by Jeff Apter
Johnny (1971)
For Once in My Life / Band of Gold / Stick of Incense / Knock Three Times / Rag Mamma Rag / Take Me to the Pilot / Your Song / Ma Cherie Amour / Something / Summertime / Rose Garden / This Must Be the End
The Best of Johnny Farnham (1971)
I’ve Been Rained On / Everybody Oughta Sing a Song / Jamie / I Don’t Want to Love You / Painting a Shadow / Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) / Raindrops / One / Two / Friday Kind of Monday / The Last Thing on My Mind / Rose Coloured Glasses
Together (with Allison Durbin) (1971)
Baby Without You / The Green Green Grass Is Dying / You’re Alright with Me / Stay Awhile / I Don’t Mind the Rain / Singing Our Song / That’s Old Fashioned / Come on Round to My Place / Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing / Nobody Knows / Better Put Your Love Away / Get Together
Johnny Farnham Sings the Shows (1972)
Charlie Girl / With a Little Bit of Luck / Gonna Build a Mountain / I Whistle a Happy Tune / Who Can I Turn To / Hair / Day by Day / My Favourite Occupation / You’ll Never Walk Alone / Where Is Love / On The Street Where You Live / Consider Yourself / Hello Dolly / Jubilation T. Cornpone
Hits Magic & Rock ’N Roll (1973)
Everything Is Out of Season / Nobody’s Fool / It’s Up to You / If You Would Stay / Sweet Cherry Wine / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / Rock Me Baby / Lucille / Blueberry Hill / Johnny ‘B’ Goode / Diana / Memphis Tennessee
Johnny Farnham Sings the Big Hits of ’73 Live (1973)
I Knew Jesus (Before He Was a Star) / Where Is the Love / Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me / Gilbert O’Sullivan Medley: Alone Again (Naturally) / You Are the Sunshine of My Life / Nothing Rhymed / Tie a Yellow Ribbon / The Morning After / And I Love You So / Free Electric Band
Johnny Farnham Sings Hits from the Movies (1974)
Cabaret / Speak Softly Love / Everybody’s Talkin’ / The Summer Knows / Carnival / Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo / Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head / The Rain in Spain / Singing in the Rain / Theme From Love Story / Where’s the Birdie / The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face / Mrs Robinson
J.P. Farnham Sings (1975)
Some People Sing / I Must Stay / Don’t Rock the Boat / Till Time Brings Change / Saturday Dance / Most People I Know / Show Me the Way / Running to the Sea / Things to Do / I Can’t Fly / To Be or Not to Be / So Many Years
Johnny Farnham’s Greatest Hits (1976)
Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) / Underneath the Arches / Friday Kind of Monday / I Don’t Want to Love You / Jamie / Rose Coloured Glasses / One / Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head / Comic Conversation / Rock Me Baby / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / Everything Is Out of Season / I Can’t Dance to Your Music / Corner of the Sky
Uncovered (1980)
Matilda / She Says to Me / Jillie’s Song / Infatuation / On My Own / Back to the Backwoods / I Never Did Get Through / Please Don’t Ask Me / She’s Everywhere / Help!
The Best of John Farnham (1980)
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head / Comic Conversation / Rock Me Baby / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / Everything Is Out of Season / I Can’t Dance to Your Music / I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus / Things To Do / One / Jamie / Rose Coloured Glasses / Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) / Underneath the Arches / Friday Kind of Monday / Walking the Floor on My Hands / Acapulco Sun / One Minute Every Hour
The Net (with the Little River Band) (1983)
You’re Driving Me out of My Mind / We Two / No More Tears / Mr Socialite / Down on the Border / The Danger Sign / Falling / Sleepless Nights / Easy Money / The Net / One Day
Playing to Win (with the Little River Band) (1985)
Playing to Win / Reappear / Blind Eyes / Through Her Eyes / When Cathedrals Were White / Relentless / Piece of the Dream / Don’t Blame Me / One Shot in the Dark / Count Me In
No Reins (with the Little River Band) (1986)
Face in the Crowd / It’s Just a Matter of Time / Time for Us / No Reins on Me / When the War Is Over / Thin Ice / How Many Nights / Forever Blue / Paper Paradise / It Was the Night
Whispering Jack (1986)
Pressure Down / You’re the Voice / One Step Away / Reasons / Going, Going, Gone / No One Comes Close / Love to Shine / Trouble / A Touch of Paradise / Let Me Out
Age of Reason (1988)
Age of Reason / Blow by Blow / Listen to the Wind / Two Strong Hearts / Burn Down the Night / Beyond the Call / We’re No Angels / Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done / The Fire / Some Do, Some Don’t / When The War Is Over / It’s A Long Way to the Top
