a | bereavement: emotions that must have felt particularly apposite for a |
| generation of immigrants moving across to Australia in the 60s. | |
| Among these | Among these |
| immigrants were the “10 pound poms”, including two of my mother’s sisters and | immigrants were the “10 pound poms”, including two of my mother’s sisters and |
| their families. I remember how odd it seemed to me, watching them on their rare | their families. I remember how odd it seemed to me, watching them on their rare |
| trips back to the UK with their sunburned faces and tales of distance and isolation, | trips back to the UK with their sunburned faces and tales of distance and isolation, |
| their words seeming to echo with a wistfulness and a longing for the more | their words seeming to echo with a wistfulness and a longing for the more |
| prosaic, grey streets of Essex – something they could never quite reclaim. | prosaic, grey streets of Essex – something they could never quite reclaim. |
| Appropriate | Appropriate |
| then, that The Carnival is Over was originally released in the UK, after the Seekers | then, that The Carnival is Over was originally released in the UK, after the Seekers |
| moved from Melbourne to London in 1964 – before they became famous at home – having | |
| worked their way across on a 12-month engagement for a Sitmar cruise liner as | worked their way across on a 12-month engagement for a Sitmar cruise liner as |
| the house band. | the house band. |
| Says | Says |
| Durham of the song’s performance at the Seekers’ first farewell concert in 1968 | Durham of the song’s performance at the Seekers’ first farewell concert in 1968 |
| (it’s a grand Australian tradition that the Seekers split up and return with a | (it’s a grand Australian tradition that the Seekers split up and return with a |
| pleasing regularity): | pleasing regularity): |
| It’s a | It’s a |
| very emotional song for people, and no question about it, they were, literally, | very emotional song for people, and no question about it, they were, literally, |
| grief-stricken. Fans sat there with tears rolling down their faces while we | grief-stricken. Fans sat there with tears rolling down their faces while we |
| sang this song. | sang this song. |
| (You can | (You can |
| witness another “final” concert – no less tear-inducing and emotionally-charged | witness another “final” concert – no less tear-inducing and emotionally-charged |
| – from the Seekers here, at the AFL Grand Final in 1994. ) | – from the Seekers here, at the AFL Grand Final in 1994. ) |
| The | The |
| Carnival is Over was an immediate success upon its release in November 1965. It | Carnival is Over was an immediate success upon its release in November 1965. It |
| sold over 1.4m copies in the UK alone, and reached No 1 in both | sold over 1.4m copies in the UK alone, and reached No 1 in both |
| the UK and Australia. In 1967, the group were named Australians of the Year – | the UK and Australia. In 1967, the group were named Australians of the Year – |
| the first musicians to be accorded that honour. The band still holds the record | the first musicians to be accorded that honour. The band still holds the record |
| for the largest single concert crowd in the southern hemisphere (200,000), recorded at the Myer Music Bowl in | for the largest single concert crowd in the southern hemisphere (200,000), recorded at the Myer Music Bowl in |
| Melbourne upon their return to Australia in March 1967. | Melbourne upon their return to Australia in March 1967. |
| Co-written | Co-written |
| and produced by Tom Springfield (quintessential 60s pop chanteuse Dusty | and produced by Tom Springfield (quintessential 60s pop chanteuse Dusty |
| Springfield’s brother – together, they formed two-thirds of the popular folk/rock | Springfield’s brother – together, they formed two-thirds of the popular folk/rock |
| trio the Springfields), The Carnival is Over is famously based around a | trio the Springfields), The Carnival is Over is famously based around a |
| traditional Russian folk song – Stenka Razin – written about a 17th-century Cossack officer who drowned his betrothed in the Volga River to prove | traditional Russian folk song – Stenka Razin – written about a 17th-century Cossack officer who drowned his betrothed in the Volga River to prove |
| to his soldiers that love had not turned him soft. | to his soldiers that love had not turned him soft. |
| Springfield | Springfield |
| rewrote the lyrics – still basing them around the time-honoured tale of love | rewrote the lyrics – still basing them around the time-honoured tale of love |
