歌曲本名「Advance Australia Fair」採用了倒裝形式的詩意祈使句，以表達和期望「美麗的（Fair）澳大利亞（Australia）向前進（Advance）」。而澳洲聯邦政府也先後採用「前進澳洲美之國」[3][1]和「前进美丽的澳洲」[2]於官方出版物內容之中，分別作為該曲的指定繁中及簡中標題。相較之下，更為直白者則包括中國大陸政府翻譯的《前进，美丽的澳大利亚》[4]和中國內地民間流傳的《前進的澳大利亞》、《前進，澳大利亞》或《澳大利亞，前進》等等。
《天佑吾王》作為國歌沿用到1974年。1973年，高夫·惠特拉姆政府決定澳大利亞應該啟用自己的國歌，並通過澳洲藝術公會（英語：Australia Council for the Arts）舉行競賽決定國歌。競賽最終決定的三首候選國歌都是傳統歌曲：即《前進澳洲美之國》、《叢林流浪》（Waltzing Matilda）及《澳大利亞之歌》（Song of Australia）[7]。1974年經過民意調查後，惠特拉姆政府決定將《前進澳洲美之國》定為「愛國歌曲」（National song），在除去有特別王室意義的場合外的其他場合演奏。
2020年12月31日，總理斯科特·莫里森宣布，總督大衛·赫利已同意將國歌歌詞中的「我們年輕且自由」（For we are young and free）改為「我們團結且自由」（For we are one and free），體現國家認可澳大利亞原住民和托雷斯海峽島民的歷史。新版本歌詞於2021年1月1日開始啟用[10][11]。
此曲在草創初期曾有四段歌詞，但是最終的官方國歌版沒有採用第二段和第四段，因其後半部分寫有「Still keep a British soul」字樣而顯得英國情結過於濃厚，招致多數澳洲人反感，更被澳洲國會認為有冒犯之嫌。原稿的第一段和第三段歌詞在被選為國歌時都有修改，其中第一段的「Australia's sons all let us rejoice」被改成了「Australians all let us rejoice」，第三段則重新填寫了歌詞[12][13][14]。
第一部份 Australia's sons all let us rejoice For we are young and free We've golden soil and wealth for toil Our home is girt by sea Our land abounds in Nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia fair In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair 第二部份 When gallant Cook from Albion sailed To trace wide oceans o'er True British courage bore him on Til he landed on our shore Then here he raised Old England's flag The standard of the brave "With all her faults we love her still" "Britannia rules the wave" In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair 第三部份 While other nations of the globe Behold us from afar We'll rise to high renown and shine Like our glorious southern star From England soil and Fatherland Scotia and Erin fair Let all combine with heart and hand To advance Australia fair. In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair 第四部份 Should foreign foe e'er sight our coast Or dare a foot to land We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore To guard our native strand Britannia then shall surely know Though oceans roll between Her sons in fair Australia's land Still keep a British soul In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We'll toil with hearts and hands To make our youthful Commonwealth Renowned of all the lands For loyal sons beyond the seas We've boundless plains to share With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair
第一部份 Australians all let us rejoice For we are young and free We've golden soil and wealth for toil Our home is girt by sea Our land abounds in nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia Fair In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair 第二部份 Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We'll toil with hearts and hands To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands For those who've come across the seas We've boundless plains to share With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair
第一部份 Australians all let us rejoice For we are one and free[15] We've golden soil and wealth for toil Our home is girt by sea Our land abounds in nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia Fair In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair 第二部份 Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We'll toil with hearts and hands To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands For those who've come across the seas We've boundless plains to share With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair
