Australia will be there
Of all the patriotic songs of WW1, 'Australia Will Be There' is probably the one best known to Australians. It became the marching song of the Australian Expeditionary Forces and was used to rally the troops as they marched away from home. 'Australia Will Be There' was written in 1915 by Walter ‘Skipper’ Francis. The song quotes from ‘ Auld Lang Syne’ in its chorus and is often given its longer title, 'For Auld Land Syne - Australia Will Be There '.
Year:1915
Location:Recorded in the United Kingdom
Australia will be there
Of all the patriotic songs of WW1, 'Australia Will Be There' is probably the one best known to Australians. It became the marching song of the Australian Expeditionary Forces and was used to rally the troops as they marched away from home. 'Australia Will Be There' was written in 1915 by Walter ‘Skipper’ Francis. The song quotes from ‘ Auld Lang Syne’ in its chorus and is often given its longer title, 'For Auld Land Syne - Australia Will Be There '.
Year: 1915
Length: 03:23
Production Company: Rexophone, 6000 (UK)
Credits: Performer: Stanley Read, Composer: Walter W 'Skipper' Francis
Source: National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Catalogue Reference: NFSA title: 1017722
Location: Recorded in the United Kingdom
Tags: Australia, song, music, popular music, Stanley Read
Subject: popular music, Stanley Read
Image Title: Sheet music: Australia Will Be There
Image Source: Douglas Stewart Fine Books
A Welshman by birth, Skipper Francis immigrated to Australia in 1913 due to ill-health. He was, however, very athletic, excelling at a number of sports and swam the Bristol Channel in 1912.
Written in 1915, ' Australia Will Be There' was immensely popular. The song celebrates the nation's freedom and declares Australia's commitment to fight. It references the defeat of the German light cruiser SMS Emden by HMAS Sydney on 9 November 1914.
Australia Will Be There - lyrics
There are lots and lots of arguments
Going on today
As to whether
dear old England
Should be
brought into the fray
<
But all right thinking
people
Know well we had
to fight
For the Kaiser’s
funny business
It wants some
putting right.
Rally 'round the
banner of your country
Take the field
with brothers o'er the foam
On land or sea
Wherever you be
Keep your eye on
Germany
But England,
home and beauty
Have no cause to
fear
Should auld
acquaintance be forgot
No, no, no, no,
no!
Australia will
be there
Australia will
be there
You have heard
about the Emden ship
Cruising all
around
She was sinking British
merchant men
Where'er they
could be found
But one fine morning
early
The Sydney hove
in sight
She trained her
guns upon them
And the German
said ‘goodnight’
Rally 'round the
banner of your country
Take the field
with brothers o'er the foam
On land or sea
Wherever you be
Keep your eye on
Germany
But England,
home and beauty
Have no cause to
fear
Should auld
acquaintance be forgot
No, no, no, no,
no!
Australia will
be there
Australia will
be there