(Cast)Maple Leaf Jazz Band

Drums Roger KennedyBass Gary DunbierBanjo John WithersTrombone Don SantinTrumpet Rob GreenAlto sax Kim Rushworth

Music Editor Zbigniew Friedrich

Music Consultant Greg Pickhaver

Hard KnocksPerformed by Paul Kelly & the DotsWritten by KellyPublished by MushroomCourtesy of Mushroom Records

Evie Part 1Performed by Stevie WrightWritten by Vanda/YoungPublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Albert Productions

Most People I KnowPerformed by AztecsWritten by ThorpePublished by Rock of AgesCourtesy of Havoc Records

Who Listens To The RadioPerformed by SportsWritten by Cummings/PendelburyPublished by Antipodes/MushroomCourtesy of Mushroom Records

My Little AngelPerformed by William ShakespeareWritten by Vanda/YoungPublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Albert Productions

Take A Long LinePerformed by AngelsWritten by Brewster/Neeson/BrewsterPublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Albert Productions

Where The Action IsPerformed by John Paul Young

Written by Vanda/YoungPublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Albert Productions

BirminghamPerformed by John Paul YoungWritten by Vanda/YoungPublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Albert Productions

High VoltagePerformed by AC/DCWritten by Scott/Young/ScottPublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Albert Productions

I Remember When I Was YoungPerformed by Matt TaylorWritten by Matt TaylorPublished by MushroomCourtesy of Mushroom Records

Breakfast at SweetheartsPerformed by Cold ChiselWritten by WalkerPublished by RondorCourtesy of W.E.A. Records

When The Heat's OffPerformed by Richard ClaptonWritten by Richard ClaptonPublished by GypsyCourtesy of Infinity Records

High Class WomenPerformed by John St. PetersWritten by John St. PetersPublished by CastleCourtesy of R.C.A. Records

Fugitive KindPerformed by Mondo RockWritten by Wilson/SlavichPublished by Antipodes/MushroomCourtesy of Oz Records

Way Out WestPerformed by DingoesWritten by DingoesPublished by MushroomCourtesy of Mushroom Records

Heading In The Right DirectionPerformed by Renee GeyerWritten by Punch/PaigePublished by AlbertsCourtesy of Mushroom Records

HowzattPerformed by SherbetWritten by Porter/MitchellPublished by RazzleCourtesy of Infinity Records

Dont Let It Get To YouPerformed by Darryl CottonWritten by Cotton/DunnPublished by TumbleweedCourtesy of Oz Records

The film was an early example of a collected hits film tie-in of a kind that had rarely been done in the first decade of the Australian film revival, and certainly not by a very low budget feature film. Even more remarkable, the tie-in was released by Hammard, a low budget label with access to shelf space and a willingness to spend money on TV spots. According to one source, the LP release ranked #208 for 1980. Greg Pickhaver, who would go on to fame as part of the Roy and H. G. act, was the music consultant for the compile.

Director Don McLennan explained in the December-January 1980-81 Cinema Papers interview how the music for the film came about:

I always wanted to use music like that; I never thought of having a music score written. But I was ata bit of a loss because I hadn't listened to music recently and had cut myself off. So Trevor Lucas put me on to Greg Pickhaver, who was working for 3RRR-FM.I got together with Greg and he looked at the film and we talked about it. he was fantastic. Greg is totally responsible for the music in the film. He would offer me a choice of four or five songs for a particular scene, and I would make the final decision.We also arranged an excellent deal for the soundtrack album. Hammard Records have released all the songs and backed it up with a huge television campaign which goes to every state in the country. The release of the film has been tied in with their campaign which gives us a television back-up to the normal publicity, at no extra cost.The music is an essential part of the film although a lot of people reckon the music is mixed too loud … that's their problem. You mix it the way you feel it.

Pickhaver has a short wiki here.

