Favourite Aussie Collabs: John Farnham, Gotye & Kimbra, Fanning Dempsey National Park & More

The news of Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning and Something For Kate’s Paul Dempsey coming together for a new musical project has been the talk of the town. Although the two have collaborated before, with Fanning contributing vocals on Something For Kate’s Inside Job, this project, entitled Fanning Dempsey National Park, marks a new phase in both men’s careers.

Anyone expecting acoustic guitars and whimsical lyrics will be surprised with the duo’s first single, Disconnect. The tune has a real 80s rock pop vibe, which turns the volume to 11 when the saxophone kicks in.

Listening to the track got us thinking about our favourite collaborations, specifically between Aussie artists. Whether it’s Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue going goth or Josh Pyke and Gordi teaming up for a folk ditty, here are some of our all-time favourite Aussie collabs.

Goyte & Kimbra – Somebody That I Used To Know

Taking Australia by storm in 2011, Somebody That I Used To Know catapulted both Goyte and Kimbra to national stardom. At the time of the song’s release, Goyte was a triple j darling, while Kiwi Kimbra was still relatively unknown.

Written and produced by Goyte in his parent’s barn, Somebody That I Used To Know is a breakup ballad that struck a chord with audiences around the world. Topping the charts in 25 different countries and winning countless awards, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the Grammys, it’s one of the biggest Australian songs in recent memory.

The ongoing popularity of Somebody That I Used To Know is evident by the recent remix of the track released earlier this year by Chris Lake, Fisher and Sante Sansone. Blowing up on TikTok, the reworked version helped push the song back into the charts and has become a staple of Fisher’s live sets.

James Blundell & James Reyne – Way Out West

Many people aren’t aware this song is a cover, which is a credit to the talent of singer-songwriters James Blundell and James Reyne. Originally recorded and released by The Dingos in 1973, the two James’ working class cover connected with Aussie music fans when released in 1992.

The song shot up the charts and peaked at #2, just missing out on the top spot due to Julian Lennon’s Saltwater, which, in retrospect, isn’t that great. Incredibly, Way Out West is the highest charting single either Blundell or Reyne has had as solo artists. It’s something of an unofficial Australian anthem and is one of those tunes you crack a beer to and kick back with after a day of hard yakka.

Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow

On paper, it sounds like it shouldn’t work.

Nick Cave, the brooding frontman who started his career with The Boys Next Door and The Birthday Party before finding global success with gothic art-rock ensemble Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, duetting with Kylie Minogue, the soap actor turned pop star who was riding high from the success of her Madonna inspired chart topper Confide In Me.

Somehow, the two artists, who had very different musical paths, pulled off one of the best songs of 1995.

They came together for the murder ballad Where The Wild Roses Grow, a haunting yet beautifully sinister ballad juxtaposing Cave’s aching baritone with Minogue’s sugary vocals. Inspired by the traditional song Down In The Willow Garden, the track tells the story of a man pursuing and then killing a young woman, with Cave and Minogue singing from the point of view of the two characters.

Where The Wild Roses Grow was not only a massive hit, winning three ARIA Awards for Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Release, but the song kick-started Minogue’s late 90s indie phase and cemented Cave as one of the great songwriters of our generation—a true classic.

A.B. Original ft. Dan Sultan – January 26

Protest songs don’t get much more poignant than January 26. A.B. Original, comprising Shepparton rapper Briggs and Funkoars founder and producer Trails, spit lyrical darts laced with brutal honesty on a song about the ramifications Australia Day celebrations have on our Indigenous community.

Joined by singer-songwriter Dan Sultan, whose effortless vocals bring a touch of soul to proceedings, January 26 is impactful, cutting, and heartbreaking. During the song’s three minutes and 17 seconds, A.B. Original conveys over 250 years of history, pain, and hurt.

If January 26 doesn’t make you stop and think about the real impact Australia Day has on First Nations people, then all might be lost for you.  

Kirin J Callinan ft. Alex Cameron, Molly Lewis & Jimmy Barnes – Big Enough

Most people associate Big Enough with the plethora of hilarious Jimmy Barnes memes that sprung up after the music video dropped, but the song itself is a satirical banger that deserves more respect.

At its core, the song is a duet between Aussie larkins Kirin J Callinan and Alex Cameron. They use the Wild West as a metaphor for the world, believing there is enough room for all nations to live in harmony. Barnes lends his familiar scream to the song, while Molly Lewis’ whistle adds a country flavour.

Then, there’s the music video, which is a thing of beauty. Directed by Danny Cohen, Callinan and Cameron play the feuding cowboys featured in the song’s lyrics who just want the world to come together as one, randomly rhyming countries and religions during the final stanza.

Hilltop Hoods ft. Sia – I Love It

Taken from the Hoods’ chart-topping sixth album, Drinking From The Sun, this is the hip-hop trio at their most radio-friendly. I Love It is a celebration of Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris’ career and journey as Aussie hip hop greats, with Sia providing a soulful hook over a beat sampling A Tribe Called Quest’s The Love and 1cne Again.

While it’s fair to say the Hilltop Hoods have plenty of other collaborations worth mentioning (including the awesome Exit Sign featuring Illy and Ecca Vandal), I Love It makes the cut due to it being the rap group’s second-biggest-selling single (behind Cosby Sweater) and for the addition of fellow South Australian Sia, whose stunning vocals are the glue that holds this tune together.

