Smiley
1969 · Spin EK-3380 · Australia
- Artist
- Ronnie Burns
- Title
- Smiley
- Release
- Smiley / Jodie
- Year
- 1969
- Label
- Spin # EK-3380
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Australia
- Songwriter
- Johnny Young
- Genre
- Pop · Pop
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The track "Smiley" (Spin Records # EK-3380) is another Australian Vietnam War song - it referred to "the Asian war". It is from the actual era of the war, released in 1969 by Ronnie Burns (member of the pop group The Flies). This single sold more than 50,000 singles, reaching # 3 in the Melbourne charts, bringing Ronnie Burns a Gold Record. (1) It reached # 2 in the Go-Set National Top 40. On 30 May 1970 Billboard noted the success of the single. (2) It is written by Johnny Young, who based it on the Australian pop singer Normie Rowe, a conscript in the Vietnam conflict. Johnny Young said on ABC-TV’s Love Is In The Air that "before he left, he was really happy-go-lucky, fun-filled young fella. When he came back, he changed". (3) Vocal and orchestral arrangement were by John Farrar (member of the Melbourne band The Strangers). The theme, about the trauma of war, is typically found in post-Vietnam war songs. By looking at the negative effects of the war on veterans, it does suggest an anti-war stance, or at least provides a representation of disillusionment in Australia. It included anti-war sentiments, such as "when will they learn?" and "there is peace to bring". However, it is…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs
The track "Smiley" (Spin Records # EK-3380) is another Australian Vietnam War song - it referred generically to "the Asian war". Released in 1969 by Ronnie Burns (member of the pop group The Flies). This single sold more than 50,000 singles, reaching # 3 in the Melbourne charts, bringing Ronnie Burns a Gold Record. (1) It reached # 2 in the Go-Set National Top 40. On 30 May 1970 Billboard noted the success of the single. (2) It is written by Johnny Young, who based it on the Australian pop singer Normie Rowe, a conscript in the Vietnam conflict. Johnny Young said on ABC-TV’s Love Is In The Air that "before he left, he was really happy-go-lucky, fun-filled young fella. When he came back, he changed". (3) Vocal and orchestral arrangement were by John Farrar (member of the Melbourne band The Strangers). The theme, about the trauma of war, is typically found in post-Vietnam war songs. By looking at the negative effects of the war on veterans, it does suggest an anti-war stance, or at least provides a representation of disillusionment in Australia. It included anti-war sentiments, such as "when will they learn?" and "there is peace to bring". However, it is more personal than…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Australian pop singer, born 8 September 1946 in Melbourne, Australia ('Smiley'). [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
In collections
Australian & New Zealand Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs