ERIC BOGLE

Eric Bogle was born on 23 September 1944 in Peebles, Scotland. His father was a woodcutter who played bagpipes. Bogle started writing poetry when he was eight years old. After attending school until he was sixteen, Bogle worked in various trades: labourer, clerk and barman. Bogle taught himself to play guitar and joined a skiffle and rock band. He was the leader of Eric and the Informers in Scotland. His early influences were Lonnie Donegan, Elvis Presley and Ewan MacColl. He eventually turned to folk music and his first written songs concerned his parents. In 1969, Bogle emigrated to Australia and initially lived in the capital, Canberra, where he worked as an accountant. He had an interest in politics and by 1980 had moved to Queensland before settling in Adelaide. When living in Canberra he joined the local folk music scene and performed occasionally.

Bogles recording output has been prolific. Recording over 20 albums since his arrival in Australia on many labels. Several of his most famous songs tell of the futility or loss of war. Prominent among these is "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", written in 1971. The lyrics tell of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) experience fighting in the Battle of Gallipoli. It has also been interpreted as a reaction to the Vietnam War. Another of his best-known songs, "No Man's Land", is also World War I-themed. This song is commonly known as "The Green Fields of France", a title it was first given by The Fureys, and which has subsequently been used in many further cover versions. The song refers to the traditional Scottish song "Flowers of the Forest" being played over the grave of a World War I soldier. This song has been covered by Alec Beaton (with a Scottish soldier from "The Water is Wide"), Plethyn ("Gwaed ar eu Dwylo" (Blood on their Hands), sung in Welsh from "Blas y Pridd"), and Hannes Wader ("Es ist an der Zeit" (It is the Time). American folk singer Charlie Zahm also has a version on his album 'Festival Favourite's, as does American Folk Singer Robert Marr on his 2011 album 'Celticism'.

Another notable song on a similar theme, but with a more contemporary setting, is the Troubles-inspired "My Youngest Son Came Home Today", with its tale of a young man killed during fighting in Northern Ireland. Notably, the song does not take sides in the conflict; it does not mention whether the title character is a nationalist or loyalist. However, the song has been adopted by Nationalists and is now associated with Irish Republicanism. When Billy Bragg covered the song, he changed the line dreams of freedom unfulfilled (which echoes the language of Nationalists) to dreams of glory unfulfilled.

Bogle's songs cover a wide range of subjects and themes, including comedic songs "The Aussie Bar-B-Q", satires "I Hate Wogs" protest songs and serious songs about the human condition such as "Now I'm Easy". His song "Safe in the Harbour" is an homage to Stan Rogers. "Katie and the Dreamtime Land" is a tribute to American folk singer Kate Wolf, who died from leukemia in 1986. Other well-known songs, with lighter subject matter, include two homages to departed pets, "Little Gomez" and "Nobody's Moggy Now" and an acknowledgment of his folk music fans with "Do You Sing Any Dylan?".

Bogle has undertaken an extensive concert tour of the UK (sometimes including dates in Europe as well), every three years since 1985. These tours have usually included a supporting cast of Australian-based singers and musicians, most regularly John Munro and Brent Miller. Bogle said that his 2009 tour, with John Munro, would be his last overseas tour. This featured a Saturday Night Special on 27 June with Martyn Wyndham-Read, Johnny Collins and Les Sullivan in Watford, the closest venue to London. More recent tours in Australia have included Adelaide based musicians Emma Woolcock (fiddle) and Pete Titchener (guitar/bass). Bogle was a prominent artist at the National Folk Festival in Canberra over Easter 2011, has been a regular artist at the Port Fairy Folk Festival held in Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia every March.

On 25 January 1987, Eric Bogle was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, "In recognition of service to the performing arts as a song writer and singer". Many of Bogle's songs have been covered by other artists; including John Schumann, The Skids, June Tabor, The Men They Couldn't Hang, The Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners,John McDermott, Liam Clancy, Mike Harding, The Pogues, Robert Lawrence, De Dannan, Dropkick Murphys, The Corries, Billy Bragg, The Bushwackers, Slim Dusty and John Williamson. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named his song, "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda", as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. In 2000 a five CD collection was released called Singing The Spirit Home. His first and only live performance DVD was released in May 2009. 

SINGLES

''The Great Australian Take Away / Lucky Country'' 1981 Larrikin
''Give Us A Shorter Working Week / Dan'' 1982 Ambassador
''If Wishes Were Fishes / He's Nobody's Moggy Now'' 1982 Larrikin
''And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda / Shining River'' 1983 Larrikin
''Lock-Keeper / Birds Of A Feather'' 1984 Larrikin
''Lifeline / Shelter'' 1986 Larrikin
''All The Fine Young Men / Singing The Spirit Home'' 1987 Larrikin
''Poor Bugger Charlie / Rosie'' 1988 Larrikin
''Peace Has Broken Out / Silly Slang Song'' 1990 Festival
''The Gift Of Years / What Kind Of Man'' 1991 Festival
''Leaving Nancy'' 1991 Kookaburra

ALBUMS
'Now I'm Easy' 1980 1980 Larrikin
'Plain And Simple' [with John Munro] 1981 Larrikin
'Scraps Of Paper' (#84) [with John Munro And Brent Miller] 1982 Plant Life
'Vol. 2, Down Under' 1982 Autogram
'Vol. 3, Pure' 1982 Autogram
'When The Wind Blows' (#78) [with John Munro And Brent Miller] 1984 Larrikin
'In Concert' [with John Munro And Brent Miller] 1985 Larrikin
'Hard Hard Times' [with John Munro] 1985 Folk Freak
'Singing The Spirit Home' (#96) 1986 Larrikin
Something Of Value' 1988 Larrikin
'Voices In The Wilderness' 1990 Larrikin
'Mirrors' 1993 Larrikin
'Just The Funny Stuff' 1993 Laughing Stock
'I Wrote This Wee Song' 1994 Greentrax
'The Emigrant & The Exile' [with John Munro] 1996 Greentrax
'Small Miracles' 1997 Larrikin
'Endangered Species' 1999 Acmec Records
'The Colour Of Dreams' 2002 Rouseabout
'Other People's Children' 2005 Rouseabout
'The Dreamer' 2009 Rouseabout
'A Toss Of The Coin' [with John Munro] 2013 Rouseabout
'Voices' [with John Munro] 2016 Greentrax
'The Scource Of Light' 2021 Greentrax

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Bogle