"Before Leaving": Men at Work, Down Under

This is the first time ever I write a musical post…so I’ve decided to write one about a video by a band from my beloved Australia: Men at Work.
The song is called “Down Under” and it was composed in 1981; Australia is defined "the land down under" because it lies totally within the southern hemisphere.
This song in one of the most popular and patriotic songs in Australia.

In this video it is possible to see a lot of Aussie peculiarities, a number of elements typical of that country:
- Australian desert, that’s one of the largest desert in the world)-
- Billabong, a watering hole in a dry river bed that’s filled only during the rainy season. It rained for seven days straight before this video was shot.
- The tune of “Kookaburra”, a traditional children’s rhyme. The flute part in the song is based around it.
- Koala. In the video a band component keeps one on a leash. It’s against law to keep a koala as a pet.
- Vegemite, a dark brown food paste made from yeast extract, used mainly as a spread on sandwiches. Personally I don’t like it!!!!
- Australian slang (zombie=marijuana; to chunder=to vomit)

According to Pop up Video, Men at Work wrote the song about “crass European culture being imposed on the natural beauty of Australia”. Actually, in the first part of the video, the band run away (“you better run, you better take cover”) as an European man plant the sign “sold”; this situation can be compared to European conquest in XVII century. Moreover, in the end of the video Men at work’s roadies are carrying a coffin; this could symbolize a funeral for Australian natural beauties killed by greedy conquerors, attracted by the wealth of this “land of plenty”...
...and the Land Down Under is really a land of plenty, in every sense. I love it!!!

NO WORRIES!