Editing Advance Australia Fair (section)

==History==
===Origin===

"Advance Australia Fair" was published in early December 1878 by Scottish-born Australian composer Peter Dodds McCormick (1833–1916) under the pen-name "Amicus" (which means {{Gloss|friend}} in Latin).<ref name="Aus Through">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/australiathrough0000unse |title=Australia Through Time |publisher=[[Random House#International branches|Random House Australia]] |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-09-183581-1 |edition=5th |publication-date=1997 |pages=56–57, 439, 446, 451, 479 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It was first sung by Andrew Fairfax, accompanied by a concert band conducted by McCormick, at a function of the Highland Society of New South Wales in Sydney on 30 November 1878 ([[Saint Andrew's Day]]).<ref name="SMH Dec 1878">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13425798 | title = News of the Day | newspaper = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date = 5 December 1878 | access-date = 30 May 2020 | page = 5 | via = [[Trove]] ([[National Library of Australia]]) }}</ref><ref name="SMH Nov 1878">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13422200 | title = Advertising | newspaper = The Sydney Morning Herald | date = 27 November 1878 | access-date = 30 May 2020 | page = 2 | via = Trove (National Library of Australia) }}</ref> The song gained in popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of around 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. In 1907, the Australian Government awarded McCormick £100 for his composition.<ref>{{cite AuDB | id2=mccormick-peter-dodds-7323 |title=McCormick, Peter Dodds (1834–1916) |first=Jim |last=Fletcher |volume=10 |year=1986 |access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>

In a letter to R.B. Fuller dated 1 August 1913, McCormick described the circumstances that inspired him to write "Advance Australia Fair" to be sung by a large choir with band accompaniment. McCormick had attended a concert at Sydney's Exhibition Building where various national anthems were played.

{{blockquote|This was very nicely done, but I felt very aggravated that there was not one note for Australia. On the way home in a bus, I concocted the first verse of my song & when I got home I set it to music. I first wrote it in the Tonic Sol-fa notation, then transcribed it into the Old Notation, & I tried it over on an instrument next morning, & found it correct. Strange to say there has not been a note of it altered since. Some alteration has been made in the wording, but the sense is the same. It seemed to me to be like an inspiration, & I wrote the words & music with the greatest ease.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an000008257145|title=Letters [manuscript]|publisher=[[National Library of Australia]]|access-date=26 October 2008}} Letter to R.B. Fuller Esq. dated 1 August 1913</ref>}}

The earliest known sound recording of "Advance Australia Fair" appears in ''The Landing of the Australian Troops in Egypt'' ({{circa|1916}}), a short commercial recording dramatizing the arrival of Australian troops in Egypt en route to [[Gallipoli campaign|Gallipoli]].<ref>[http://aso.gov.au/titles/historical/landing-of-australian-troops/clip1/ The Landing of the Australian Troops in Egypt] from National Film and Sound Archive, at australianscreen online</ref>

Before its adoption as Australia's national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair" had considerable use elsewhere. For example, Australia's national broadcaster, the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|Australian Broadcasting Commission]], used it to announce its radio news bulletins from 1942 to 1952.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byrnes |first=Paul |title=The Majestic Fanfare (ABC radio news theme) – Queen's Hall Light Orchestra, 1943 |url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/82392-majestic-fanfare-abc-radio-news-theme-queens-hall-light-orchestra |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=National Film and Sound Archive}}</ref> It was also frequently played at the start or end of official functions. Towards the end of World War II it was one of three songs played in certain picture theatres, along with "God Save the King" and the US national anthem, "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17882691|title=Song and Two Anthems|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=30 November 1943|access-date=1 August 2016}}</ref>

===Adoption by the Whitlam government===
[[File:Advance Australia Fair.png|thumb|405x405px|Current official music and pre-2021 lyrics]]
{{Listen
| type         = music
| filename     = Advance Australia Fair (1927).ogg
| title        = 1927 band and vocal recording (three verses)
| description  = Sung by [[Peter Dawson (bass-baritone)|Peter Dawson]]
}}