Josh Pyke & Gordi – The Hummingbird 

Taken from Josh Pyke’s 2022 record To Find Happiness, The Hummingbird is a soothing single concocted via email between Pyke and Gordi during lockdown.

Exchanging ideas throughout the early months of the pandemic in 2021, the two finally got together during a break between lockdowns and recorded the song in Pyke’s home studio.

A folky ballad that makes tremendous use of both their voices, The Hummingbird is a wonderful collaboration built around a gentle piano line and rhymical guitar riff.

Seeker Lover Keeper – Rest Your Head On My Shoulders

This one could be seen as cheating, as Seeker Lover Keeper is an actual band, but Sarah Blasko, Holly Throsby, and Sally Seltmann's coming together felt like a big moment in Australian music history.

All three women had broken through with their solo debuts and were loved by critics and fans, so when they revealed they had formed a supergroup together, people lost their shit in a good way.

You can pick any song from their 2011 debut record to highlight the three women’s songwriting craft and vocal prowess, but Rest Your Head On My Shoulders truly showcases each of Blasko, Throsby, and Seltmann’s talents.

Unlike the other tracks on the album, which are sung solo by one of the women, Rest Your Head On My Shoulders is a reflective piano ballad featuring all three, with each woman having their moment to shine before coming together for the final harmony-pleasing verses.

John Farnham with Human Nature – Everytime You Cry

Whispering Jack’s last top ten charting single was a Motown-inspired collaboration with Australian boy band Human Nature.

Everytime You Cry was originally recorded as a solo track for John Farnham’s Romeo’s Heart but was left unfinished. It was then re-recorded with Human Nature and released as the lead single from Farnham’s greatest hits compilation Anthology 1.

While Farnham takes centre stage, Human Nature’s harmonies give Everytime You Cry an added spark and gel smoothly with Farnham’s iconic vocals.

The song’s legacy is even greater, with Everytime You Cry Human Nature’s highest charting single, helping their sophomore album, Counting Down, hit the #1 spot on the ARIA Charts.

Midnight Oil ft. Jessica Mauboy & Tasman Keith – First Nation

In 2020, Midnight Oil released The Makarrata Project – a collection of collaborations with Aboriginal artists about recognising our shared history and the role we can play in modern reconciliation.

The album kicks off with First Nation, a classic Oils track with a steady groove and frontman Peter Garrett’s familiar talk-sing vocals tackling the subject of reconciliation and asking when the country will recognise the true impact white Australians had on First Nations people.

The track also includes the soulful tones of Jessica Mauboy on the chorus and a moving rap from Tasman Keith, with First Nation setting the scene for what’s to come on the seven-track mini-album.

Pez ft. 360 and Hailey Cramer – The Festival Song

No Aussie song was heard more at clubs, house parties, and festival DJ sets in 2009 than Pez’s good time anthem, The Festival Song. An upbeat ode to the Aussie festival season, the track depicts the fun and games that occur at festivals, like getting on the piss, taking copious amounts of drugs and general horseplay with your mates.

The song features 360 a few years before he blew up and accomplished singer Hailey Cramer. Certified 3x platinum, The Festival Song peaked at #7 on the triple j’s Hottest 100 and remains Pez’s biggest single, helping the album the song comes from, A Mind of My Own, take out the AIR Award for Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album.

Jimmy Barnes & John Farnham – When Something Is Wrong With My Baby

Not only is this another cover, but it marks the second appearance of both Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham on this list. After four albums of pub rock gold, Barnesy decided to change things up in 1991 with an album of soul covers. The aptly titled Soul Deep found Barnes tackling classics from the likes of Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder and Wilson Pickett.

One of the album’s standout tunes is a cover of Sam & Dave’s When Something Is Wrong With My Baby featuring John Farnham.

Despite his voice often resembling that of someone who smokes five packs of Winnie Blues a day while gargling whiskey, Barnes’ powerful timbre is right at home, blasting out this soul classic. Throw in Johnny Farnham’s beautiful croon and it’s a match made in heaven, with the song helping propel Soul Deep to the top of the ARIA Chart and adding to the legacy of both artists.

Fanning Dempsey National Park – The Deluge

How could we not include Fanning Dempsey National Park? Aside from breaking the internet with the news of Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey teaming up for a collaborative album and tour, the music itself is really bloody impressive.

With the album announcement and tour dates drop arrived the band’s euphoric first single, Disconnect, which features Ron Dziubla's saxophone, huge drums, synths, and a gorgeous lead melody showcasing Fanning and Dempsey's combined skillsets. It turns out that they were just getting started with that single, dropping the title track from their upcoming album, The Deluge.

A song highlighting both of the singers’ bands’ melodic sensibilities with a little dash of Kraftwerk, The Deluge is just the right balance of quirky, 80s-inspired electronic elements and rock and roll. The third single, Born Expecting, kept up the ‘80s vibe with a keyboard melody and sound pleasantly reminiscent of Split Enz.

Not just repeating the past, Fanning Dempsey National Park offer something fresh while honouring nostalgia that fuels music lovers today.

Fanning Dempsey National Park will premiere their new album with Richard Kingsmill live in Brisbane on August 1 for 150 lucky fans at the inaugural The Music Sessions. You can find more information about the event here. The Deluge will be released to the world on 2 August and is available now for pre-order.