Clip description
Buddy Williams sings a song urging sons to visit their fathers – including a monologue section and a yodelling finale. This excerpt is from the start of the song.
Curator’s notes
Singing with great simplicity and emotion, the 21-year-old Buddy Williams shows here that he was already an accomplished performer by 1939, when this was recorded. His guitar playing is crisp, he sings in his own accent, but his vocals are full of sophisticated accents and flourishes, like the way he ‘cracks’ the word ‘when’ at the end of the first verse. Williams was influenced by the recordings of the American Jimmie Rodgers and Canadian singer Wilf Carter, as well as the New Zealand-born Tex Morton, whose popularity was already high by 1939. Williams and Morton would remain friendly rivals for the next 45 years, with followers on both sides arguing over who was the undisputed king of Australian country music. With the arrival of Slim Dusty, who appears to have been heavily influenced by both, it would become a three-cornered contest.
Living alone without any care
Sits an old dad with silvery hair.
Son, can you bear it to let him stay there
When mother’s life no more he can share?
Thanks to the generosity of the rights holders, we are able to offer Give a little credit to your dad from the music Give a Little Credit to your Dad; Lonesome for You, Mother Dear as a download.
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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.
All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions. All rights are reserved.
When you access australianscreen you agree that:
- You may retrieve materials for information only.
- You may save, copy, print, distribute or download materials for your own personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes. Commercial exploitation of materials on this website is prohibited.
- The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.
ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.
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