Chain Reaction (1990)
That’s Freedom / In Days To Come / Burn for You / See The Banners Fall / I Can Do Anything / All Our Sons And Daughters / Chain Reaction / In Your Hands / New Day / The Time Has Come / The First Step / Time and Money
Full House (1991)
When The War Is Over / Age of Reason / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / Two Strong Hearts / Comic Conversation / Help / Chain Reaction / Burn For You / Reasons / You’re the voice / A Touch of Paradise / That’s Freedom / One / Playing to Win / Pressure Down / Please Don’t Ask Me
Then Again … (1993)
Angels / Seemed Like a Good Idea / Only Women Bleed / Talent for Fame / When All Else Fails / What You Don’t Know / Treated This Way / Always The Same / The Reason Why / So Long in Love / It All Comes Back to You / Diamonds / Rolling Home / Talk of the Town
The Classic Gold Collection (1995)
Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) / Underneath the Arches / Friday Kind of Monday / Jamie / Rose Coloured Glasses / One / Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head / Comic Conversation / Acapulco Sun / As Long as Life Goes On / Baby Without You / Walking the Floor on My Hands / Rock Me Baby / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / Everything Is Out of Season / I Can’t Dance to Your Music / Shake a Hand / One Minute Every Hour / Things to Do / Please Don’t Ask Me / Down on the Border / The Other Guy / Playing to Win
Memories of Christmas (1995)
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town / Christmas Is / The Ringing Reindeer / Little Drummer Boy / Jingle Bells / Good Time Christmas / Christmas Happy / White Christmas / The First Noel / Silent Night / There’s No Place Like Home / Little Boy Dear / It Must Be Getting Close to Christmas / Everything Is Beautiful
Romeo’s Heart (1996)
Have A Little Faith (In Us) / Little Piece of My Heart / A Simple Life / All Kinds of People / Romeo’s Heart / Don’t Let It End / Hearts on Fire / Hard Promises to Keep / Over My Head / May You Never / Second Skin
Anthology 1: Greatest Hits 1986 – 1997 (1997)
You’re the Voice / Pressure Down / A Touch of Paradise / Reasons / Two Strong Hearts / Age of Reason / That’s Freedom / Chain Reaction / Burn for You / Seemed Like a Good Idea (At the Time) / Talk of the Town / Angels / Have a Little Faith / A Simple Life / Heart’s on Fire / When Something is Wrong with My Baby / Everytime You Cry
Anthology 2: Classic Hits 1967 – 1985 (1997)
Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) / One / Looking Through a Tear / Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head / Comic Conversation / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / Everything Is Out of Season / Help! / Matilda / Infatuation / That’s No Way to Love Someone / Please Don’t Ask Me / Playing to Win / Justice for One / When the War Is Over / And I Love Her
Anthology 3: Rarities (1997)
I Feel Fine / Susan Jones / Birthday / Legs / Black Dog / Dream People / Good Company / Take You Back / Love’s in Need / You’re the Voice / Little Piece of My Heart / Break the Ice / Running for Love / Burn for You / Cool Water / Don’t Let It End
Highlights from The Main Event (1998)
Overture / Age of Reason / Phantom of the Opera / Little More Love / Age of Reason / This Is the Moment / Hopelessly Devoted to You / Everytime You Cry / Please Don’t Ask Me / You’re The One That I Want / Long and Winding Road / Take Me Home, Country Roads / I Honestly Love You / Love Is a Gift / That’s Life/ Bad Habits / Granada / You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ / Summer Nights / If Not for You / Let Me Be There / Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head / Jolene / Hearts on Fire / Don’t You Know It’s Magi
c / You’re the Voice
Live at the Regent Theatre – 1st July 1999 (1999)
Reasons (Farnham) / One (Farnham) / Everything’s Alright (Farnham with Kate Ceberano) / Help! (Kate Ceberano) / A Touch of Paradise (Farnham with Ross Wilson) / Age of Reason (Ross Wilson) / Burn for You (Farnham with Merril Bainbridge) / Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head (Merril Bainbridge) / Chain Reaction (Farnham) / Infatuation (Nana-Zhami) / Don’t You Know It’s Magic (Farnham with James Reyne) / Comic Conversation (James Reyne) / Who’s Lovin’ You (Farnham with Human Nature) / Everytime You Cry (Farnham with Human Nature) / That’s Freedom (Farnham) / Playing to Win (Farnham) / I Wish (All) / You’re the Voice (All)
33 1/3 (2000)
That Driving Beat / Trying to Live My Life Without You / You Don’t Know Like I Know / Everything Is Gonna Be Alright / Man of the Hour / I’ve Been Lonely for So Long / That’s What Love Will Make You Do / I Can’t Get Next to You / You’re the Only One / I Thank You / Soul Reason / The Way / Walk Away
