Well, they're not all exclusively for primary schools. Many of the Anzac Day songs this list details are more of a patriotic nature, and quite a few are traditional songs. For instance, our National Anthem is not strictly an Anzac Day song but we play it often, including every Anzac Day. Still, these 15 songs capture our Anzac Day spirit, whether we play them only on that day or for other occasions.
| 🎶 Song title | 🎤 Artist/composer |
|---|---|
| Advance Australia Fair | Peter Dodds McCormick |
| Can You Hear the Children Marching? | Nathan Cahill |
| In Flanders Field | John McCrae |
| Ode of Remembrance/Reveille | Laurance Binyon |
| To My Fellow Man | Lugh Damen |
| Nurses of Anzac | Marian Burns |
| An Old Log Cabin | V. C. Belsher |
| I Am Australian | Woodley-Newton |
| O God Our Help in Ages Past | Isaac Watts |
| Abide With Me | Henry Francis Lyte |
| Lest We Forget | Dogmatic Music |
| Spirit of the Anzacs | Lee Kernaghan |
| On Every Anzac Day | John Schumann |
| Waltzing Matilda | Banjo Patterson |
| 1916 Memorial | Colin Macpherson |
Advance Australia Fair - Peter Dodds McCormick
We all know that safe for school pop songs come and go, but our Anthem is here to stay. It's been around since 1878, the first time it was publicly performed. Sure, we've had debates about replacing it, yet it remains, with all its pomp and formality.
The Whitlam government made this song official in 1974 and, 27 years later, we changed the wording to make it more inclusive. Still, both the lyrics and melody reflect a day gone by. It's about time we look ahead, and adopt a national song that better reflects the Australian spirit.
Which National Anthem would you prefer?
Can You Hear the Children Marching? - Nathan Cahill
Nathan Cahill wrote this Anzac Day anthem specifically for children to sing. Therefore, it is ideal among Anzac songs for primary school. It's slow tempo and easy lyrics make it easy for even the youngest Australians to sing along with.
For children, especially the younger ones, making the leap from everyday happy living to a solemn occasion is bewildering. Songs such as this one, that reflect the day's mood, help kids feel the seriousness of Anzac Day observations.
In Flanders Field - John McCrae
In Flanders fields, the poppies blow.
Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders Field started as a poem, not a song. The music we sing it to was added later. The author wrote it in 1915, after presiding over his friend's funeral. That bit of background makes it easy to understand these verses' mournful tone.
We get our tradition of wearing poppies from this anthem. The song's very first line invokes poppies; our wearing them pays tribute to all those who fell on Flanders' battlefields. How many primary school students have recited those verses on Anzac Day, through the years, without knowing that bit of history?
Bonus Track: Ode of Remembrance/Reveille - Laurance Binyon
The Ode is not musical in nature. However, as it's an integral part of Anzac Day commemorations, and typically followed by the instrumental Reveille, so we include it on our list. Besides, the full seven-stanza poem is a great work to analyse in English literature class, even if it's not set to music.
To My Fellow Man - Lugh Damen
Lugh's lovely ballad is another Anzac Day song schools love to play. In fact, it's not specifically meant for Anzac Day. Rather, it's a commitment to make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve one's heritage and land. In that sense, it's more of a promise than than a tribute.
Listening to this track, one can't help but imagine tender choir voices, moved by the song's message, rising as one. Soothing as it is, it would play well in kindergarten classrooms at nap time, too.
Our featured song is but one track on Lugh Damen's album, Cry for My Country.
It hss 11 tracks, each one dedicated to or addressing a specific aspect of war.
Of them all, Battlefield is the most graphic, as it describes the futility and horror of combat.
Nurses of Anzac - Marian Burns
A lot of the Anzac Day music catalogue revolves around brave men giving their lives for the cause. Seldom do women's contributions to the war effort get any recognition, let alone any commemoration. Belatedly - VERY belatedly, Marian Burns puts women on the record.
Marian released her song in 2018, ten years after author Peter Rees published his book titled The Other ANZACs: Nurses at War. His book inspired the 2014 television series ANZAC Girls. What a discussion high school students could have on this topic!
