This song appears to be Oz's unofficial national anthem (I posted this comment in another thread but decided to start a new thread about it). I checked and it was written by two folk musicians Bruce Woodley of The Seekers (folk group formed in the 60's)) and Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers (folk group formed in the early 70's). There's a pat on the back for folkies!

I Am Australian

We are one, but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We'll share a dream and sing with one voice
"I am, you are, we are Australian"

Back in the 1970's Advance Australia Fair was chosen as our new national anthem:

I remember that. The issue was whether to keep God Save the Queen as our anthem or make it something more Australian. Unfortunately the choices for a new anthem were limited and this song was the best of a bad bunch, in my opinion. (Although I was tempted to vote for Waltzing Matilda, I thought that promoting criminal behaviour, no matter how comically presented, was not a real option.)

The lyrics are dry, outdated, unrepresentative of our diverse culture and started with this verse:

Australia's sons let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In hist'ry's page, let ev'ry stage
Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

Of course, the "sons" had to be changed to "all" otherwise the female half of the population would not be happy.

Apart from any of the considerations of the sentiments expressed in the song (some of these issues are mentioned in the wiki article), the melody is unsingable for the majority of the population. Even professional singers produce strangulated versions just trying to manipulate their vocal chords around the melodic range.

And then, what I think is especially telling is that if the official anthem is played and a crowd of people are trying to sing it, very few people can get past the first few lines without losing the lyrics altogether. Even Olympic medallists can't manage it.

On the other hand, if I am Australian is played to a crowd, they may not know all the words but the majority of the crowd will be singing along to the chorus with big smiles on their faces - well most of them that I have seen. The televised 2019 Australia Day concert was a case in point. The official anthem was played and not many people were singing it and most of the crowd looked pained, and then I am Australian was played and the whole crowd (well all of the crowd which was filmed) sang along with great enjoyment.

Isn't it time that the choice of anthem should be revisited? If it isn't I am Australian, then at the very least it should be a song which unites us all in a joyful way and is a pleasure to sing, instead of being painful and a creator of division in our society.

IMHO
Helen