OFWTK, Who likes our national anthem, should we change it?

[Captain Starfish]

Of all the Australiana toonz..

"Still Call Australia Home" is the only one that tickles me by the hairs on my spine as it reaches down through my guts, grabs my balls and gently twists. Qantas ads notwithstanding; that tune will bring a quiet, "fuck this place is awesome" tear to my eye every time I hear it.

[Dr. Venkman]

Don't tell us what you really think or anything.
I wasn't aware that was the Telstra Hold Music.... I'm sure many people aren't aware of this fact.
So why hold it against people who enjoy the song for what it is?
When you dislike it because of how a company uses it?

At least a company is using an Australian song for once. I spent three months dealing with Optus and having to listen to their hold music, a selection of three elevator style songs from a crappy jazz probably created on Garage Band and the other two with Cats for vocalists...

I admit that it was a pretty strong response and I apologise.

At lest you get variety with Optus.

I worked in the faults department at Telstra for a couple of years, I have no problem with the choice of song at all, it was the fact that sometimes the practices they employed toward employees, let alone the customers, were what could be termed as un-Australian and insulting to boot - ADSL fault? line working? Call your provider - who then had to call guess who, wholesale faults to report it, this last can only be described as frustratingly retarded.

I remember one christmas, 2 or 3 days before the big day, the line crews from one area in Perth were called back to the depot and ALL of them were given cab fare vouchers home, see you later lads.

When I worked there if you needed to get hold of a supervisor, you called yours first, if you were lucky they picked up, if they did not answer or were already on a call the system would then poll call the other supervisors to get the next available super, for it to do so it had to put the operator on hold, sometimes you waited a fair while before going back to the caller and advising them that a supervisor was not available at this time, at this point the customer is annoyed that they were on hold for so long, that a super was not available to talk to or help them, then they'd abuse us for having that song on the hold music, and it didn't bloody change, ever, inserted between bits or the whole song for that matter were adverts for products and services that the customers were never interested in anyway or calling about that was causing a problem, they wanted their problem attended to not listen to some frustrating garbage while on hold.

So yes the song while it is a good one, up there in the same vein as "True Blue", I do not want to see it as our national anthem.

[chew]

6 years i've been in the desert
and every night, i dream of the sea
they say home is were you find it
will this place ever satisfy me?
for i come from the salt water people
we've always lived by the sea
now i'm out here west of alice springs
with a wife and a family

and my island home
my island home
my island home
is waitin for me

in the evnin the dry wind blows
from the hills
and across the plain
i close my eyes and i'm standing
in a boat
on the sea again
and i'm holding a long tyello spear
and i feel unclothed now
to where it must be
my island home, is waitin for me

For i come from the salt water people
we've always lived by the sea
now i'm out here west of alice springs
with a wife and a family

and my island home
my island home
my island home
is waitin for me

in the evnin the dry wind blows
from the hills
and across the plain
i close my eyes and i'm standing
in a boat
on the sea again
and i'm holding a long tyello spear
and i feel unclothed now
to where it must be
my island home, is waitin for me

my island home
my island home
my island home
is waitin for me

[96]

I don't see the point in an anthem that no one knows in it's entirty.

The Lyrics to Advance Australia Fair are in free-form notation, the first, and the third are usually the only verses sung.

Verse 1

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Verse 2

When gallant Cook from Albion sail'd,
To trace wide oceans o'er,
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore.
Then here he raised Old England's flag,
The standard of the brave;
With all her faults we love her still,
"Britannia rules the wave!"
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"
Verse 3

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Verse 4

While other nations of the globe
Behold us from afar,
We'll rise to high renown and shine
Like our glorious southern star;
From England, Scotia, Erin's Isle,
Who come our lot to share,
Let all combine with heart and hand
To advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"
Verse 5

Shou'd foreign foe e'er sight our coast,
Or dare a foot to land,
We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore
To guard our native strand;
Brittannia then shall surely know,
Beyond wide ocean's roll,
Her sons in fair Australia's land
Still keep a British soul.
In joyful strains the let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

And from another location.

Lost 6th Verse

With Christ our head and cornerstone,
We'll build our Nation's might,
Whose way and truth and light alone,
Can guide our path aright.
Our lives, a sacrifice of love,
Reflect our Master's care
With faces turned to heaven above,
Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

Personally, 'I still call Australia home' is the most likely replacement.

But I still get chills hearing a well sung (all be it rarely) rendition of advance Australia fair.

[Teedo]

I do like the lyrics....
and this is actually good !


Even to Gilligans Island theme would be better

Just sing it to this tune....

[Phildo]

Sometimes you waited a fair while before going back to the caller and advising them that a supervisor was not available at this time, at this point the customer is annoyed that they were on hold for so long.

That's the problem with the usage of call centres in Australia.

Play music for 60 seconds.

Anything after that - phone sex.

You return to the conversation with the customer.

*high pitched voice* "Forget the bloody ADSL crap dammit, but me back on hold!!!!!"