(John Young)
Australia
Original version
#1 Sydney #1 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #3 Adelaide #3 Perth
Single on Columbia.
Melbourne singer-songwriter Russell Morris had been lead singer of Somebody’s Image, and built a respected solo career through a series of original and often progressive singles that included The Real Thing, Rachel and Part Three Into Paper Walls (all 1969), Sweet Sweet Love (1971) and Wings Of An Eagle (1972).
The Real Thing was written by Johnny Young, Western Australian singer, songwriter, radio announcer and TV personality, born John De Jong in the Netherlands in 1945. He topped the charts as a pop star in the second half of the 60s, compered the national pop TV show Go!! and worked as a disc jockey on 3XY in Melbourne, Victoria. From 2000 he hosted Breakfast at Radio 6IX in Perth, Western Australia.
In later years Johnny Young became known for his long-running youth variety show Young Talent Time and the associated talent school. Although his own hits (Step Back, Cara-Lyn, Kiss Me Now) were written by others, his main claim to pop fame, at least internationally, may well be for writing The Real Thing. Among Johnny Young’s other compositions are The Star, a hit in Australia for Ross D. Wyllie that was covered in the UK by Herman’s Hermits; and Lionel Rose’s 1969 hit I Thank You (not the Johnny O’Keefe song).
The Russell Morris record was produced by Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, pop journalist who became a fixture on the Australian music scene through his appearances on national teen TV show Countdown from the mid-70s. There he became known as much for his endearingly sincere but inarticulate interviews and commentary as for his enthusiastic advocacy of local and visiting artists.
Terry Stacey writes:
With backing provided by the cream of Australia’s 60s pop scene including The Groop and Marcie & The Cookies, The Real Thing was a
ground-breaking single for its time. At over 6 minutes long this psychedelic-pop masterpiece included a dynamic build-up starting from a simple acoustic guitar intro
through to a long hypnotic rave instrumental run out (which included phasing, sound effects and speeches) and ended with a dramatic apocalyptic/cold war nuclear
explosion extinguishing a children’s choir. It has since been covered by artists such as Kylie Minogue and Midnight Oil, was featured in the soundtrack of the movie
‘The Dish’ (2000) and has been used as the theme for a TV tourist promotion for Western Australia (2005).
Sources: Terry Stacey’s research; Paul McHenry, Cover Me (1998); Chris Spencer, Australian Rock Discography 1970-79 (1999); Chris Spencer et al, Who’s Who of Australian Rock (2002); Russell Morris page at Milesago; other pages cited below.
Further reading: Paul Culnane’s reflections on The Real Thing and its follow-up Part Three Into Paper Walls at Milesago’s Russell Morris page.
For another hit produced by Molly Meldrum, see Colleen Hewitt’s Day By Day.
(John Young)
Australia
Later version
Melbourne pop band who had a hit in 1973 with the double entendre novelty The Marrow Song.
From Tribute to Australian Rock And Roll, an album of remakes of Australian hits from the 60s and 70s. .
(John Young)
Australia
Later version
Early 80s Melbourne band known, according to Ian McFarlane, for its radical, improvised, distortion-heavy reworkings of such Australian rock classics as Russell Morris's The Real Thing and Coloured Balls' GOD.
The Bum Steers comprised former members of Primitive Calculators and a member of Ollie Olsen's electronica band Whirlywirld. Another Ollie Olsen band, Third Eye, also recorded The Real Thing (see below).
References, further reading: 1. Primitive Calculators official website. 2. Primitive Calculators history by Ian McFarlane, with band members' corrections (pdf at PrimitiveCalculators.com). 3. Wikipedia entries on Primitive Calculators and the Little Band Scene.
Thanks to Denise of Primitive Calculators.
(John Young)
Australia
Later version
Eclectic Sydney pop band who topped the charts in 1979-80 with Love Will Find A Way.
On the Neighbours LP (Paul McHenry, Cover Me p.35).
See also: According To My Heart.
(John Young)
Australia
Later version
CD single by Melbourne electronica group, a project of musician, composer and producer Ian 'Ollie' Olsen.
Ollie Olsen's CV includes the pioneering electronic band Whirlywirld, production work with Michael Hutchence and film music for Dogs In Space (1987) and Head On (1998).
Personnel from Whirlywirld and Primitive Calculators formed The Bum Steers, who also recorded The Real Thing (see above).
Primitive Calculators re-formed to record their song Pumping Ugly Music for the soundtrack of Dogs In Space, for which Ollie Olsen was musical director.
Further reading: 1. Ollie Olsen entry at Wikipedia. 2. Ollie Olsen's website (under construction March 2010).
(John Young)
Australia
Later version
Recorded in 1994. On the live album The Real Thing, released in 2000.
(John Young)
Australia
Later version
From the soundtrack of the Australian film Sample People (2000). Also on the album Kylie: Greatest Hits 87-99 (2003).
(John Young)
Germany
Later version
German electronica outfit. On the 2004 album Digital Tenderness on the Ministry of Sound label.
(Nick Ashford - Valerie Simpson - Jo Armstead)
Australia
Red herring
Real red herrings: Hundreds of compositions have the title The Real Thing or Real Thing. Most of them are not the same song as The Real Thing by Russell Morris.
To appreciate the popularity of the phrase as a song title, try a title search at Songview, the BMI-ASCAP music copyright site.
Cheryl Gray’s record ‘The Real Thing’ is not the same song as
‘The Real Thing’ by Russell Morris.
Single on HMV by Melbourne singer later known as Samantha Sang.
For more details and other versions of this Real Thing, see under Cheryl Gray – The Real Thing.
Pop Archives
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2024. Chart positions courtesy of Gavin Ryan’s Australian Chart Books and Dean Scapolo’s Complete NZ Music Charts. Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Philippe Edouard, Dave Overett.., More…