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(Cast) Maple Leaf Jazz Band

Drums Roger Kennedy Bass Gary Dunbier Banjo John Withers Trombone Don Santin Trumpet Rob Green Alto sax Kim Rushworth

Music Editor Zbigniew Friedrich

Music Consultant Greg Pickhaver

Hard Knocks Performed by Paul Kelly & the Dots Written by Kelly Published by Mushroom Courtesy of

Evie Part 1 Performed by Written by Vanda/Young Published by Alberts Courtesy of

Most People I Know Performed by Aztecs Written by Thorpe Published by Rock of Ages Courtesy of Havoc Records

Who Listens To The Radio Performed by Sports Written by Cummings/Pendelbury Published by Antipodes/Mushroom Courtesy of Mushroom Records

My Little Angel Performed by William Shakespeare Written by Vanda/Young Published by Alberts Courtesy of Albert Productions

Take A Long Line Performed by Angels Written by Brewster/Neeson/Brewster Published by Alberts Courtesy of Albert Productions

Where The Action Is Performed by Written by Vanda/Young Published by Alberts Courtesy of Albert Productions

Birmingham Performed by John Paul Young Written by Vanda/Young Published by Alberts Courtesy of Albert Productions

High Voltage Performed by AC/DC Written by Scott/Young/Scott Published by Alberts Courtesy of Albert Productions

I Remember When I Was Young Performed by Matt Taylor Written by Matt Taylor Published by Mushroom Courtesy of Mushroom Records

Breakfast at Sweethearts Performed by Written by Walker Published by Rondor Courtesy of W.E.A. Records

When The Heat's Off Performed by Written by Richard Clapton Published by Gypsy Courtesy of Infinity Records

High Class Women Performed by John St. Peters Written by John St. peters Published by Castle Courtesy of R.C.A. Records

Fugitive Kind Performed by Written by Wilson/Slavich Published by Antipodes/Mushroom Courtesy of Oz Records

Way Out West Performed by Dingoes Written by Dingoes Published by Mushroom Courtesy of Mushroom Records Heading In The Right Direction Performed by Renee Geyer Written by Punch/Paige Published by Alberts Courtesy of Mushroom Records

Howzatt Performed by Sherbet Written by Porter/Mitchell Published by Razzle Courtesy of Infinity Records

Dont Let It Get To You Performed by Darryl Cotton Written by Cotton/Dunn Published by Tumbleweed Courtesy of Oz Records

The film was an early example of a collected hits film tie-in of a kind that had rarely been done in the first decade of film revival, and certainly not by a very low budget feature film. Even more remarkable, the tie-in was released by Hammard, a low budget label with access to shelf space and a willingness to spend money on TV spots. According to one source, the LP release ranked #208 for 1980. Greg Pickhaver, who would go on to fame as part of the Roy and H. G. act, was the music consultant for the compile.

Director Don McLennan explained in the December-January 1980-81 Cinema Papers interview how the music for the film came about:

I always wanted to use music like that; I never thought of having a music score written. But I was ata bit of a loss because I hadn't listened to music recently and had cut myself off. So put me on to Greg Pickhaver, who was working for 3RRR-FM. I got together with Greg and he looked at the film and we talked about it. he was fantastic. Greg is totally responsible for the music in the film. He would offer me a choice of four or five songs for a particular scene, and I would make the final decision. We also arranged an excellent deal for the soundtrack album. Hammard Records have released all the songs and backed it up with a huge television campaign which goes to every state in the country. The release of the film has been tied in with their campaign which gives us a television back-up to the normal publicity, at no extra cost. The music is an essential part of the film although a lot of people reckon the music is mixed too loud … that's their problem. You mix it the way you feel it.

Pickhaver has a short wiki here.

