Album:
Whatever Happened to the Revolution? is on Living in the 70s which entered the Australian albums chart* on 14 October 1974. It reached #1 on 24 February 1975 and remained on top of the album charts for 16 weeks.
Songwriter:
Greg Macainsh
Producer:
Ross Wilson
Record label of Australian release:
Mushroom
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Living In the 70s and Whatever Happened To The Revolution? live at the Sydney Opera House, 15 September 1974:
Whatever Happened to the Revolution? was one of six tracks from the Living in the 70s album to be banned by Federation of Australian Commercial Broadcasters from airplay on commercial radio stations.
Written by the band’s bassist and primary songwriter, Greg Macainsh, the song reflects the disillusionment following the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Its lyrics famously state, “Whatever happened to the revolution? We all got stoned and it drifted away,” capturing a shift from political idealism to the drug-influenced apathy of the early 1970s.
It specifically references the Vietnam War and the social unrest in Australia during that era. The song’s first verse recalls the atmosphere of the early 1970s and the impact of the National Service (conscription) scheme in Australia:
“Well I remember back in 1970, the army wanted you and the army wanted me…
There was a war goin’ on we were out in the streets, wearin’ our badges and stampin’ our feet”
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_in_the_70s
Lyrics:
Whatever happened to the revolution
We all got stoned and it drifted away
Whatever happened to the revolution
I think it died just yesterday
Click for full lyrics
This song is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – rockin’ the 60s & 70s
Also from the Living in the 70s album on Bang a Gong:
Balwyn Calling
Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo)
Horror Movie
Living in the 70s
Smut
You Just Like Me ‘Cos I’m Good in Bed
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