The compilation featured charting tracks, delivered by the top names of Australian pop and rock at the time, and it was also notable for having Paul Kelly in his early Paul Kelly and the Dots days deliver the title track Hard Knocks:

LP Hammard HAM-05 September 1980Record compiled from master tapes owned or controlled by E.M.I. (Australia) Limited, Festival Records Pty. Limited, RCA Limited and WEA Records Pty. Limited(Timings below are taken from an LP rip and may be slightly inaccurate) SIDE 1:

1. Hard Knocks (Paul Kelly) Vocals: Paul Kelly and the Dots (Mushroom) (3'57")2. Evie Part One (Vanda - Young) Vocals: Stevie Wright (Alberts) (3'58")3. Most People I Know (Billy Thorpe) Vocals: Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs (Rock Of Ages) (4'14")4. Who Listens To The Radio (Andrew Pendlebury - Steve Cummings) Vocals: Sports (Antipodes/Mushroom) (3'12")

5. I Remember When I Was Young (Matt Taylor) Vocals: Chain (Mushroom) (4'00")6. My Little Angel (Vanda - Young) Vocals: William Shakespeare (Alberts) (3'31")7. Breakfast At Sweethearts (Don Walker) Vocals: Cold Chisel (Rondor) (3'57")8. Take A Long Line (Brewster - Neeson - Brewster) Vocals: The Angels (Alberts) (2'59")9. When The Heatʼs Off (Richard Clapton) Vocals: Richard Clapton (Festival) (3'18")

SIDE 2:

1. High Class Woman (John St. Peters) Vocals: John St. Peters (Castle) (3'02")2. Fugitive Kind (Wilson - Slavich) Vocals: Mondo Rock. (Antipodes) (3'32")3. Way Out West (Dingoes) Vocals: Dingoes (Mushroom) (3'52")4. Where The Action Is (Vanda - Young) Vocals: John Paul Young (Alberts) (3'06")5. Birmingham (Vanda - Young) Vocals: Harry Vanda, George Young, John Paul Young, Stevie Wright (Alberts) (3'56")6. High Voltage (Scott - Young - Scott) Vocals: AC/DC (Alberts) (5'04")7. Heading In The Right Direction (Punch - Paige) Vocals: Renee Geyer & Friends (Alberts) (4'05")8. Howzat (Porter - Mitchell) Vocals: Sherbet (Razzle) (3'44")9. Donʼt Let It Get To You (Daryl Cotton - Dunn) Vocals: Daryl Cotton (Tumbleweed) (3'31")

(Below: a frame from the Hammard TV commercial promoting the album)

The title song also turned up on an early Paul Kelly CD, his first release in 1990.

Kelly became a major Australian popular artist with a long career. He has a wiki here.The album Talk has its own wiki here.

CD Mushroom D19465 1990 PAUL KELLY AND THE DOTS - TALK

Track 5: Hard Knocks (Paul Kelly) (Mushroom) Vocals: Paul Kelly and the Dots, Produced by Trevor Lucas, Remixed: Joe Camilleri and Jim Barton.

It had also been released as an LP in 1981 where it turned up as track 5, running 3'54":

The song was also the B side of a 45 release by Mushroom in 1980K-8089 MX - 57030Produced by Trevor LucasRemixed by Joe Camilleri, engineered by Jim BartonRecorded at AAV AustraliaThe A-side was Billy Baxter.

The lyrics for the title song which runs over end credits:

I'm notAlways trying to keep me downKeep me crawling on the ground

Can't winNever seem to graduateAlways end up on first base

Hooh ...

But it won't … fade awayBut it won't … fade awayYou're gonna hear from me

When I'mStanding on my own two feetAlways seem to draw the heatI'm not … always taken for a foolSomeone else is making the rules

Hooh …

But it won't … fade awayBut it won't … fade awayThey're gonna hear from me

'N I'll admit Im feeling shakyBut it won't be meI know they love to see me breakingBut it won't be me

I'll admit I'm feeling shakyBut it won't be meI know they love to see me breakingBut it won't be me

I'm notGuaranteed to make you toughCan't you see I've had enoughCan't winNever seem to graduateAlways end up on first base

Hooh …

But it won't … fade awayBut it won't …fade away (cuts out)

(In other versions, the song continues)

But it won't ... fade awayBut it won't ...fade away

And they won't break me downAnd they won't break me down[repeat to fade]

The film features the Maple Leaf Jazz Band in performance in a pub:

Drums Roger KennedyBass Gary DunbierBanjo John WithersTrombone Don SantinTrumpet Rob GreenAlto sax Kim Rushworth