How Your Fave Aussies Are Helping Koala Rewrite A Classic Aussie Tune
Local legends like Masterchef Adam Liaw and cake queen Katherine Sabbath have all added their bit of Australiana.
For every home among the gum trees.
‘Give Me A Home Among The Gumtrees’ is part of Australia’s cultural DNA. It’s one of those classic songs that everyone from Perth to Sydney has sung along to at least once in their life.
But the original version of the track came out way back in 1974 – a whole 46 years ago. So, in a bid to more closely align the song with what home looks like for Australians today, furniture-makers Koala have decided to give it a 2020 update.
They’re rewriting the lyrics to the classic tune together with one very special artist… and a few other pairs of helping hands. To ensure the lyrics reflect a wide variety of Australian experiences, Koala have hit up local legends like Masterchef Adam Liaw, cricketer Steve Smith, and cake queen Katherine Sabbath.
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That’s not all – podcaster Sarah Davidson, wildlife warrior Chandler Powell, footballer Moana Hope and dancer Stephanie Kurlow will all also be contributing.
Of course, the lyrics contributed by these Aussie legends will have their unique flair. Sabbath, for example, has recommended “Give me a home among the gummy beans” (which we’re on board with), while Davidson is all about “some thought-provoking chat, and laughter when you’re flat” (which we’re also on board with).
The home of kitchen king Liaw is apparently brimming with Banh Mi, dumplings and bubble tea, while cricket legend Smith has humbly offered “a tonne or two and a test debut”. Frankly, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything more Aussie than that.
Koala has also recruited comedian Gen Fricker to explain what makes this project so special.
“The song ‘Home Among The Gumtrees’ is an Australian institution. It’s been around since the ‘70s and it’s popped up at campfires and kindies ever since,” Fricker says. “But our home’s changed a lot since that tune first dropped. So Australian furniture makers Koala wanna update it for 2020.”
And, on top of those big names, Koala also wants you to be involved in writing the new version of the song – yes, you.
They’re calling on Australians to contribute their own lyrics to the 2020 take on ‘Give Me A Home Among The Gumtrees’. They want Aussies of all stripes to head to changeourtune.com to submit their own rhymes, which may be included in the final song. Does home to you mean lots of plum trees and a clothesline out the back, or something totally different? Koala wants to know.
To submit your lyrics, head changeourtune.com to show Koala what you’ve got. And, for your troubles, you’ll also go in the running to win a Queen Dream Bundle from Koala. Love that for you.
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(Lead image courtesy of Koala)