True Blue (John Williamson song)

"True Blue" is an Australian folk song written and performed by singer-songwriter John Williamson. The lyrical content utilises Australian slang heavily, with the title meaning authentically Australian (from a British phrase).^[1] The song was released in March 1982, as a single from True Blue – The Best of John Williamson, but it failed to chart.

"True Blue"
Single by John Williamson
from the album True Blue - The Best of John Williamson
A-side	"True Blue"
B-side	"The Year of the Tree"
Released	March 1982
Recorded	Honeyfarm Studios
Genre	Country
Length	3:29
Label	Festival Records
Songwriter(s)	John Williamson
Producer(s)	John Williamson
John Williamson singles chronology
"The Diggers of the Anzac (This Is Gallipoli)" (1981) "True Blue" (1982) "(You've Gotta Be) Fair Dinkum" (1982)

The lyrics included a reference to Vegemite, a food paste, but that was removed in a later version because Williamson "just didn't want the song to be commercialised".^[2] The 1986 version was used for the Australian Made campaign.

The song was adopted by the Australia national cricket team and the Australia national rugby union team as an unofficial theme song and is often performed at sporting events or other ceremonies.^[3]

Williamson performed the song twice on acoustic guitar at Australia Zoo during Steve Irwin's public memorial service (it was Irwin's favourite song): once shortly after the beginning ceremony, and again at the end as Irwin's truck was driven out of the Crocoseum (crocodile exhibit) for the final time.^[4]

In March 2009, Williamson sang in a 30-minute musical, The Story of True Blue, which relates how an Australian cattle dog loses its family in a bushfire. It was narrated by Shannon Noll, and it combined stock men, livestock, motorbikes and circus performers.^[5]

In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "True Blue" was ranked number 27.^[6]

Track listing

7"

No.	Title	Length
1.	"True Blue"	3:29
2.	"The Year of the Tree"	3:13

1986 version

"True Blue"
Single by John Williamson
from the album Mallee Boy
A-side	"True Blue"
B-side	"Alice Springs"
Released	September 1986
Genre	Country music
Label	Festival Records
Songwriter(s)	John Williamson
Producer(s)	John Williamson
John Williamson singles chronology
"Goodbye Blinky Bill" (1986) "True Blue" (1986) "Raining on the Rock" (1987)

In 1986, Williamson re-recorded "True Blue" and released it in September 1986 as the lead single from his sixth studio album Mallee Boy. The song was used for the Australian Made campaign.^[3] The song peaked at number 43 on the Kent Music Report.^[7][8]

At the 1988 APRA Awards (Australia), the song won Most Performed Australasian Country Work.^[9]

Charts

7"

No.	Title	Length
1.	"True Blue"
2.	"Alice Springs"

Track listing

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7]	43

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Edition(s)	Label	Catalogue
Australia	March 1982	7" Vinyl	Standard	Festival Records	K-8653
Australia	September 1986	7" Vinyl	Standard	Festival Records	K-111