B-side "Alice Springs" Genre Country music Writer(s) John Williamson | Released 1982 Label Gum Leaf Recordings | |
"True Blue" is an Australian folk song written and performed in 1981 by singer-songwriter John Williamson. The lyrical content utilises Australian slang heavily, with the title meaning authentically Australian. The single was re-recorded and re-released in December 1986 and reached the Australian Music Report Top 50 Singles Chart. The song was popular on radio in rural areas of Australia. At the Country Music Awards of Australia in 1982, for Williamson, it won Tamworth Country Music Festival's Golden Guitar for Best Songwriter and Composer.
"True Blue" is often performed at sporting events or other ceremonies. It was performed by Williamson twice on acoustic guitar at Australia Zoo during Steve Irwin's public memorial service (it was Steve's favourite song); once shortly after the beginning ceremony, and again at the end as Irwin's truck was driven out of the Crocoseum (crocodile exhibit) for the final time.
In March 2009 Williamson sang in a 30-minute musical, The Story of True Blue, which relates how an Australian cattle dog loses its family in a bushfire. It was narrated by Shannon Noll, and combined stock men, livestock, motorbikes and circus performers.
The original lyrics included a reference to Vegemite, a food paste, but that was removed in a later version because Williamson "just didn't want the song to be commercialised".