| lost – bringing in a reference to Pierrot and Columbine, archetypal masked and | lost – bringing in a reference to Pierrot and Columbine, archetypal masked and |
| ill-fated characters in the Commedia dell’Arte, the traditional Italian | ill-fated characters in the Commedia dell’Arte, the traditional Italian |
| pantomime. | pantomime. |
| The Melbourne Review describes the | The Melbourne Review describes the |
| recording thus: | recording thus: |
| Springfield’s words have a poetic formality about them that together | Springfield’s words have a poetic formality about them that together |
| with the stately tempo of the music lends the song a hymnal quality. Judith | with the stately tempo of the music lends the song a hymnal quality. Judith |
| Durham’s voice is strong and clear and her phrasing steadfast, as if she’s | Durham’s voice is strong and clear and her phrasing steadfast, as if she’s |
| steeling herself for the ordeal. Her restraint (so at odds with contemporary | steeling herself for the ordeal. Her restraint (so at odds with contemporary |
| singing styles) only serves to heighten the emotional impact of the song. | singing styles) only serves to heighten the emotional impact of the song. |
| Absolutely. | Absolutely. |
| It’s that whole stiff upper lip thing – mustn’t show any emotion even though | It’s that whole stiff upper lip thing – mustn’t show any emotion even though |
| your world is breaking apart – that really gets the tears flowing. | your world is breaking apart – that really gets the tears flowing. |
| The | The |
| Seekers had another great and popular songs too – most obviously Georgy Girl, Morningtown Ride (a favourite with parents everywhere), I’ll Never Find | Seekers had another great and popular songs too – most obviously Georgy Girl, Morningtown Ride (a favourite with parents everywhere), I’ll Never Find |
| Another You and their stirring rendition of I am Australian – but it’s The | Another You and their stirring rendition of I am Australian – but it’s The |
| Carnival is Over that will be what Athol Guy, Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley and | Carnival is Over that will be what Athol Guy, Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley and |
| Judith Durham are remembered for. | Judith Durham are remembered for. |
| I can | I can |
| remember when I first moved to Australia – to Melbourne for a year in 1999 – | remember when I first moved to Australia – to Melbourne for a year in 1999 – |
| thinking that I knew most all I needed to know about the culture by the time I | thinking that I knew most all I needed to know about the culture by the time I |
| left. Then I saw Muriel’s Wedding and finally heard the Seekers’ version of The | left. Then I saw Muriel’s Wedding and finally heard the Seekers’ version of The |
| Carnival is Over, probably at the aforementioned Paralympics closing ceremony. | Carnival is Over, probably at the aforementioned Paralympics closing ceremony. |
| I was already familiar with Nick Cave’s stately, surprisingly deferential take | I was already familiar with Nick Cave’s stately, surprisingly deferential take |
| (from his 1986 covers album Kicking Against the Pricks) but ... oh, man. How | (from his 1986 covers album Kicking Against the Pricks) but ... oh, man. How |
| could a country sound so sure and brash and proud of itself on one hand – as | could a country sound so sure and brash and proud of itself on one hand – as |
| typified by the Aussie cricket team, the sporting achievements – and, on the other, | typified by the Aussie cricket team, the sporting achievements – and, on the other, |
| still sound so uncertain, lost and yearning, almost childish? | still sound so uncertain, lost and yearning, almost childish? |
| It’s a | It’s a |
| puzzle that still perplexes and attracts me today, six years after having moved | puzzle that still perplexes and attracts me today, six years after having moved |
| to Brisbane and four years after I became a citizen. I think it speaks volumes | to Brisbane and four years after I became a citizen. I think it speaks volumes |
| for Australia that The Carnival is Over is such a loved, shared touch-point. | for Australia that The Carnival is Over is such a loved, shared touch-point. |
| I will | I will |
| never tire of it. | never tire of it. |
| Say goodbye, my own | Say goodbye, my own |
| true lover | true lover |
| As we sing a lover’s song | As we sing a lover’s song |
| How it breaks my heart to leave you | How it breaks my heart to leave you |
| Now the carnival is gone | Now the carnival is gone |