Following the collapse of British power and influence after [[World War II]], Australia was forced to abandon its previous conception of itself as a loyal member of a wider global British community.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Curran |first1=James |title=The unknown nation: Australia after empire |last2=Ward |first2=Stuart |date=2010 |publisher=Melbourne University Publishing |isbn=978-0-522-85645-3 |location=Carlton, Vic}}</ref> The impetus for the creation of a new identity was described by [[Donald Horne]] as "new nationalism" in 1968. A Gallup poll indicated in 1972 that 72% of Australians now supported a new nationally distinct anthem, up from 38% in 1968.<ref>[https://historichansard.net/hofreps/1973/19731206_reps_28_hor87/#subdebate-28-0 House of Representatives Hansard], 6 December 1973, pg 4380.</ref> The newly elected [[Whitlam government]] of 1972 made central the elevation of distinctively Australian symbols. In this vein, Prime Minister [[Gough Whitlam]] announced in his 1973 Australia Day address that<ref>National Australia Day Address, National Archives of Australia [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx A3211, 1973/128 Part 1], ID 4799238, pg 3.</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=it is essential that Australians have an anthem that fittingly embodies our national aspirations and reflects our status as an independent nation. We need an anthem that uniquely identifies our country abroad and recalls vividly to ourselves the distinctive qualities of the Australian life and the character and traditions of our nation.{{spaces}}... My government does not believe that our present national anthem is adequate for these purposes.}}

Whitlam also announced that a competition for a new anthem would be held by the [[Australian Council for the Arts]] with entrants accepted for both music and lyrics. However, despite around the 2500 entries received for lyrics and 1300 for music, the Council for the Arts could only produce a shortlist of 6 lyrics and no music, reduced from the 12 originally requested.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia's national anthem: Fact Sheet 251 |url=https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-251-australias-national-anthem.pdf |website=National Archives of Australia}}</ref> The lyrics selected were "We'll Keep the Faith", "Advance, Australia", "Song of Australia" and three untitled verses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Australia's National Anthem Quest |url=https://issuu.com/uwspublications/docs/national_anthem_quest |website=Issuu}}</ref> These were widely denounced by artists and the media, with [[A D Hope]] calling them "hopeless", [[James McAuley]] calling them "hopelessly bad" and ''[[The Australian]]'' describing the choices as "between the unbearable and the unforgivable". One of the judges [[David Williamson]] responded to the criticism stating "if you think these are bad, you should have seen the rest of the 2500 or so we rejected".<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 July 1973 |title=Verses are hopelessly bad: critics |url=https://smharchives.smedia.com.au/Olive/APA/smharchive/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=SMH%2F1973%2F07%2F04&id=Ar00303&sk=6D3F290C&viewMode=image |work=Sydney Morning Herald |pages=3}}</ref>

Many artists commentated on the difficulty of creating a national anthem in the 1970s, with Richard Meale stating that "we had missed the boat" and writer Bob Ellis stating that "You've got to leave out all the gum trees and wallabies, and you can't talk about defending the country against yellow hordes, so there's not much to talk about except an independent stance and belated pride in ourselves. Anything else would embarrass the audience." Ultimately, the government did not include any of the new entries in the final vote, with the poll only including "Advance Australia Fair", "[[Waltzing Matilda]]" and "[[The Song of Australia]]".<ref name="Official History">{{cite web |date=10 July 2007 |title=Australian National Anthem – History |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/anthem.cfm#history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906030849/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/anthem.cfm |archive-date=6 September 2015 |access-date=1 November 2007 |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref> This "indicative plebiscite" polled 60,000 people (0.05% of Australians at the time) nationally.<ref name="Aus Through" />

"Advance Australia Fair" was chosen by 51.4% of respondents and, on 9 April 1974, Whitlam announced in parliament that it was the national anthem, to be used on all occasions except those of a specifically regal nature.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 9, 1974 |title=Advance Australia Fair— it's official |newspaper=The Age (Melbourne) |page=1}}</ref><ref name="Aus Through" /> The choice came under attack almost immediately, with an editorial noting that "For Australians, the only consolation is that there will be very few occasions when the words are sung,"<ref>{{cite news |title=An anthem for the 1870s |newspaper=The Age (Melbourne) |date=April 9, 1974 |page=9}}</ref> and the Anglican Dean of Sydney commenting "This second-rate secular song is completely inappropriate for use in churches."<ref>{{cite news |title=Cleric: anthem childish ditty |newspaper=The Age (Melbourne) |date=April 25, 1974 |page=2}}</ref> Officials in four states said that Advance Australia Fair would not be played at official functions and that "God Save the Queen" would not be replaced, with Sir Harry Budd of New South Wales saying that the lyrics "are foolish and banal and their sentiments ridiculous".<ref>{{cite news |title=Australia's New Chosen Anthem Goes Unsung |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 5, 1974 |page=IA-1}}</ref>
 
During the [[1975 Australian federal election|1975 election campaign]] following the [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis|dismissal of Whitlam by Sir John Kerr]], [[David Combe]] proposed that the song be played at the start of the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]]'s official campaign launch on 24 November 1975 at [[Festival Hall (Melbourne)|Festival Hall, Melbourne]]. Whitlam's speechwriter [[Graham Freudenberg]] rejected this idea because, among other reasons, the status of the anthem at that point was still tentative.<ref>Graham Freudenberg, "We've been sacked", ''The Sunday Age'', 6 November 2005, p. 13</ref>

