Lights on the Hill (song)
"Lights on the Hill" is an Australian country music hit song written by Joy McKean and made famous by her husband, Slim Dusty. It won the first Golden Guitar in January 1973 at the Country Music Awards of Australia, held in Tamworth. It has been covered by Keith Urban and Mental as Anything.
The song describes a truckie driving at night with a heavy load being blinded by lights on the hill, hitting a pole, falling off the edge of a road and realising his impending death.
The song won for Joy McKean the first ever Golden Guitar Award for "Song of the Year" at the first Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 1973,[1] and Slim Dusty's rendition won the award for Best EP or Single.[2][3]
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[4] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
The Lights on the Hill Truck and Coach Drivers' Memorial
[edit]A memorial which bears the name of the song was erected in Gatton, Queensland, in remembrance of truck and coach drivers and other members of the transport industry who have lost their lives in accidents or in other ways. It is located at Lake Apex Park on the outskirts of the town. Before Slim Dusty died, he and his wife Joy McKean agreed to the use of the name, Lights on the Hill, and to be patrons of the memorial.
-
Slim Dusty -
Lights on the Hill Memorial, Gatton, Queensland
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Curtain, Carl (14 January 2010). "Country song-writer Joy McKean turns 80". ABC Rural. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "A very brief history of the Golden Guitar Awards".
- ^ "Slim Dusty Bio – Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-24. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
- ^ "Singles Accreditations Report - May 2024". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
External links
[edit]- Keith Urban Sings Lights on the Hill at Slim Dusty Tribute Concert, 2004
- Lights on the Hill Truck & Coach Drivers' Memorial official website
