My annotated APRA Top 10

The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA, the Down Under version of ASCAP or BMI) celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2001 by releasing a list of the Top 10 songs in the history of AUSTRALIA, based on a survey of 100 music personalities. Jill and I listened to a CD compilation of the tunes en route to a party last night in an adjoining county.
Here are the Top 10 songs, with the introductions to each song I said to Jill in the car:
1. "FRIDAY ON MY MIND" by THE EASYBEATS.
This song became a worldwide hit in 1966 and provided Australia with its answer to The Beatles. One of The Easybeats, George Young, was the older brother of Malcolm and Angus out of AC/DC.
2. "EAGLE ROCK" by DADDY COOL.
This song was one of the iconic hits of the early 1970s. Everybody in Australia would know this song.
3. "BEDS ARE BURNING" by MIDNIGHT OIL.
This is the only band on here that I have seen in concert. They were awesome.
4. "DOWN UNDER" by MEN AT WORK.
(No real commentary, I just sang along to the line about the Vegemite sandwich, remembering that I had eaten Vegemite on toast earlier in the week.)
5. "A PUB WITH NO BEER" by SLIM DUSTY.
This song is by the "father" of Australian country music. And it is hilarious. It came out in the 1950s and was the biggest-selling Australian single up to that time.
6. "THE LOVED ONE" by THE LOVED ONES.
This song is sort of the Australian version of "Louie Louie" -- a garage-rock hit that became an endearing classic.
7. "DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER" by CROWDED HOUSE.
If you are from New Zealand, you don't think this song belongs on an "Australian" list. People from Aotearoa are quite conscious about Aussies claiming Kiwis as their own.
8. "KHE SANH" by COLD CHISEL.
This song is the most popular Australian song to deal with the Vietnam War. A lot of Americans don't even realize Australia fought in the Vietnam War.
9. "IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP" by AC/DC.
A song by every teenage boy's favorite band. I wonder how many even realize AC/DC are Aussies?
10. "QUASIMODO'S DREAM" by The Reels.
This was one of the classic hits from the 80s, but it never really made it over here. I sometimes wonder if the vast distances keep a lot of Australian music from reaching our shores -- it would just be so expensive to tour.