Jack O'Hagan and William Laird - Our Grand Game: Australia's National Football Song

 

This is a song called Our National Game written Jack O'Hagan of Along The Road To Gundagai fame and sung by William Laird who I couldn't find any info on.

Now not much is know about this old timey tune except that it was written and recorded in 1949 under commition by the Australian National Football council. The name of the song is also up to debate as I've seen it be called Our National Game, The National Football Song, Australia's Own Football Song, Our Grand Game (all infro from 3 1949 newspaper articles I found on Trove).

Now a complete version of this song doesn't exist online anywhere (trust me I've looked) so what I've done is combine the start of the tune from the 100 Years of Australian Football VHS by the AFL that I had at home and the rest of the song is from the VFL on Flim part 1 DVD by the NFSA that I borrowed from my university's library.

So for the first time here is the song complete (although it sounds like the song fades out early, so maybe there is more. So unless someone has the song on a 78" or something we will probably never know), enjoy.

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z0ZadsxDE8

Download: https://mega.nz/file/uQEyRTAY#EfbocSCiMH_ssO98hRhQlUzZM54yCq9wD4C8KYrTdeQ

The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (Roger and Gram share vocals)

 

The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo is not only one of The Byrds' best albums but one of the best and most influential country albums of all time. However as the story goes many of the tracks had new member Gram Parsons singing on them and for contractual reasons 3 of the songs had to get new vocal takes by Roger McGuinn replacing the original done by Gram.

The 3 songs in question are The Christian Life, You Don't Miss Your Water and One Hundred Years From Now. Thankfully some CD reissues of the album included the Gram's vocal takes as bonus tracks and Byrds Nyrds will argue about who sung it better until the cows come home.

However being the "I'll have my cake and eat it too" sort of individual, I though why not have both Gram and Roger singing on the songs. So I edited together the different masters so that Gram and Roger take turns singing the verses to those 3 songs.

I also added the outtake All I Have Are Memories because It's probably my favourite of the album and it fits in well, while making the album a nice even 12 tracks.

I also would've added other outtakes like Lazy Days which is another favourite of mine but it's more rocky style clashes ironicly with the laid back sound of the album, so Lazy Days will have to wait for a future Byrds project.

1. You Ain't Going Nowhere

2. I Am A Pilgrim

3. The Christian Life

4. You Don't Miss Your Water

5. You're Still On My Mind

6. Pretty Boy Floyd

7. Hickory Wind

8. One Hundred Years From Now

9.  All I Have Are Memories

10. Blue Canadian Rockies

11. Life In Prison

12. Nothing Was Delivered

Download: https://mega.nz/file/uJVWDLiL#rx8aINSu7yHsU8hYBwlPobhqUDKsmhrti3_3FyFCiog