7th Apia Good Times Tour Opens Up The Great Australian Songbook

Every single Apia Good Times tour has been a musical document sourced directly from the Great Australian Songbook.

What we have witnessed over seven years of Good Times is a snapshot each time of Australia’s greatest hits from Australia’s greatest performers.

The “kids” on this line-up were Vika and Linda Bull, who released their first album in 1994 and only then after an apprenticeship with Joe Camilleri’s Black Sorrows had generated one of the Sorrows most powerful songs ‘Never Let Me Go’.

Vika and Linda photo by Mary Boukouvalas

Kate Ceberano is without a doubt the greatest female performer Australia has generated in decades, and even Kate kicked off her songs for the show with her hits ‘Brave’ and ‘Bedroom Eyes’ which are now 30 years old.

Kate Ceberano photo by Mary Boukouvalas

Russell Morris took us the furthest back into 1969 with ‘The Real Thing’, now 50 years old, still an essential daily part of radio programming.

Brian Cadd was still with Axiom 50 years ago. ‘ A Little Ray of Sunshine’ is a song every Australian knows and loves.

Brian Cadd and Russell Morris photo by Mary Boukouvalas

Ross Wilson kicks in this set with a pair from his Daddy Cool days, ‘Eagle Rock’ and ‘Come Back Again’, both from 1971.

John Paul Young was Australia’s biggest pop star of the mid-1970s. His hits ‘Yesterday’s Hero’, ‘I Hate The Music’ and ‘Love Is In The Air’ had the double barrel success contributor with music and production by Vanda and Young and media by Countdown.

John Paul Young photo by Mary Boukouvalas

It is no wonder the Apia Good Times tour sells out wherever it goes. 19 of these songs are Top 40 hits and being performed up to half a century later by the original artists.

One of the nice things many may have missed at the show was the occasional appearance by Warren ‘Pig’ Morgan who, as well as this collaborations with Billy Thorpe, was also an integral part of the keyboards for John Paul Young’s 70s hits. Warren nonchalantly appeared from time to time to give that added depth of originality to the JPY Good Times hits.

The Apia Good Times tour cast of 2019 photo by Mary Boukouvalas

Apia Good Times setlist 25 May 2019 Melbourne

Part 1

We Started A Fire (from Vika and Linda, 1994) – Vika & Linda
When Will You Fall For Me (from Vika and Linda, 1994) – Vika & Linda
Cool World (from Mondo Rock, Chemistry, 1981) – Ross Wilson
Come Back Again (from Daddy Cool, Daddy Who Daddy Cool, 1971)– Ross Wilson
Sweet Sweet Love (from Bloodstone, 1971) – Russell Morris
Brave (from Brave, 1989) – Kate Ceberano
Champion (from Kensal Road, 2013) – Kate Ceberano
I Hate The Music (from J.P.Y., 1976) – John Paul Young
Harley and Rose (from Black Sorrows, Harley and Rose, 1990) – Joe Camilleri
Sylvio (from Black Sorrows, Citizen John, 2019) – Joe Camilleri
Your Mama Don’t Dance (single by The Bootleg Family Band, 1973) – Brian Cadd
Gingerman (from Brian Cadd, 1972) – Brian Cadd

Part 2

Out of Time (Rolling Stones cover) – Brian Cadd and Russell Morris
Never Let Me Go (from Black Sorrows, Harley and Rose, 1990) – Vika and Linda, and Kate Ceberano and Russell Morris
Chained To The Wheel (from The Black Sorrows, Hold On To Me, 1988) – Joe Camilleri with Vika and Linda and Russell Morris
Come Said The Boy (from Mondo Rock, The Modern Bop, 1984) – Ross Wilson with Russell Morris and John Paul Young
Bedroom Eyes (from Brave, 1989) – Kate Ceberano with Vika and Linda
Pash (from Pash, 1998) – Kate Ceberano and cast
A Little Ray of Sunshine (from Axiom, Fool’s Gold, 1970) – Brian Cadd and Russell Morris
Yesterday’s Hero (from Hero, 1975) – John Paul Young and cast
The Shape I’m In (from Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Screaming Targets, 1979) – Joe Camilleri and cast
The Real Thing (single, 1969) – Russell Morris and cast
Eagle Rock (from Daddy Cool, Daddy Who Daddy Cool, 1971) – Ross Wilson and cast
Love Is In The Air (from Love Is In The Air, 1978) – John Paul Young and cast