Jack O'Hagan
Encyclopedia
John Francis O'Hagan (29 November 1898 - 15 July 1987) was an Australia
n musician
.
O'Hagan was born in Fitzroy, Victoria
, a suburb of Melbourne
. He was the son of Pat O'Hagan, a hotelkeeper and Alice née Quinlan. He went to school at St Patrick's College and then later at Xavier College
in Melbourne
. His first job in the music business
was at Allans Music
in Melbourne - he played sheet music
for potential customers. When radio was introduced to Australia, he was one of the first to broadcast for 3LO station
.
Between 1916 and 1961 O'Hagan wrote over 600 songs, more than 200 of which were published. Some of O'Hagan's well-known songs are:
In the 1940s and 1950s, O'Hagan wrote many radio commercials and campfire songs. However, the combination of the rising popularity of rock and roll
and television ended to his career.
Despite writing songs about the town O'Hagan first visited Gundagai
in 1956 when he was guest of honour at the centenary celebrations of the town.
O'Hagan was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
in 1973.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
O'Hagan was born in Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
, a suburb of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He was the son of Pat O'Hagan, a hotelkeeper and Alice née Quinlan. He went to school at St Patrick's College and then later at Xavier College
Xavier College
Xavier College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, with its main campus located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. His first job in the music business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
was at Allans Music
Allans Music
Allans Music is a chain of music stores in Australia. It sells all categories of musical instruments, instrument accessories and sheet music.-History:...
in Melbourne - he played sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
for potential customers. When radio was introduced to Australia, he was one of the first to broadcast for 3LO station
774 ABC Melbourne
774 ABC Melbourne is an ABC Local Radio station in Melbourne, Australia. Originally known by its callsign 3LO, it began transmission on 13 October 1924 – Melbourne's second radio station after 3AR.-History:...
.
Between 1916 and 1961 O'Hagan wrote over 600 songs, more than 200 of which were published. Some of O'Hagan's well-known songs are:
- Along The Road To GundagaiAlong the Road to Gundagai-External links:* Listen to an excerpt of on ....
1922 (used as the theme to the Dad and Dave radio show) The song was first performed by Peter Dawson in 1924 and recorded in London before selling some 40,000 to 50,000 copies in the first three months. - Our Don BradmanDonald BradmanSir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
1930 - Dog on the TuckerboxDog on the TuckerboxThe Dog on the Tuckerbox is an Australian historical monument and tourist attraction, located at Snake Gully, five miles from Gundagai, New South Wales...
1938 - Ginger MeggsGinger MeggsGinger Meggs, a popular long-run Australian comic strip, was created in the early 1920s by Jimmy Bancks. The strip follows the escapades of a red-haired prepubescent mischief-maker who lives in an inner suburban working-class household....
1948 - God Bless AustraliaGod Bless AustraliaGod Bless Australia was a proposed 1961 Australian national anthem by Australian songwriter Jack O'Hagan who provided patriotic lyrics to the traditional tune of Waltzing Matilda.-Lyrics:Here in this God given land of ours, Australia...
1961 It was used in a film-theatre advertisement which was run during the 1960s by the then Australian petrol company, AmpolAmpolAmpol, the Australian Motorists Petrol Company, was incorporated by Sir William Gaston Walkley in 1936 in New South Wales. This was in response to Australians' concerns about perceived inequitable petrol pricing, and allegations of transfer pricing by foreign oil companies to limit their tax...
and sung to the tune of Waltzing MatildaWaltzing Matilda"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
.
In the 1940s and 1950s, O'Hagan wrote many radio commercials and campfire songs. However, the combination of the rising popularity of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and television ended to his career.
Despite writing songs about the town O'Hagan first visited Gundagai
Gundagai, New South Wales
Gundagai is a town in New South Wales, Australia. Although a small town, Gundagai is a popular topic for writers and has become a representative icon of a typical Australian country town...
in 1956 when he was guest of honour at the centenary celebrations of the town.
O'Hagan was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1973.
External links
- Music Australia Biography: Jack O'Hagan
- Listen to an excerpt of 'Along the Road to Gundagai' sung by Peter Dawson in 1931 on australianscreen online.