An Old Log Cabin - V. C. Belsher
In Briagolong, about 240 kilometres from Melbourne, you'll find a unique clubhouse: a log cabin. That's not so special at first blush, but what adorns its walls is. It's a museum to Australia's fallen, many of them from Gallipoli campaign and other battles.
While not exactly Anzac specific, this tune describes the fellowship and hard work that soldiers need when they return from battle. In building this cabin, Second World War veterans created a place of reverence for those who gave all, and a museum to their sacrifice. Mr Belsher, in turn, gives intermediate guitar players a song to play during their families' Anzac Day events.
I Am Australian - Woodley-Newton
Suspend all searches for Australian songs for our youth! We already have this tune, also called We Are Australian, that we teach in school. Besides, remember that this is one of the top contenders to become our new National Anthem.
Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton wrote this song in 1987, around 20 years after the referendum that formally recognised First Nations people. Fittingly, the verses start with the Aboriginal identity, and progresses through bush rangers, prisoners, and everyone who made Australia what it is today.
O God Our Help in Ages Past - Isaac Watts
This Christian hymn, written in 1708, paraphrases the Bible's 90th Psalm. The American composer Charles Ives arranged it for choir in 1924, likely relying on earlier Baroque composers' musical influences.
Of all the hymns and all the psalms, why do we place this one among our Anzac Day songs? Likely because it invokes the idea of home, the place our Anzac heroes dreamed of returning to.
Bonus Track: Abide With Me - Henry Francis Lyte
As with the hymn above, Abide With Me has become one of our religious Anzac Day standards. It appeals to God to stay with the stricken unto death and beyond.
Try as we might, we could find no reason why this hymn was selected above all others. Can anyone chime in on that to get us up to speed?
Lest We Forget - Dogmatic Music
As far as Anzac Day songs school needs are concerned, this one hits all the marks. It has a slow tempo, easy lyrics, and a simple message everyone can understand. It's perfect for primary school students, but middle school learners wouldn't get mad listening to it.
Like many of the songs on this list, this version of Lest We Forget isn't exclusively dedicated to Anzac. Rather, it's a broad acknowledgment of everyone who left home to make home what it is today.
Lee Kernaghan also recorded a song titled Lest We Forget.
His song is a bit more mature than this elementary one.
Spirit of the Anzacs - Lee Kernaghan
Lee's entire album, titled Spirit of the Anzacs (2015), features at least 16 patriotic and/or commemorative songs. As usual, he brings the level of artistry that we've grown familiar with over his career.
This Anzac Day song has the energy, the complexity, and the clean lyrics of every motivational song suitable for school. It might be challenging for a choir of 10-year-olds to master the intricate vocals but high school singers could pull it off without a problem.
On Every Anzac Day - John Schumann
Full disclosure: of all the Anzac Day music - religious, traditional, and contemplative, this tune is my hands-down favourite. Not just because it's a full tribute to First Nations Peoples, but because of its energy and drive.
Who says remembrance must always be solemn, anyway? In many cultures, celebrating one's ancestors is a lively, happy occasion. Not to say anything against traditional Anzac Day songs, of course.
Waltzing Matilda - Banjo Patterson
Though not exactly meant to commemorate Anzac Day, this traditional song is pure Australia. As such, it's no surprise that it features in the Anzac Day music lineup across the country, along with our National Anthem.
This song's slow rhythm and clear lyrics make it easy for even the youngest kids to sing along. And what do they know about patriotism at that age, anyway? It's best to let them have fun dancing to this lovely tune. Later is time enough for them to understand what Anzac Day is all about.
In Banjo's day, Waltzing Matilda was a slang term roughly meaning "travelling on foot with your belongings". This quirky language is a great introduction to Australian history and culture!
1916 Memorial - Colin Macpherson
Colin's uncle signed up to fight when he was 16, as many Australian young men did. He lost his life in battle when he was 17 years old, as so many others did.
This song, though it doesn't mention Anzacs specifically, pays tribute to the uncle he never had a chance to know. And, by extension, all the others whose blood watered distant fields.
These selections represent traditional, religous, country, pop, and Indigenous music styles. Try as we might, we couldn't find any Anzac Day rap songs, with clean lyrics or otherwise. Hello, Australian rappers? Better get on that!
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