Advance Australia Fair

The song was first performed in 1878 and sung in Australia as a patriotic song. It replaced \”God Save the Queen\” as the official national anthem in 1984, following a plebiscite to choose the national song in 1977. An amended version was sung by a choir of around 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.

About Advance Australia Fair in brief

Summary Advance Australia FairThe song was first performed in 1878 and sung in Australia as a patriotic song. It replaced \”God Save the Queen\” as the official national anthem in 1984, following a plebiscite to choose the national song in 1977. The song gained popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of around 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. The earliest known sound recording of \”Advance Australia Fair\” appears in The Landing of the Australian Troops in Egypt, a short commercial recording dramatising the arrival of Australian troops in Egypt en route to Gallipoli. Other songs and marches have been influenced by the song, such as the Australian vice-regal salute. In 1973 the Whitlam government decided that the country needed an anthem that could represent Australia with \”distinction\” and started a competition to find one that could replace the existing anthem. The contest was held in two stages, the first seeking lyrics and the second music, each having a A$5,000 prize for the winning entry. In 1974 a nationwide opinion survey to determine the song to be sung on occasions of national significance was conducted. It was chosen by 51. 4% of respondents and on 9 April of that year, Whitlam announced in parliament that it was the national anthem. It is to be used on all occasions excepting those of a specifically regal nature for Whitlam’s 1975 election campaign following the dismissal of Sir John Combe by Sir David Kerr. On 22 January 1976 the government reinstated the anthem as the national national anthem for use at royal and loyal occasions.

On 24 November 1975 the song was still tentative because, among other reasons, the status of the anthem at that point was still Tentative, among others, because it was not considered to be the anthem of Australia. The government later stated that the tune was primarily primarily used for the defence and loyalty of the loyal Australian people. It has since been reinstated as the anthem for royal occasions and at royal toast occasions for defence, loyal defence and loyal Australia. In 2007, the Australian Government awarded composer Peter Dodds McCormick £100 for his composition of the song. The Australian Government also awarded him £100 in 1907 for his work on the anthem. In 1913 McCormick described the circumstances that inspired him to write the song: “I felt very aggravated that there was not one note for Australia. It seemed to me to be like an inspiration, & I wrote the words & music with the greatest ease. Strange to say there has not been a note of it altered since. Some alteration has been made in the wording, but the sense is the same” The song was published in early December 1878 by McCormick under the pen-name ‘Amicus’ It was first sung by Andrew Fairfax, accompanied by a concert band, at a function of the Highland Society of New South Wales in Sydney on 30 November 1878. It was also frequently played at the start or end of official functions. Towards the end of World War II it was one of three songs played in certain picture theatres.