Sun Arise

Album

Single

Label

Epic records

Genre

Folk

Media Type

45s

Duration

3:03

Composer(s)

Rolf Harris, Harry Butler

Entered Chart

Mar 16, 1963

Peak Date

Apr 13, 1963

Released

1960

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Epic 5-9567

B-Side

The Big Black Hat"

Rolf Harris began his recording career with "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport," and most of his following singles releases were in the same genre, i.e. comedy and/or novelty songs; "Sun Arise" is the exception. Released on Columbia October 25, 1962, (and January 1961 in Australia) it was co-written with his fellow Australian, the naturalist Harry Butler. It is based loosely on Aboriginal folklore. ADVERTISING "Sun Arise" can also probably be credited with introducing the didgeridoo to contemporary Western music, certainly to the mainstream. At the time it was recorded, Harris could not play the didgeridoo so double bases were used to mimic its sound, although it was later re-recorded with the real thing. The B-side was a more typical Harris recording, "The Big Black Hat." >>>

Sun arise, she bring in the morning.
Sun arise, bring in the morning, fluttering her skirts all around.
Sun arise, she come with the dawning.
Sun arise, come with the dawning, spreading all the light all around.

Sun arise, on the kangaroo paw.
Sun arise, on the kangaroo paw, glistening the dew all around.

Sun arise, filling all the hollows,
Sun arise, filling all the hollows, lighting up the hills all around.

Sun arise, come with the dawning,
Sun arise, she come every day.
Sun arise, bring in the morning,
Sun arise, every, every, every, every, day.
She drive away the darkness, every day,
Drive away the darkness,
Bringing back the warmth to the ground.

Sun arise, oh, oh,
Sun arise, oh, oh,
Spreading all the light all around.

Sun arise, bring in the morning.
Sun arise, bring in the morning, spreading all the light all around.