(Cast)

Musican (sic) in pub Allan Kemp

Music Chris Neal

The song "Buddies"Performed byJohn Williamson

Written byJohn DingwallJohn WilliamsonChris Neal

Music Advisor Phil MatthewsMusic Co-ordinator Ken LaingOrchestral Conductor/Arranger Neil Thurgate

Curiously the song credited to John Williamson doesn't actually appear over the head or tail credits of the film - instead Chris Neal's instrumental theme is used, and the song appears over a montage of mining activity (around the fifty minute mark in the Umbrella DVD).

Lyrics for the song as heard in the film:

Let's branch out, make new shootsLike a real homeWhat have we got to lose mateThe only way to goUp with the sparrows, we've got some work to doPartners and parties, that's me and youMaking big bikkies and put the changes inIt's all just a game mateWe're in the ringDouble or nothing I reckon what we're sayingPartners and parties together all the wayHey I don't care if I'm rich or poorBut I've got to have a goWe could take on the world mateWe really could you knowCome, we're fair dinkumThat's all we've got to doPartners and parties, that's me and you...Partners and parties, that's me and you...(it then returns as a refrain, after Johnny and Mike have bickered about money and life)… I don't care if I'm rich or poorBut I've got to have a go(then with chorus)

I don't care if I'm rich or poorBut I've got to have a go(then solo)Fed up with the small time, living in a holeReach for the clouds mate, it's good for the soulTake on the big guns, you know if they can pissPartners and parties, you know we can't miss ... Singer and composer in dinkum country style, John Williamson is too well known to detail here. Williamson has a detailed wiki here, and at time of writing, his own extensive official web site here.

(Below: John Williamson)

There is a scattering of actual music in the film. A piano is tinkled in the pub, and the pub juke-box briefly plays a tune, and ostensibly Hans (played by Ralph Albring) plays the mouth organ a number of times, though by the sound of the mix and the way Hans handles the instrument, composer Chris Neal provided the music in the mix:

(Below: Ralph Albring in the film)

Composer Chris Neal:

This was an early outing for Chris Neal, and no doubt a happier one after his first feature film, the ill-fated Crosstalk, which was an early example of Australian feature film electronica. Neal would go on to a long career as a composer of scores for film and television.

At time of writing, Neal had a brief wiki here.

He also had his own website here.

The site contained this biography:

Early years studying classical piano and music theory were followed by an intensive

period of progressive jazz study and practise, inspired by the recordings of such great artists as Bill Evans, Bobby Timmons, Oscar Peterson et al.

By the time of the new excitement delivered by the likes of Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, it became obvious that eclecticism was the only way forward.

The 1960's were alive with music. There were gigs around Sydney with my jazz piano trio (usually Tony (Toot) Simon on drums and John Butterworth on Bass)as well as the absolute joy of playing keys and guitars for many gigs with such well established rock bands as The Showmen and The Powerhouse, while the love of songwriting and composing grew.....

In 1968, the opportunity arose to assist legendary composer Peter Sculthorpe create the score for the Anglo/Australian movie The Age Of Consent, starring first-timer Helen Mirren. What a journey. What a gift.

A bizarre, life-changing accident led to a few months in Vietnam entertaining US troops. The time spent "hanging out" in Saigon set up the next extraordinary chapter of this strangely fortunate life....

Then followed the creation of the hippie, flower-power rock musical, Manchild, which toured Australian capital cities during 1971/72, creating several box-office records along the way.

A focal point of the early '70s was the creation of the solo prog rock album Winds Of Isis. This epic instrumental outing developed a small, but committed following and remains in demand to this day.

Another high point of the '70s was the development of an electronic score for Fritz Lang's silent classic, Metropolis. Live concerts featuring the soundtrack played live on the first commercially available microprocessor-based digital sequencer (The Roland MC-8)were presented around Sydney, while a film company sourced a high quality print to synchronise the music to. When the project was well into development, the word got out that Hollywood was working on a similar idea and the release did not go ahead . However, most of the music still exists in demo form.

The commercial scene in Sydney was thriving in the '70s. Movies, TV, TVCs and records - it was all happening. Ads for clients such as : Sunbeam, Goldenia Tea, Levis, Gilbey's Gin, 2UE, 2GB and Home Journal filled in the weekly slots not used up by record production work for The Marshall Brothers Band, Bob Hudson, Maureen Elkner, The Radiators, to name a few....and there was even an extraordinary situation in which I found myself engineering for the great, sublime Stephane Grapelli.....

By the time the '80s arrived, a career in film scoring was well underway, with many features, TV series, documentaries and kids dramas making up the slate. This remains the main focus today.....

In 1980, The Living Room suite of recording studios was setup at Chatswood on Sydney's North Shore. This became home to the creation of many scores and soundtracks for featurs films and television dramas for the next twenty years.

In 2001, we moved to Avalon on the Northern Beaches and set up Springboard Studios, which is still home...

