12: No Bad Rivers

SUDDENLY: a Frank Sinatra podcast

In Sydney of 1960, a man sings acappella to workers on a building site. In Sydney of 2020, a woman sings acappella to TV cameras. In Sydney of 2022, a man wheels his kayak through a drain under a highway. This week we're looking at one of the greatest songs of the 20th century, "Ol' Man River", as sung by Frank Sinatra in TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (1946). Racially, socially and environmentally, this masterpiece of songwriting has meant many different things to different people at different times. But one thing is for certain: it has no possible conservative reading. In the first half of this episode we also dig into other songs from the Jerome Kern songbook as featured in the film. Note: This episode features a discussion of Indigenous deaths in custody - in particular, that of Tanya Day. September 8th is Wear Pink for Tanya Day, as organised by her family. Find out more on their Instagram account, Justice for Tanya Day: http://instagr.am/justicefortanyaday. We encourage you to donate to the Dhadjowa Foundation, a grassroots organisation who look after the families of Indigenous people who have died in custody: https://dhadjowa.com.au/ or their Instagram account, http://instagr.am/dhadjowa_foundation. Beau Miles' Bad River on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmxKUwB8VFQ The Cooks River Alliance: https://cooksriver.org.au/ Friends of Merri Creek: https://www.friendsofmerricreek.org.au/

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