Former Men at Work frontman Colin Hay has strongly condemned the use of the band’s iconic 1981 hit Down Under at anti-immigration rallies held by the group March for Australia, saying the song has been completely misrepresented.In a statement shared on social media, Hay said he “most strenuously” opposes any unauthorised or unlicensed use of Down Under at the group’s events, which have been organised around the slogan “Our national identity will not be erased”.“Down Under, a song I co-wrote, does not belong to those who attempt to sow xenophobia within the fabric of our great land and our great people,” Hay wrote. “It is ultimately a song of celebration. It’s for pluralism, and inclusion; unity, not division. Go write your own song. Leave mine alone.” Hay, who was born in Scotland and moved to Australia as a teenager in the late 1960s, signed off pointedly as “Colin Hay (immigrant)”.The song, co-written with bandmate Ron Strykert, became a defining Australian anthem of the 1980s, topping charts not only at home but across New Zealand, the UK, Europe and North America. It later reached more than one billion streams worldwide and has often been embraced as an unofficial national anthem, particularly at sporting events.Its lyrics centre on an Australian travelling abroad and reflecting on home, a place of humour, warmth and shared culture, themes Hay says are fundamentally at odds with the message of the rallies where the song has been played.Hay is one of several prominent Australian musicians to publicly distance themselves from March for Australia. Country music legend John Williamson previously objected to his song True Blue being used at one of the group’s protests, stating that it was written for all Australians and should never be used to promote division.Similarly, representatives for Cold Chisel and Icehouse confirmed last year that no permission had been sought or granted for their songs Flame Trees and Great Southern Land to be played at rallies. Punk rock band The Living End also issued a blunt statement denouncing the use of their music.“To be absolutely clear, the goals and philosophies of these marches are abhorrent to us,” the band said. “Our songs are written to bring people together, not to divide them.”
