to the darkened skies once more..

[darren_stranger]

Back in the late '70s / early '80s, there was an Australian convict-era series on tv called Against the Wind.  The opening sequence had a poem, or extract of a poem, that used to inspire some quite vivid visual imagery for me.  For years i've wondered just what it was.

Some googling this morning came up with the following lines from a Byron poem, which are the closest i've found so far:

Yet, Freedom! Yet thy banner, torn, but flying,
Streams like the thunder-storm against the wind;

That rings a bell and seems to fit what i remember from all those years ago, though the lines before and after don't seem to fit as well, and i had thought there was more to it.

Does anybody remember that show, and know what the quote might have been?

Comments

[guerillamagilla.livejournal.com]

All I remember was six ribbons by Jon English - nothing so dramatic as Byron. I do like the song from the end credits of 'Raw Deal' - a similar period style movie with Gus Mercurio, filmed at Emu Bottom.

[i-beloved.livejournal.com]

Yes, remember the show but not the quote, sorry.

The visual I get when I hear that show title is Jon English and his raccoon eyes.

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

Have you tried youtube for the opening sequence?

[greylock.livejournal.com]

You're smart.

YTing "Against the Wind Australia -seger" is advised.
There are a tonne of clips featuring over-acting and bad costumes.

It's on DVD too - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE-19EGxp6k

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

"Whenever I want to torture a coworker or a loved one with a horrid TV soap theme song from the 70's, I use Youtube! 70% more crap you never want to see or hear again guaranteed!"

[greylock.livejournal.com]

You don't lie.

I was just suffering this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tecqb9pb0ss

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

Holy fuck.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

I'm ashamed to say I used to love that show.

5pm every weekday on the ABC if memory serves.

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

I'm ashamed to say I know the theme song for "Littlest Hobo". Goddamn slut of a dog.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

I can almost think of the theme. It was sung by someone with a name like Boxcar Willie if memory serves.

When I was in filum school, back in the day, I included a shot in the movie that was an homage to our shifty, unemployed pup.

[a-carnal-mink.livejournal.com]

Like guerillamagilla, I remember the show and Six Ribbons (which I'm now reminded to track down on a DL, thanks!), but don't recall the poetry bit, sorry. The wiki and imdb pages for it aren't helpful, either. Maybe you'll have to buy the DVD to get the whole quote?

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

I've played Six Ribbons on guitar for a medieval themed wedding. The couple chose that song over several more 'medieval' songs because it was in English. It's a very romantic song I must say, I didn't mind playing at all.

(Reminds me that my wedding songs were in German and Italian, with the outro being a love duet from an opera between the two villians who are saying how much they love each other, the male part traditionally sung by a castrato)

[a-carnal-mink.livejournal.com]

It's a beautiful song, to be sure. Makes me cry every time! :`(

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

I love your icon (fellow Rickman fan here..... ah, Alan....)

It is a lovely song - my sister sang and we had a flautist who had a bit of a forgetful moment in the middle of an instrumental bit, but otherwise it was lovely, then we got drunk on mead and learned to do medieval dances and ate a tonne of roast meat and it was the most fun wedding I´ve been to :-)

[greylock.livejournal.com]

Dude, is this it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RadBLFn0Cdk&feature=related

Freedom, banner, yadda...

[greylock.livejournal.com]

Yes, that matches your quotes.

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Grr and Sev unto the victory!

[greylock.livejournal.com]

In the spirit of classic TV, with due respect to Sev:
"What does my pussy have to do with this?"

/Has a cat called Sev.

[jagaroth.livejournal.com]

I found the same thing on youtube. I really don't remember that show at all. But my memory is crap. My father tells me I used to watch shows that I now have no memory of at all. Six Ribbons has very catchy lyrics though, that I do remember that, I'm glad it was brought to my attention once again.

[highlandish.livejournal.com]

i bought the series dvd this year for my mum, but it's still in it's wrapper