The Last Time (2002)
The Last Time / No Ordinary World / Lonely Man / When I Can’t Have You / Undeniably Real / Keep Talking / Sometimes / One More Try / Even After All This Time / Eternally
One Voice: The Greatest Hits (2003)
Disc 1: We Will Rock You / That’s Freedom / Age of Reason / Pressure Down / Don’t You Know It’s Magic / A Touch of Paradise / Help! / When Something Is Wrong With My Baby / Chain Reaction / Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head / Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) / A Simple Life / Burn for You / The Last Time
Disc 2: You’re the Voice / Two Strong Hearts / Everything’s Alright / One / Seemed like a Good Idea (At the Time) / Talk of the Town / Angels / Have A Little Faith (In Us) / Hearts on Fire / Everytime You Cry / Reasons / No Ordinary World / Man of the Hour
John Farnham & Tom Jones Together in Concert (2005)
Mama Told Me Not to Come / 200 Pounds of Heavenly Joy / Man of The Hour / What Am I Living For / It’s Not Unusual / Burn for You / Playing to Win / My Yiddishe Momme / You’re the Voice / That Driving Beat / Hold on, I’m Coming / Try A Little Tenderness / What’d I Say / Sweet Soul Music / It’s a Long Way to the Top
I Remember When I Was Young (2005)
Come Back Again / Heading in the Right Direction / One Perfect Day / I Remember When I Was Young / Downhearted / Even When I’m Sleeping / Green Limousine / Girls On The Avenue / Forever Now / Reckless / Come Said the Boy / No Aphrodisiac / Overkill
Jack (2010)
Love Chooses You / You Took My Love / Hit The Road Jack – Fever / 247365 / Nobody Gets Me Like You / You Don’t Know Me / Love Me Like You Do / Today / I’m the One Who Loves You / Love Comes Knockin’ / Sunshine
The Acoustic Chapel Sessions (2011)
CD: Pressure Down / Reasons / Chain Reaction / Playing to Win / You’re the Voice / That’s Freedom / Two Strong Hearts / Age of Reason / Talk of the Town / A Simple Life / Hearts on Fire
DVD: Talk of the Town / Chain Reaction / Two Strong Hearts / Pressure Down / Hearts on Fire / A Simple Life / Age of Reason / Playing to Win
Two Strong Hearts Live with Olivia Newton-John (2015)
Overture / Two Strong Hearts / Let Me be There / Xanadu / I Honestly Love You / Tenterfield Saddler / No One Comes Close / Love to Shine / Suddenly / Dare to Dream / Somewhere Over the Rainbow / Burn for You / Hit the Road Jack – Fever / You’re the One That I Want / Summer Nights / Hearts on Fire / If Not for You / Everytime You Cry / Physical / You’re the Voice / It’s A Long Way to the Top
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I’ll come clean: the idea of documenting the life of John Farnham hadn’t truly registered with me until it was proposed by Jeanne Ryckmans at Nero and my agent, Jo Butler, at Cameron Creswell. I have to thank them both enormously, because this led me to discover that John ‘Johnny’ Farnham, ‘Farnesy’, the Voice – whatever you choose to call him – is an infinitely more intriguing character than I ever imagined. Essentially, John’s is the story of three key relationships: the first with his original manager and relentless booster, the late Darryl Sambell; the second with his wife of 40-and-a-bit years, Jillian, who to this day remains his rock; the third with his manager and close friend, Glenn Wheatley, the man who got John’s life and career back on track, and was then repaid a hundredfold. All played key roles in forming the man that, miraculously, is even more popular in 2016, 50 years into his career, than when he first walked off a Melbourne building site singing a valentine to dear old Sadie. You can’t say that about any of John’s peers; he’s a music industry phenomenon.
John is a not a man known for public reflection; he prefers to let his music and his achievements speak for themselves. (A Farnham memoir is not very likely. Fair enough, too.) So this became the type of project I truly love, one of deep research and informed writing: an attempt to tell this man’s story as intimately and truthfully – and engagingly – as possible, despite not having access to John himself. For helping me dig deep, I have to thank Simon Drake at the National Film and Sound Archive, an ever-reliable source of advice and assistance, among many others. Just as important for my research was my memory – it’s amazing what I’ve been able to store away from my own Farnham-watching, both as punter and music chronicler, over the past six decades. It really says something about the man’s ubiquity. Find me a born-and-bred Australian who doesn’t recognise the name John Farnham and you’d best check their passport.
