GROOVE by Bill Arnott
headlights splay across a country roadway/ single lane both ways in groovy groovin’ grooves/ to the smooth, smooth sound of billie holiday
THE RIVER by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND Story by Jane Leonard
We used to walk back to his house from South Yarra Station with our vinyl school bags slung over our shoulders. When we got to the top of the hill on the Domain Road corner, we’d turn onto Punt Road and head down towards the Yarra. But we never went all the way down to the river.
SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) by THE EURYTHMICS Confession by Andy Griffiths
Karaoke? Disco? I hate karaoke and disco about as much I hate, well, The Eurythmics. (Did I mention that I hate The Eurythmics?)
SILENT PASSAGE by MARLON WILLIAMS Story by Jock Serong
Carpenter became a recluse: first painting houses, then studying to become a Buddhist monk. He drifted between cities during those lost years, buffeted by unknown storms.
TOO SHY by KAJAGOOGOO Tribute to Bob Hawke by Stephen Andrew
Stephen Andrew recalls the night of Bob Hawke's 1983 election triumph, via - of all things - a song called Too Shy by a band called - of of all things - Kajagoogoo.
THE BOYS LIGHT UP by AUSTRALIAN CRAWL. Narration by Darren ‘Smokie’ Dawson
James Reyne was unable to mask his concern, yelling into the microphone: “We are not coming back on until you have all stopped fighting!” And with that, the band hurriedly disappeared from the stage.
WAIT FOR YOU by THE BASICS Confession by Bianca Simpson
Past the age of 30 everyone has collected at least one shameful secret. From international war crimes to embarrassing crushes, we all have things we’d rather keep hidden. But hiding can be tiresome.
CRAZY HORSES by THE OSMONDS Story by Andy Griffiths
OMG! WTF? OTT! There are not enough three-letter abbreviations in the English language to describe just how deranged this song is. Once heard, never forgotten.
CATS IN THE CRADLE by HARRY CHAPIN Story by Danny Katz
I’m driving my son to his mate’s house and he’s flicking through stations on the car radio, trying to find a decent pop song to listen to - something that doesn’t sound like it was composed using sampled microwave keypad beeps. Then he’s accidentally flicked onto a golden oldies station. He’s keen to flick off, but I tell him to wait a sec.
WICHITA LINEMAN by GLENN CAMPBELL Story by Danny Katz
Wichita Lineman means a lot to me. I used to play it for my beloved when we first met: I was trying to impress her with my guitar skills because she didn't seem too impressed by my conversation, my sexual prowess, or my recipe for spicy peanut satay sauce. A tough one to break.