=== Reversion by the Fraser government ===
On 22 January 1976 the [[Fraser government]] reinstated "God Save the Queen" as the national anthem for use at royal and vice-regal events, but otherwise provided a choice between "God Save the Queen", "Advance Australia Fair", "Song of Australia" or "Waltzing Matilda" for civilian functions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 Jan 1976 |title=Cabinet Minute - Musical salutes - Without Submission |url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx |website=[[National Archives of Australia]] |id=NAA: A13075, 56, Item ID: 8908102}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name="Aus Through" /> The choice of four different national anthems was mocked, with ''The Age'' declaring the new anthem as "God Save Australia's Fair Matilda".<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Curran |first1=James |title=The Unknown Nation: Australia After Empire |last2=Ward |first2=Stuart |date=2010 |publisher=Melbourne University Publishing |isbn=978-0-522-85645-3 |edition= |location=Carlton, Vic |chapter='God Save Australia's Fair Matilda': Songs}}</ref> His government made plans to conduct a national poll to find a song for use on ceremonial occasions when it was desired to mark a separate Australian identity, whilst maintaining "God Save The Queen" as the national anthem. This was conducted as a [[1977 Australian plebiscite (National Song)|plebiscite to choose the National Song]], held as an optional additional question in the [[1977 Australian referendum|1977 referendum]] on various issues. Despite both Fraser and Whitlam advocating a vote for "[[Waltzing Matilda]]", "Advance Australia Fair" was the winner with 43.29% of the vote, defeating the three alternatives, "Waltzing Matilda" (28.28%), "[[The Song of Australia]]" (9.65%) and the existing national anthem, "God Save the Queen" (18.78%).<ref name="Aus Through" /><ref>{{cite web |date=30 June 2002 |title=Plebiscite results: National Song Poll |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/elect/referend/pleb.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080205110200/http://www.aph.gov.au/library/elect/referend/pleb.htm |archive-date=5 February 2008 |access-date=13 February 2008 |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]]}}</ref>

=== Re-adoption by the Hawke government ===
"Advance Australia Fair", with modified lyrics and reduced to two verses (see [[#Development of lyrics|development of lyrics]]), was adopted as the Australian national anthem by the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] government of [[Bob Hawke]],<ref name="Aus Through"/> coming into effect on 19 April 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/national_symbols/index.htm |title=Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia – National Symbols |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |date=21 September 2005 |access-date=1 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830052800/http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/national_symbols/index.htm |archive-date=30 August 2007 |url-status=dead}} (proclamation by Governor-General dated 19 April 1984)</ref> At the same time, "God Save the King/Queen" became known as the royal anthem, and continues to be played alongside the Australian national anthem at public engagements in Australia that are attended by the King or any other members of the Royal Family.<ref name="Official History"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-anthem |title=Australian National Anthem |author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=Australian Government |website=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=2020-04-26}}</ref>

Even though any personal [[copyright]] of Peter Dodds McCormick's original lyrics has expired, as he died in 1916, the Commonwealth of Australia claims copyright on the official lyrics and particular arrangements of music. Non-commercial use of the anthem is permitted without case-by-case permission, but the Commonwealth government requires permission for commercial use.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-anthem/use-australian-national-anthem|title=Use of the Australian National Anthem|publisher=Australian Government: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|access-date=8 July 2021|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190435/https://pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-anthem/use-australian-national-anthem|url-status=dead}} Undated.</ref>

The orchestral arrangement of "Advance Australia Fair" that is now regularly played for Australian victories at international sporting medal ceremonies, and at the openings of major domestic sporting, cultural and community events, is by [[Tommy Tycho]], an immigrant from Hungary. It was commissioned by [[ABC Music]] in 1984 and then televised by [[Network Ten|Channel 10]] in 1986 in their [[Australia Day]] broadcast, featuring [[Julie Anthony (singer)|Julie Anthony]] as the soloist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tommytycho.com.au/arranger.htm|title=Tommy Tycho—Arranger|access-date=27 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822093116/http://www.tommytycho.com.au/arranger.htm|archive-date=22 August 2011|url-status=dead|quote="Tommy's musical arrangement of Advance Australia Fair has become the definitive and preferred version that is performed at major sporting and community events around the country. It was first commissioned by ABC Records in 1984 and then televised by Channel 10 in 1986 in their Australia Day Broadcast, featuring Julie Anthony AM, MBE as the soloist."}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=December 2018}}<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-04/australian-conductor-composer-tommy-tycho-dies/4610048 |title=Australian composer Tommy Tycho dies |date=2013-04-04 |work=ABC News |access-date=2020-04-30 |language=en-AU}}</ref>