Even more crucial to the book was the guidance and support provided by Lyn Albury at the excellent Jack’s Place website (www.johnfarnhaminfo.com) and John’s manager, Glenn Wheatley, who helped enormously with the manuscript. I’d highly recommend Glenn’s two memoirs, Paper Paradise and Facing the Music; they’re sometimes funny, always insightful and occasionally heartbreaking stories of a life immersed in the Australian music scene. Someone should make a movie, documentary or mini-series about the man; he’s been there and back.
Other incredibly helpful guides were Clark Forbes’ book Whispering Jack, Noel McGrath’s Australian Encyclopedia of Rock, Ian McFarlane’s The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop and David Kent’s Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. I trust I’ve kept those eagle-eyed Farnham spotters satisfied with the reliability of my facts and figures. Even more crucially, I hope I’ve retold John’s story with all the energy, drama and humour that it warrants. That, to me, is the key.
I’d also like to thank Jo Rosenberg, Kirstie Innes-Will, Kelly Fagan and Siân Scott-Clash at Black Inc.; this book just wouldn’t be the same without the help and support of each and every one of you. I hope it’s the beginning of a great relationship. Glenn A. Baker and David Anderson were also very helpful.
Closer to home, a hefty shout-out goes to my children, Christian and Elizabeth, my wife, Diana, and especially my mother, Jean, who frequently reminds me that I’m a lucky man living a fortunate life.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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‘At Last, Excellent Australian Variety’, The Age, 25 July 1974.
‘Bubble and Fizz Before Work’, The Age, 25 October 1973.
‘Farnham Rings Glenn Wheatley on Home Detention’, Daily Telegraph, 19 May 2008.
‘Farnham Looks at Dark Side’, The Age, 27 January 1988.
‘Farnham Storms St Kilda’s Espy’, The Age, 7 October 2002.
‘John Farnham: My Turning Point’, New Idea, July 1999.
‘Murky Melbourne’s Own Sherlock’, The Age, 25 July 1975.
‘Muscovites Have Whale of a Time’, Financial Times (London), 7 March 1989.
‘Rhythms: A Guide to Rock, Jazz, Folk, Country and Acoustic Gigs This Week’, The Age, 31 October 1986.
‘Sadie, Gold Record Lady’, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 February 1968.
‘Singer asks for $30,000’, The Age, 12 June 1969.
Cameron Adams, ‘Australia’s Favourite Voice John Farnham Returns … Again’, Herald Sun, 15 January 2015.
Jeff Apter, Chasing the Dragon: The Life and Death of Marc Hunter, Hardie Grant, 2010.
Jeff Apte
r, Shirl: The Life of Legendary Larrikin Graeme ‘Shirley’ Strachan, Hardie Grant, 2012.
Jeff Apter, Tragedy: The Sad Ballad of the Gibb Brothers, Five Mile Press, 2015.
Jeff Apter, Up from Down Under: How Australian Music Changed the World, Five Mile Press, 2013.
Thomas K. Arnold, ‘Talent in Action’, Billboard, 22 June 1985.
Anushka Asthana, ‘Dagenham’s Heyday: “It Was All Just One Big Happy Family Then”’, The Guardian, 21 March 2010.
Glenn A Baker, The Australian Magazine, 15 – 16 April 1989.
Fred Bokelmann, ‘I Want To Be Able To Go Into My Garden Wearing Nothing But My Underwear’, BILD-Zeitung, 10 August 1998.
Ross Brundrett, ‘Trio Set for Main Event’, Herald Sun, 22 October 1998.
Michelle Burke, ‘I Can’t Believe He’s 50 – Whispering Jack’s Private Bash’, Woman’s Day, 19 July 1999.
Peter Cochrane, ‘Harry M Put his Faith in Farnham’, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 October 1992.
Max Cooper, ‘TV Legend Don Lane Dead’, Sydney Morning Herald, 22 October 2009.
Frank Crook, ‘Johnny Says I’m Sorry’, TV Week, 7 March 1970.
Frank Crook, Show Business: Australian Style, TV Week, undated.
Wayne Croskell, ‘Johnny Farnham Show Dragged’, The Age, 16 April 1969.
Mike Daly, ‘New Notes’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 September 1980.
Mike Daly, ‘New Notes’, The Age, 4 August 1988
Peter Dean, ‘John Farnham Takes New Directions’, The Australian Women’s Weekly, 15 October 1980.
Madeleine d’Haeye, ‘On The Record’, Sydney Morning Herald, 17 August 1980.
Bruce Elder, ‘Nonsensical Nostalgia’, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 August 1992.
Christie Eliezer, ‘BMG’s John Farnham Enjoys Status Down Under’, Billboard, 28 September 1996.
Darrin Farrant, ‘The Main Event – There’s No Room for Egos on This Stage’, The Age, 29 October 1998.