Advance Australia Fair

Advance Australia Fair is the official national anthem of Australia, not, contrary to popular belief, Waltzing Matilda. It was composed by Peter Dodds McCormick in the late 19th century, and first performed by Andrew Fairfax at a Highland Society function in Sydney on St Andrew's Day, (30 November, 1878). The song quickly gained popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. In 1907, the Australian Government awarded McCormick £100 for its composition.

Related Topics:
National anthem - Australia - Waltzing Matilda - Peter Dodds McCormick - 19th century - Andrew Fairfax - Highland Society - Sydney - 30 November - 1878 - Commonwealth of Australia - 1901 - 1907

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It emerged as the most popular choice for the national anthem after an opinion poll in 1974 (the Australian Bureau of Statistics polled 60,000 nationally). It was also the subject of a National Song Poll in 1977, where it garnered 43.6% of the vote, as against Waltzing Matilda (28.5%), the Song Of Australia (9.7%), and the then-current national anthem God Save the Queen (18.7%).

Related Topics:
1974 - 1977 - Waltzing Matilda - Song Of Australia - God Save the Queen

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On most occasions, only the first verse of the anthem is sung. This has led to the (possibly accurate) belief that most Australians do not know the second verse, and the anthem is sometimes comically recited with the first verse sung clearly, and the second verse mumbled.

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The anthem, though sung with enthusiasm at national celebrations, is still regarded by many with mixed feelings and many older people still struggle with the words. Some of the lyrics are odd by modern standards, particularly the word "girt" (the past tense of the verb "to gird") meaning 'encircled' or 'surrounded'; however these longer words do not fit the music.

Related Topics:
Tense - Verb

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