The Furkids wish everyone a happy start to 2025. It is shaping up to be a very challenging era so they wanted to give you an uplifting experience on the first day of this year. From the many possibilities, they chose the inspirational lyrics and music of You’re The Voice by Australian icon John Farnham.
This production with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is widely considered to be up there with the very best live singing performances. For that reason, they recommend that you listen to the song twice: first, as you follow their illustrated lyrics, then again as you watch the stage performance. The jukebox will reappear at the end of the lyrics with tips on what to look for so you don’t miss any of the highlights of the stage event.
The jukebox is filled with leftover Catmas coins. Just press play and watch the introduction, in particular, the correlated beats from the orchestral base drum and drummer Angus Burchall on the drum set. Their synchronised da-d’da-da-d’da rhythm is like a heartbeat.
When John appears in the spotlight, begin scrolling down to the lyrics so you can follow along and sing when you’re ready to join in.
Now it’s time to watch the performance. John Farnham has a phenomenal vocal range and is a very charismatic performer who loves to include the audience. At 2:13 he points to the crowd and calls out, “Yours!” They sing the line “How long can we look at each other” and he finishes it with them.
At 2:51 he points to bagpiper Barry Gray. It was John’s idea to include a bagpipe solo; he said he could hear them in his head whenever he went over the song. At the end of his performance, Barry snaps off a smart military salute and John responds with an Aussie salute without missing a beat of the song.
John is also an accomplished showman and the microphone stand is his favourite prop. You’ll see him tightening it up at 3:20 – that’s important. The camera goes to the base drummer then to Angus on the drumset – but look beyond the drums to where John is standing and watch what he does with the microphone stand at 3:37! He catches it as he begins singing the next line of the song. There’s a little fancy footwork at 4:21 too after which he invites the audience to take over. When John calls for a “big one!” the audience responds with extra volume!
Enjoy!
You can follow Michelle on Blue Sky @michelleelle.bsky.social
Incredible! Thank you Michelle, and happy new year to you and Furkids, Featherkids, Finkids, Scalekids and all kids everywhere.
Happy New Year, Piren!
🤩 Wowser!! What a great start to a year! Thank you for introducing me to Farnham…he was right to add bagpipes! And, there were furbabies and featherbabies and scalesbabies enough for all! CODA was perfection as always! Happy 2025, Michelle!! 🎉🎉
Happy 2025, Cleora!
By the way, did you notice the bagpiper’s fingers? I’ve never seen such long, straight fingers on a man – they are beautiful.
Well, that was pretty powerful. I’d never heard of him until just now. Thank you and hoping you have a magical New Year.
I wish the same for you, Enrique! Thank you for stopping by.
I never heard of this fellow but he’s quite the performer. I did see the fireworks over the opera house in the Sydney Bay last night. They were something to behold.
Happy New Year, Ursula 🎉🎊🎉💖
I don’t know why John Farnham never toured the States. He’s well-known to international singers and counts artists like Celine Dion and Tom Jones among his friends. Even Paul McCartney and John Lennon praised him for his version of “Help”. They said he sang it the way it was meant to be sung. (The Furkids will do this song too one day.)
Did you see how high he threw the microphone stand? Wow! And he was singing when he caught it! Vocalists and singing teachers who do reaction videos absolutely adore him. I have a new appreciation of him through their professional eyes.
Happy New Years Michelle & Furkids!!! Thank you for your wonderful contribution to uplifting our hearts…Many Blessings to you….cheers Lois