Indigenous soldiers inspire anthem
 |
|
Tribute … John Schumann, former lead singer with Redgum, has turned that group’s hit song I was Only 19 into a children’s book. Picture: News Corp Australia
Source: News Corp Australia
THE unsung indigenous heroes who have fought for Australia over 114 years of service will finally get their recognition with a new John Schumann song the Army hopes will be as big as I Was Only 19.
Chief Of Army David Morrision commissioned the revered songwriter to compose On Every Anzac Day to pay tribute to the indigenous men and women who volunteered to fight for their country — even when they were not recognised as citizens.
The song not only celebrates the mateship of indigenous and white Australians in the trenches but hits out at the discrimination suffered by Aboriginal soldiers when they returned from war.
Schumann enlisted mates Rob Hirst and Shane Howard to join his Vagabond Crew band for the song which was performed for the first time at the Australian War Memorial on Saturday.
Redgum fan … Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison wanted indigenous soldiers to be recognised and commissioned On Every Anzac Day. Picture: Megan Taylor.
Source: News Corp Australia
General Morrison, who is a lifelong Redgum fan and has closely followed Schumann’s solo career, said he approached the songwriter after marking the dawn service on Thursday Island last year.
The pair had crossed paths at army events in Darwin and Afghanistan in recent years before General Morrison invited him to lunch to discuss his idea.
“I asked him ‘Can you write a song about indigenous service men and women from the perspective of a white fella and don’t just make it about Gallipoli but include 114 years of service and it can’t be any longer than five minutes and it needs to be as big a hit as (I Was Only) 19,” he said.
“I think he has got there.”
Indigenous service … soldiers from the special platoon at Number 9 camp at Wangaratta in December 1940. Picture: Australian War Memorial
Source: Supplied
Proud soldier … Sergeant Reg Saunders. Picture: Australian War Memorial
Source: Supplied
Schumann said it may be the most challenging song he has written. While he has had a couple of other commissions, most notably for children’s songs, he knew he had to get On Every Anzac Day just right.
He took himself and a guitar off to a bungalow outside of Ubud in Bali with 60 pages of research compiled by his son Matthew and spent 11 days feverishly writing the lyrics and music.
While the “dry” military records unearthed by the Australian War Memorial to help his writing gave him the facts, it was a photo that inspired the essence of the song.
“For me, the emotional touchstone was this photo I found from World War II. A white soldier and a black soldier in their uniforms and slouch hat holding each other at the elbows, looking at each other and smiling widely, and genuinely. That’s when I got it,” he said.
“When the bullets are flying, you are not fighting for your leader or your country or your King or Queen. You are absolutely fighting for your mates.
“That’s where the lines, ‘Soldiers, brothers, all Australians, we had no time for race/When the bullets are whining past your head, you’re all just shades of grey’.”
Brothers in arms … members of the 66th Battalion. Picture: Australian War Memorial
Source: Supplied
Australian Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda was one elder Schumann approached for feedback.
He said it is “pitched at the right level” and the veterans he had played it to had been deeply affected by Schumann’s attempt to tell their story in song.
“I got a bit emotional about it. I played it to my daughter and she’s a bit hardcore and she said ‘That’s so deadly, Dad’.
“Probably in the armed forces was the first time a lot of people were treated as equals and John captures that perfectly in one part of the song.
“And then they came back and they weren’t treated equally.
“When you look back at how Redgum changed our whole attitude to Vietnam veterans with I Was Only 19, I think this song is a powerful perspective to raise awareness that we owe these people a debt.”
Snow fight … Australian soldiers, some of whom are members of the 60th Battalion, after a snow fight at a training camp in England. Picture: Australian War Memorial
Source: Supplied
The reconciliation and recognition of indigenous soldiers is not only a passion project for General Morrison but also the AWM director Dr Brendan Nelson.
“On Every ANZAC DAY is a musically powerful tribute to indigenous soldiers, their service and sacrifice for an Australia that unlike the Army, has not treated them equally,” Dr Nelson said.
“Every Australian should listen to this song. The music and words will burrow deep into our collective consciousness. I hope it is played on every ANZAC DAY.”
All proceeds for the sale of On Every Anzac Day will be donated to Trojan’s Trek, an organisation of veterans helping other veterans.
