Find out why Australian entertainer David Campbell chose the 12 songs that are on his 2008 album.
- "1-2-3"
I was surfing online late one night and I came across Len Barry's "1-2-3". When I heard that song and the drum and the power of that song and I thought, 'right that's the sound for the whole album'. Every track came in really quickly after that. It sort of formed the whole album and that's why we lead out with it.
- "Good Lovin'"
A band like the Young Rascals took what the English were doing with the British Invasion and made it their own. There was a musical competition between bands in that era to make the richest, almost semi-symphonic pop rock records. I find that really exciting. There's this epic scope in it, but it's still really tight and really dancy.
- "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"
Jimmy really wanted to sing this song. He really built the dynamics in this brilliantly. I think he barely broke a larynx doing it. The session took maximum 45 minutes. Once we got the song up we did a few ideas together and that was it. I think the third take was the one we used.
- "Keep On Runnin'"
I love this song so much. I wanted to get more rockier stuff in there. It's one of those songs you can't really deny it. It's like this fantastic '60s freight train coming at you and you just let it run over you. It's a pleasure. When I hear Cold Chisel, I hear that high blue-eyed soul Stevie Winwood sound. Listen to "Choir Girl" - it's that high piercing sound.
- "You Made Me So Very Happy"
This is a really tough song. When Chong and I were planning the record we would sit there with our laptops and go through the songs and look around and see if there's something we've forgotten ad we found two songs: "How Can I Be Sure?" and "You Made Me So Very Happy". It's one of those songs again it's an ulifting love song. There's nothing depressing about love on this album, it's all very uplifting it feels good.
- "How Can I Be Sure?"
We went all '60s on this one. We theoretically dropped studio acid and did crazy things on this. We didn't really drop drugs, we just played around with drug sounds from that period. I love the lyric and the great groove and the strings. Chong has done a great job on this album and that track in particular.
- "Yeh Yeh"
This was an early contender for the album because of that whole Mod sound and Georgie Fame. My grandmother - she gets talked about on every album - she loved people like Georgie Fame so I always grew up with this song. And I grew up with the Matt Bianco track from the '80s. There's something really cool about it. It's tight. You don't get tracks like that very often
- "The Girl From New York City"
This came out of nowhere. We were already recording and Chong mentioned Manhattan Transfer and "Boy From New York City" came into my head. I had always wanted to do something doo wop and then I thought about that song. We just changed the lyrics a little bit and Darren Percival taught me how to put it all together. and doo wop me like Bobby Mc Ferrin but not nearly as talented. Everything is me including the production and the bass. There's one ultra low part at the very end which is Mr Percival because I just can't sing that low. It was a like a long nine-hour day of doing every part over and over.
- "Jackie Wilson Says"
It's a little out of the period but I like the feel. I grew up with the Dexy's Midnight Runners version. And then of course you get older and hear Van. My piano player said I should do this, that it sounds like something I would do live. It's a little out of the period but this feels like it fits in with the rest of the album.
- "Suspicious Minds"
I love the song and I love Elvis. You can't do a collection of '60s songs and not do Elvis. There' something about this song. It has a really great groove . I remember the Fine Young Cannibals version too and we've done an amalgam of all those versions and Elvis' live version.
- "Tell It Like It Is"
You don't want to tackle Aaron Neville lightly. It was one of those late night additions and this is one of those songs I heard as a kid. We did it quickly and it was one of those songs that once Mahalia and the Soul Mates got on it they just brought the whole song to life.
- "Devil In A Blue Dress"
I found "Devil In A Blue Dress" in a collection somewhere and I'd forgotten about it. But it was one of the tracks like "1-2-3" that I thought had to go on the album. I love the gospel section. It's really primal and I wanted something like that on the album. The song just lets loose with gospel and '50s rock & roll. This track and Len Barry shaped the album for me.
