‘Advance Australia Fair’ is the national anthem of Australia. A revised version of a late nineteenth century patriotic song, it was officially declared the national anthem on 19 April 1984.
The composer
Peter Dodds McCormick, a Scot, composed ‘Advance Australia Fair’ under the pen-name ‘Amicus’ (amicus is the Latin word for ‘friend’). It was first performed in Sydney on Saint Andrew’s Day, 1878. An amended version was also sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January, 1901. In 1907, the Australian Government awarded McCormick £100 for his composition. Peter McCormick died in 1916 and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ became free of copyright in 1966. The Commonwealth of Australia, however, does copyright the officially proclaimed lyrics and particular arrangements of music. Non-commercial public use of the anthem is permitted, but commercial use requires permission.
Some of the original words of the song have been changed for the official version. ‘Australia’s sons let us rejoice’ was the original first line; this has been replaced with ‘Australians all let us rejoice’. In the third verse of the original song, two lines were changed—‘To make our youthful Commonwealth’ became ‘To make this Commonwealth of ours’, and ‘For loyal sons beyond the seas’ became ‘For those who’ve come across the seas’.
More at: http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/nat_anthem.html
and http://advanceaustraliafair.org
The official 1984 version of Advance Australia Fair
Australia’s sons 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.Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make our youthful Commonwealth
Renowned of all the lands;
For loyal sons beyond 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.
The current official version of Advance Australia Fair
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.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.
The Original and better by far 1878 version of Advance Australia Fair
Australia’s sons, 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.When gallant Cook from Albion sailed.
To trace wide oceans o’er.
True British courage bore him on.
Til 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.When other nations of the globe.
Behold us from afar,
We’ll rise to high renown
And shine like our glorious southern star
From English soil and Fatherland
Scotia and Erin fair
Let all combine with heart and hand
To Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.Should 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.
Britannia then shall surely know,
Though oceans roll between
Her sons in fair Australia’s land
Still keep their courage green.
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.
Or, just to be controversial, how about …
Cailen.
Update February 2011: ADVANCE Australia Fair should be ditched as the national anthem in favour of I am Australian, former premier Jeff Kennett says.
