Australian musicians share their top songs to get through lockdown
Sick of listening to the same old tunes while trapped inside the same four walls every day? We asked some Australian musicians which songs were helping them get through iso. Here’s what artists like Dean Lewis, Ben Lee and The Rubens have on repeat.
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With the coronavirus crisis stretching on (and on, and on), many Melburnians are turning to the arts to feel a little less alone — or just to fill in time.
Since the pandemic began, lockdown-themed playlists have sprung up on music streaming platforms.
Mushroom Group founder and music industry titan Michael Gudinski, whose recent Music From the Home Front television event reached more than 1.8 million viewers across two nations, said music was “incredibly powerful” and “incredibly important” during these trying times.
Gudinski said making the televised concert helped him “through a tough time”.
“That’s the power of music,” he said.
“I’ve done a lot in my life, but I’d put this in the Top 5.”
And in an effort to continue lifting people’s spirits through music, some of the best artists in Australia have shared the songs that are helping them ride the peaks and troughs of the coronacoaster and isolation.
MICHAEL GUDINSKI
Song: What Do I Know?
Artist: Ed Sheeran
“Family is so important, but even more during these times,” Gudinski said.
“We can still stay connected, even though we are apart, with video conferencing and old-fashioned telephone calls.
“This song has been on rotation alongside all my Australian music — as always.
“I chose this song because Ed and Cherry are celebrating the birth of their first child and they will always be an important part of the Frontier/Mushroom family.
“It’s a simple song, with a big message that I think we can all relate to.”
BEN LEE
Song: Northsiders
Artist: Christian Lee Hutson
“Christian’s album Beginners was probably my favourite album of the year,” Lee said.
“Unfortunately it came out during the initial wave of civil rights protests in the US. I spoke to Christian right as it was happening and he was so gracious: ‘This cause is more important than my album’.
“Anyway, this song is gorgeous and the whole album contains some of the best songwriting I’ve heard in ages. Produced by Phoebe Bridgers. It’s incredible.”
JON STEVENS
Song: Keep On Swinging
Artist: Rival Sons
“Considering what we have been enduring down here in Melbourne and all around Australia and the world with COVID-19, we must never forget to keep on swinging and to never lay down,” Stevens said.
DEAN LEWIS
Song: Stupid Deep
Artist: Jon Bellion
“I’ve spent this time writing my second album, trying to dig deeper to find more meaning in the songs I write,” Lewis said.
“I found Stupid Deep by Jon Bellion such an incredible and simple way of expressing that reflection that I’ve found in myself.”
THE RUBENS
Song: Are You Even Real?
Artist: James Blake
“This bloody beautiful song has been played constantly by a bunch of us over the past month. Scotty and Sam both sent it to Elliott on the same day.
“Funny how even though we’re all apart, we’re still listening to the same music.”
JESS HITCHCOCK
Song: Aphrodite
Artist: TRESOR
“I’ve been listening on repeat to Aphrodite by TRESOR, it’s a super fun African pop band that bring a little bit of fun and whole lot of life into their music,” she said.
“Their album Nostalgia has been my lockdown go-to whenever I’m feeling down.”
DIESEL
Song: The Blues
Artist: John Prine
Diesel said his reasons for picking this song during iso could best be summed up by the lyrics:
“Leaves were falling, just like embers
In colours red and gold, they set us on fire
Burning just like a moonbeam in our eyes
Somebody said they saw me
Swinging the world by the tail
Bouncing over a white cloud
Killing the blues”
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