CD REVIEW - The Lies that Made Australia by Keith McKenry

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Review © Allen Davis

This review follows an earlier Bush Music Club appraisal of a book by Keith McKenry titled More than a Life: John Meredith and the fight for Australian Tradition. The CD moves on and, rather smoothly augments, Meredith’s struggles to preserve the folk heritage. It is a combination of poetry, lies and yarns that linger and bind many of our traditions.

Using a clever methodology, McKenry recites and discusses Australian lies and myths with live audiences at both the National and Maldon Folk Festivals. His technique is to provide the people present with a named and numbered list of 27 “lies”. He then requests any audience member to call out a number. At this point he announces the title of that “lie” and proceeds to recite a poem and/or provide his view of the lie. Very effective! 

 

 Examples of the lies include, inter alia, Australia is a Classless Society, Asbestos, the Wonder Insulator and Captain Cook Discovered Australia. The CD is redolent with pathos and humour. McKenry knows his subject well. He addresses all “lies” in a warm and comforting way, even the most confronting topics.

It is pleasing to note the inclusion of Duke Tritton’s The Sandy Hollow Line and John O’Brien’s Said Hanrahan” along with 13 of McKenry’s own compelling and enjoyable works.

This is a veritable cornucopia of ripping and revealing yarns. McKenry is to be congratulated for this work which should form part of Australia’s literary heritage for generations yet unborn. “And that’s no lie “

available from Keith

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