The compilation featured charting tracks, delivered by the top names of Australian pop and rock at the time, and it was also notable for having Paul Kelly in his early Paul Kelly and the Dots days deliver the title track Hard Knocks: LP Hammard HAM-05 September 1980 Record compiled from master tapes owned or controlled by E.M.I. (Australia) Limited, Pty. Limited, RCA Limited and WEA Records Pty. Limited (Timings below are taken from an LP rip and may be slightly inaccurate)

SIDE 1:

1. Hard Knocks (Paul Kelly) Vocals: Paul Kelly and the Dots (Mushroom) (3'57") 2. Evie Part One (Vanda - Young) Vocals: Stevie Wright (Alberts) (3'58") 3. Most People I Know () Vocals: Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs (Rock Of Ages) (4'14") 4. Who Listens To The Radio (Andrew Pendlebury - Steve Cummings) Vocals: Sports (Antipodes/Mushroom) (3'12") 5. I Remember When I Was Young (Matt Taylor) Vocals: Chain (Mushroom) (4'00") 6. My Little Angel (Vanda - Young) Vocals: William Shakespeare (Alberts) (3'31") 7. () Vocals: Cold Chisel (Rondor) (3'57") 8. Take A Long Line (Brewster - Neeson - Brewster) Vocals: The Angels (Alberts) (2'59") 9. When The Heatʼs Off (Richard Clapton) Vocals: Richard Clapton (Festival) (3'18")

SIDE 2:

1. High Class Woman (John St. Peters) Vocals: John St. Peters (Castle) (3'02") 2. Fugitive Kind (Wilson - Slavich) Vocals: Mondo Rock. (Antipodes) (3'32") 3. Way Out West (Dingoes) Vocals: Dingoes (Mushroom) (3'52") 4. Where The Action Is (Vanda - Young) Vocals: John Paul Young (Alberts) (3'06") 5. Birmingham (Vanda - Young) Vocals: , George Young, John Paul Young, Stevie Wright (Alberts) (3'56") 6. High Voltage (Scott - Young - Scott) Vocals: AC/DC (Alberts) (5'04") 7. Heading In The Right Direction (Punch - Paige) Vocals: Renee Geyer & Friends (Alberts) (4'05") 8. Howzat (Porter - Mitchell) Vocals: Sherbet (Razzle) (3'44") 9. Donʼt Let It Get To You (Daryl Cotton - Dunn) Vocals: Daryl Cotton (Tumbleweed) (3'31")

(Below: a frame from the Hammard TV commercial promoting the album)

The title song also turned up on an early Paul Kelly CD, his first release in 1990.

Kelly became a major Australian popular artist with a long career. He has a wiki here. The album Talk has its own wiki here.

CD Mushroom D19465 1990 PAUL KELLY AND THE DOTS - TALK

Track 5: Hard Knocks (Paul Kelly) (Mushroom) Vocals: Paul Kelly and the Dots, Produced by Trevor Lucas, Remixed: Joe Camilleri and Jim Barton. It had also been released as an LP in 1981 where it turned up as track 5, running 3'54": The lyrics for the title song which runs over end credits:

I'm not Always trying to keep me down Keep me crawling on the ground Can't win Never seem to graduate Always end up on first base

Hooh ...

But it won't … fade away But it won't … fade away You're gonna hear from me

When I'm Standing on my own two feet Always seem to draw the heat I'm not … always taken for a fool Someone else is making the rules

Hooh …

But it won't … fade away But it won't … fade away They're gonna hear from me 'N I'll admit Im feeling shaky But it won't be me I know they love to see me breaking But it won't be me

I'll admit I'm feeling shaky But it won't be me I know they love to see me breaking But it won't be me

I'm not Guaranteed to make you tough Can't you see I've had enough Can't win Never seem to graduate Always end up on first base

Hooh …

But it won't … fade away But it won't …fade away (cuts out)

(In other versions, the song continues)

But it won't ... fade away But it won't ...fade away

And they won't break me down And they won't break me down [repeat to fade]

The film features the Maple Leaf Jazz Band in performance in a pub:

Drums Roger Kennedy Bass Gary Dunbier Banjo John Withers Trombone Don Santin Trumpet Rob Green Alto sax Kim Rushworth