The current Australian multicultural establishment likes to insist that we need to import people from non-traditional source countries because our traditional British Isles founding culture was somehow “boring”. To back up their position they point to immigrants from exotic parts of the world who dress up in colourful ethnic costumes and sing or perform songs from their native countries.
Of course, since 1788 British migration to Australia was always “multicultural”, incorporating as it did all the various regional cultures of the British Isles.
The BAC has therefore begun to compile a list of famous British Isles songs to demonstrate the fact that the first British settlers in this continent brought with them a superb and diverse musical and “folk” tradition of our own. (Even including strange costumes!)
All the songs below are well-known, but in some cases we have chosen versions that are somewhat unusual, for one reason or another.
Obviously, some of these songs reflect old hostilities between different factions or cultures within the British Isles a long time ago. We certainly don’t wish to prolong those ancient feuds. However, we think it’s fair to highlight the cultural pride that our ancestors demonstrated in their own music.
All of the British Isles
Land of Hope and Glory
Sailors Hornpipe (with bagpipes!)
Medley: Minstrel Boy/The Sash
Rule Britannia
Borders
Waters of Tyne
Lads of North Tyne
Cornwall
Song of the Western Men (sung in Cornish)
England
Greensleeves
Sumer is Icumin in
Ireland
Irish Washerwoman
The Minstrel Boy
Scotland
Flower of Scotland
Dream Angus
Ulster
Londonderry Air
The Sash my Father Wore
Wales
