Indigenous Australian songwriting legend Kev Carmody is a man of many stories. A childhood spent working the land by day, droving cattle and observing the sky by night filled his head with imagination and wonder, which later came out in the form of song. Kev also developed a keen sense of justice at any early age, particularly in regard to the injustices facing the First Nations people. His song From Little Things Big Things Grow, co-written with Paul Kelly, about the fight for land rights by the Gurindji people in the Northern Territory led by Vincent Lingiari has become an Australian classic. In 2007 a new audience was alerted to indigenous songwriting legend Kev Carmody through the album Cannot Buy My Soul, produced by Paul Kelly, with versions of his songs by artists including Bernard Fanning, Missy Higgins, Troy Cassar-Daley and Archie Roach plus Carmody’s own performances. The album has now been refreshed with a 2020 edition, produced by Sian Darling, with the original 32 tracks, plus an additional six new versions of his songs featuring Jimmy Barnes, Kasey Chambers, Kate Miller-Heidke, Alice Skye, Electric Fields, and more.
Australian Musician’s Greg Phillips was thrilled to catch up with Kev Carmody in his first ever attempt at a Zoom interview.
The reissued Cannot Buy My Soul is out now through EMI.
www.kevcarmody.com.au
CD
DISC 1
Black Bess – Kasey Chambers, Jimmy Barnes
Rider In The Rain 2020 – Mo’Ju, Trials, Birdz
Blue You – Alice Skye
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Electric Fields
Blood Red Rose – Kate Miller-Heidke
Just For You – Courtney Barnett
Black Bess – Kev Carmody
Rider In The Rain – Kev Carmody
Blue You – Kev Carmody with Andy White and Liam O’Maonlai
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Kev Carmody with Paul Kelly and Tiddas
Blood Red Rose – Kev Carmody
Just For You – Kev Carmody
DISC 2
I’ve Been Moved – Dan Kelly
Thou Shalt Not Steal – John Butler
Elly – Bernard Fanning
The Young Dancer Is Dead – The Last Kinection
From Little Things Big Things Grow – The Waifs
River Of Tears – The Drones
On The Wire – Troy Cassar-Daley
Cannot Buy My Soul – Archie Roach
Moonstruck – Sara Storer
This Land Is Mine – Dan Sultan
Darkside – Tex Perkins
Blood Red Rose – Clare Bowditch
Comrade Jesus Christ – The Herd
Images of London – Steve Kilbey
Droving Woman – Augie March, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins
Eulogy For A Black Person – Pigram Brothers
DISC 3
I’ve Been Moved – Kev Carmody
Thou Shalt Not Steal – Kev Carmody
Elly – Kev Carmody
The Young Dancer Is Dead – Kev Carmody
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Kev Carmody with Paul Kelly and Tiddas
River Of Tears – Kev Carmody
On The Wire – Kev Carmody
Cannot Buy My Soul – Kev Carmody
Moonstruck – Kev Carmody
This Land Is Mine – Kev Carmody with Paul Kelly and Kelton Pell
Darkside – Kev Carmody
Blood Red Rose – Kev Carmody
Comrade Jesus Christ – Kev Carmody
Images of London – Kev Carmody
Droving Woman – Kev Carmody
Eulogy For A Black Person – Kev Carmody
DIGITAL
DISC 1
Black Bess – Kasey Chambers, Jimmy Barnes
Rider In The Rain 2020 – Mo’Ju, Trials, Birdz
Blue You – Alice Skye
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Electric Fields
Blood Red Rose – Kate Miller-Heidke
Just For You – Courtney Barnett
I’ve Been Moved – Dan Kelly
Thou Shalt Not Steal – John Butler
Elly – Bernard Fanning
The Young Dancer Is Dead – The Last Kinection
From Little Things Big Things Grow – The Waifs
River Of Tears – The Drones
On The Wire – Troy Cassar-Daley
Cannot Buy My Soul – Archie Roach
Moonstruck – Sara Storer
This Land Is Mine – Dan Sultan
Darkside – Tex Perkins
Blood Red Rose – Clare Bowditch
Comrade Jesus Christ – The Herd
Images of London – Steve Kilbey
Droving Woman – Augie March, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins 22. Eulogy For A Black Person – Pigram Brothers
DISC 2
Black Bess – Kev Carmody
Rider In The Rain – Kev Carmody
Blue You – Kev Carmody
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Kev Carmody with Paul Kelly and Tiddas
Blood Red Rose – Kev Carmody
Just For You – Kev Carmody
I’ve Been Moved – Kev Carmody
Thou Shalt Not Steal – Kev Carmody
Elly – Kev Carmody
The Young Dancer Is Dead – Kev Carmody
River Of Tears – Kev Carmody
On The Wire – Kev Carmody
Cannot Buy My Soul – Kev Carmody
Moonstruck – Kev Carmody
This Land Is Mine – Kev Carmody with Paul Kelly and Kelton Pell
Darkside – Kev Carmody
Comrade Jesus Christ – Kev Carmody
Images of London – Kev Carmody
Droving Woman – Kev Carmody
Eulogy For A Black Person – Kev Carmody
VINYL
DISC 1
SIDE A
Black Bess – Kasey Chambers, Jimmy Barnes
Rider In The Rain 2020 – Mo’Ju, Trials, Birdz
Blue You – Alice Skye
From Little Things Big Things Grow – Electric Fields
Just For You – Courtney Barnett
SIDE B
Blood Red Rose – Kate Miller-Heidke
I’ve Been Moved – Dan Kelly
Thou Shalt Not Steal – John Butler
Elly – Bernard Fanning
The Young Dancer Is Dead – The Last Kinection
DISC 2
SIDE C
River Of Tears – The Drones
On The Wire – Troy Cassar-Daley
Moonstruck – Sara Storer
This Land Is Mine – Dan Sultan
Darkside – Tex Perkins
SIDE D
Cannot Buy My Soul – Archie Roach
Comrade Jesus Christ – The Herd
Droving Woman – Augie March, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins
Eulogy For A Black Person – Pigram Brothers