Men at Work’s Colin Hay has still got it 35 years later singing “Down Under”, so get ready for a nostalgic sing along on the iconic Aussie hit

We've misunderstood this classic Aussie anthem for decades ...
Steve Avatar
Written by: Steve
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Do you hear the rumbling thunder? It's the sound of Men at Work's lead vocalist Colin Hay belting out his famous Australian classic "Down Under" during a nostalgic group singalong event! Fans recited every verse of this Australian radio favorite, though Hay needed no assistance - the 63-year-old musician still delivers perfect high notes. US flutist Gina Luciani played the catchy opening tune and later uploaded the joyful show on her YouTube page.

The Music Man states with certainty that "Down Under" remains eternally fresh. Few Australian hits can make an entire room dance like "Down Under," as the crowd proved by moving enthusiastically to Hay's reggae guitar rhythms. Several viewers labeled the 1981 hit as Australia's unofficial anthem, perhaps correctly, since many Australians likely know more words to "Down Under" than their official national song.

Luciani's video recording became hugely popular on YouTube. With 4.7 million views, it stands as the most watched "Down Under" performance on the site. Fans praised the rock classic with messages like "Being an Aussie makes me very proud. This stands as a true national treasure," and "As an Australian, I'm happy so many people worldwide still love this song. It truly ranks alongside Mick Dundee, Steve Irwin and Vegemite sandwiches as Australian icons."

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Men at Work's most notable show was their 1981 Countdown appearance. Hay playfully used a golf club instead of a microphone during the performance and explained: "Countdown was significant in Australia. It launched bands nationally and sometimes internationally. Artists mimed their songs on this show, so I wanted to make it obvious by singing into a golf club."

Men at Work released the well-known version of "Down Under" on November 2, 1981, as the second track from their first album Business as Usual. Hay and the band's lead guitarist Ron Strykert created the music, while Hay wrote the memorable lyrics. "Down Under" gave Men at Work their first number one hit in Australia. The track also reached the top spot in many other countries including the US, UK, Canada, Italy, Denmark, and Ireland.

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