John Farnham AO, once known as Johnny, was an Australian pop singer for perhaps five decades. I wrote was because I think it is clear his singing days have past after a bout of jaw cancer.
If you liked sweet, perhaps cheesy, pop music, he was one of the best. Yet as I listened to some of his songs for this post, there was a serious message in a number of them. I think his largest support base came from 'mums' through the decades. One of my own mother's biggest thrills was him waving to her from a taxi stopped at traffic lights and many years later seeing him lunch in the same hotel where she and Step Father were having lunch.
Here are some of his 36 tracks to make it into Australia's top forty charts.
It began in 1967 with John at 18 performing Sadie, the Cleaning Lady.
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I agree with you about One is the Loneliest Number. And much prefer his look as he aged.
ReplyDeleteEC, didn't we all have bad looks when we were younger. He is/was quite nice looking.
DeleteI had such a crush on Tom Jones:)
ReplyDeleteSandra, I hope you were not one of those girls who threw your underwear at Jones when he was performing.
DeleteI grew up as a migrant listening to him in Australia. It was a sad news hearing about his oral cancer diagnosis.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, I expect you may not have been the only immigrant who heard him.
DeleteI know who Tom Jones is.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe.
Dora, Tom Jones seemed to attract women like a fly.
DeleteI remember being utterly SICK of 'you're the voice' because it was played endlessly, everywhere for years, but after being out of the country for a dozen years, I heard it recently and realised, 'that's a damn good song and he has such an incredible voice.' I hope he gets well soon and gets to sing again (https://tentativelytasmanian.blog/)
ReplyDeleteMM, I get you being over the song. I was too shortly after I heard but it has gone on to be something of anthem.
Delete"You're the Voice" still resonates in my brain today. They were great days!
ReplyDeleteAh Hels, we eternally young!
DeleteI've loved "You're the Voice" since the first day I heard it. I watched the Sadie clip and the song that came after "In my room there are shadows" which may not be the correct title but it's a good song. I have never liked "One is the Loneliest Number".
ReplyDeleteI was excited to see advertising for a John Farnham special on TV last week, but it was shown on one of the streaming services not regular TV which annoyed the heck out of me.
River, I don't know that song you've mentioned. I saw some advertising for John Farnham Channel 7 on Monday night I think. I don't know what it is about.
DeleteIt's the show I thought I had missed because I thought it was on a streaming service last week, but it is on Ch 7 and 7+ this coming Monday about his career I think.
DeleteDo like that little video with Tom Jones.
ReplyDeleteJohn is a great singer ones of Australia's best in my opinion.
I really like all of his songs but enjoy 'You're the Voice' with the bagpipes, they just set it off to another level for me Andrew.
It's such a shame that we won't hear him sing again.
Margaret, I missed something along the way about the attractiveness of Tom Jones.
DeleteIn the clip you mentioned I thought the orchestra was a bit drowned out, but still, good fun.
I'd never heard of John Farnham so looked him up - a British export, no less. I like his voice - a shame if he cannot sing again.
ReplyDeleteAn English plumber as I recall JB.
DeleteI was unfamiliar with his early stuff, but I remember hearing 'You're the Voice,' and finding his voice quite lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob. Creating this post was quite a revelation to me with his sheer music productiveness and how many hits he churned out.
DeleteOh, what a voice! Thank you for sharing. His cancer diagnosis is awful. A woman I've called Mom since meeting her daughter decades ago survived jaw cancer but it's taken its toll.
ReplyDeleteDarla, it sounds like a terrible cancer to have and I imagine facially disfiguring.
DeleteYes. She's still beautiful to those who love her but was jarring at first. And we never bring up cigarette smoking to her because that's the presumed cause. :(
DeleteOh, and it made me giggle hearing how the drummer was two years old when he recorded "One is the Loneliest Number". And now I want to watch the documentary about his life. Have you seen it?
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't seen it Darla. I may record it when screened here Monday night. There is also a film showing now too.
DeleteAh, I'm actually early for a change. lol
DeleteJohn Farnham actually wrote "Sadie The Cleaning Lady". I wonder what inspired him. There can't be many songs about cleaning ladies. It would be nice to hear more songs like that such as "Raymond The Dental Technician", "Andrew The Urban Transport Planner" and "Hyuen Minh The Masseuse". There are far too many songs about love.
ReplyDeleteYP, maybe his mother was a cleaning lady. R mostly worked in the caring profession for no great reward, rather the opposite to dentists in both ways.
DeleteDid not know John Farnham was the originitor of You're the Voice. He has an angelic voice. One is the Loneliest Number I remember as Three Dog NIght's first big hit although it was a Harry Nilsson song.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, a good bit of his music was covering other's hits, but he did it rather well. I used to really like Nilsson's music.
Delete"No, I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
La di da di da".
Ohh I love that one, Andrew....keep singing it.
DeleteStrayer, wind up your gramophone and put on Nilsson Schmilsson album.
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