The first full week of July is NAIDOC Week in Australia – a week that celebrates the history, culture, and achievements of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It also provides a chance to highlight the societal issues and disadvantages that still faces our Indigenous population on a systemic level.
Fitting then that Triple J invited Mildura-based rapper Philly into their studios to lay down a track for their long running traditional Friday morning segment, Like a Version.
Though we extol many cover version’s virtues on here from time to time, this might legitimately be one of the best – or, at the very least, the most important – of the lot.
Philly’s soft, stripped back, and incredibly moving version of Bob Marley‘s “Three Little Birds” took the iconic song’s hook and attached it to a strong, powerful, and very moving message about eradicating discrimination, racism, and empowering cultural heritage, delivered with all the heart and soul you could ever hope for. It even brought morning host Gen Fricker to tears.
Peace, love, and unity. We all should be down for that.
Thanks, Philly. That was beautiful.