(Below: Chris Neal)

The site also provided this TV and filmography up to 2010: 

(* Co-composed with Braedy Neal)

2010   CASTAWAY            series  Northway Prod2008  BETWEEN IRAQ      AND A HARD PLACE    doco    PrecisionPics2006  THE SLEEPOVER CLUB 2  series   Southern Star*

2005  MDA – Eps 5–8       series  ABC2004   FOREIGN EXCHANGE    series   Sth Star/Magma*      NOAH & SASKIA       series  ACTF/BBC*2003  THE CROP            feature  Miracle Pics*2001  THE CRASH ZONE 2     series  ACTF/Disney2000   FARSCAPE 2            series  Jim Henson Co*1999  FARSCAPE             series  Nine TV/Henson*      TIME AND TIDE       telemv  ABC Prod1998  THE CRASH ZONE       series  ACTF/Disney*      MUMBO JUMBO         telemv  Artist Services      13 GANTRY ROW       telemv  Rob Bruning Prod1997  PACIFIC DRIVE 2       series  Village Roadshow*1996  PACIFIC DRIVE       series  Village Roadshow*1995  CORRELLI             series  ABC      JOHNSON & FRIENDS 6  series  Film Australia*1994  HEARTLAND           series  Northway Prod*      THE DAMNATION      OF HARVEY MCHUGH    series  ABC      GP 6                 series  ABC/Matt Carroll*      LIFT OFF 3             series  ACTF Prod*      JOHNSON & FRIENDS 5  series  Film Australia*1993  LAW OF THE LAND     series  Roadshow Coote Carroll      JACK BE NIMBLE       feature  Zee Films (NZ)      GP 5                 series  ABC/Matt Carroll      LIFT OFF 2             series  ACTF Prod      JOHNSON & FRIENDS 4  series  Film Australia      FURTHER ADVENTURES      OF BLACK BEAUTY 4    series  Pro Films (NZ)1992  THE NOSTRADAMUS KID feature  Simpson leMesurier      LIFT OFF 1             series  ACTF Prod       FURTHER ADVENTURES      OF BLACK BEAUTY 3    series  Pro Films (NZ)      BUTTERFLY ISLAND    series  Mediacast      GP 4                 series  ABC/Matt Carroll      JOHSON & FRIENDS 3    series  Film Australia1991  TURTLE BEACH        feature  Village Roadshow      GP 3                 series  ABC/Matt Carroll      JOHNSON & FRIENDS 2  series  Film Australia      FURTHER ADVENTURES      OF BLACK BEAUTY 2    series  Pro Films (NZ)1990  JOHNSON & FRIENDS    series  Film Australia      FURTHER ADVENTURES      OF BLACK BEAUTY     series  Pro Films (NZ)      THE PAPER MAN       series  Roadshow Coote Carroll      TROUBLE IN PARADISE feature  Regency Pictures1989  SHADOW OF THE COBRA series  View Films      CELIA                feature  Seon Films      THE BIG WISH        telemv  ACTF Prod1988  EMERALD CITY        feature  Limelight Prod      GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM feature  Smiley Films      MARY McKILLOP       telemv  Film Australia

      SOLDIER SETTLER     telemv  Film Australia      PETER & POMPEY       telemv  ACTF Prod      PRINCESS KATE       telemv  ACTF Prod      BARRACUDA           telemv  Amalgamated Portman1987  GROUND ZERO         feature  GZ Productions      THE SHIRALEE         series  SA Film Corp1986  BULLSEYE             feature  PBL Prod      THE PLACE AT THE COAST  feature  Daedalus Films      ARMY WIVES          series  Village Roadshow1985  NIEL LYNNE          feature  David Baker Films      SHORT CHANGED       feature  Ross Matthews Prod      AROUND THE WORLD      IN 80 WAYS          feature  Palm Beach Pictures      5 TIMES DIZZY       series  Samson Films      THE LONG WAY HOME    telemv  ABC      DOUBLE SCULLS     telemv  Smiley Films      ARCHER              telemv  Village Roadshow      NATURAL CAUSES       telemv  ABC1984  BUDDIES              feature  JD Prod      REBEL                feature  P Emmanuel Prod      BODYLINE            series  Kennedy Miller      PALACE OF DREAMS    series  ABC      CRIME OF THE DECADE telemv  ABC      TOP KID             telemv  ACTF Prod      TARFLOWERS          telemv  ACTF Prod      QUEST BEYOND TIME    telemv  ACTF Prod1983  THE CITY'S EDGE     feature  CB Films1981  CROSSTALK           feature  Walltowall Films

The score for the film was released on LP and on 45, but as the film did no business, neither did the music. The LP title continued the tendency for the film to be called Buddies: Getting Even!, though this was the promotional title and not the main title seen in the film:

LP Festival L-38196 (CA C-38196) 1984 "BUDDIES: GETTING EVEN!"Composed and Produced by Chris NealArranged by Chris Neal, Neil ThurgateBrass and Strings Conducted by Neil ThurgateMusical Co-ordination: Ken LaingExecutive Producer: Phil Matthews

SIDE 1: Buddies: Getting Even! - Main Theme (2'24")Drive Like A Madman (1'20")Andy The Menace (1'43")Victory Drive (3'13")The Bellbirds (1'32")(Henry Kendall) (Spoken by Simon Chilvers) (Control)Buddies: Getting Even Song (Have A Go) (3'17 ') (John Dingwall - Chris Neal - John Williamson) Vocals: John WilliamsonBad News (0'30")The Scam (3'49")

SIDE 2:Goodbye (2'30")On The Scoot (0'43")Mike And Johnny (3'33")The Battle (4'50")Goodbye (Reprise) (1'13")Buddies: Getting Even! Theme - Driving Version (3'51")

45 Festival K-9204 1983Produced by Chris Neal J. D. Productions Pty. Ltd. Australia

Side A:The Buddies Song (Have A Go) (3'17") (J. Dingwall - C. Neal - J. Williamson) Vocals:

John Williamson (J. D. Prods/Matthews)

Side B: The Main Theme “Buddies” (Instrumental) (2'24") (C. Neal) Chris Neal (J. D. Prods/Matthews)

The Buddies Song by Williamson was also released on Humble Beginnings, Gumleaf/Festival 1985, a two album compilation of his early works (it was also released on CD):