Channel 7 - 1969 closedown

[viertereichAB]

This is when Sydney was a special place, from when this was filmed up until mid-90s. I moved to Sydney '80 as a teen living in the inner city during then was a great time.. I still live here but it saddens me that Sydney unfortunately is not what it once was. overcrowded, terrible infastructure, incompetent local and State Govt and we have lost so much of the soul and vibrancy of this city. The vibe of Melbourne was preserved , but Sydney sold its soul and its cigarettes to the black market man.

[Terrilliser]

Love it!..

[lukesteele1]

How weird that Tommy from the USA sang a song about my city of Sydney that I rate as THE BEST anthem ever for my hometown. God Bless you Tommy.

[DKashman]

This is a classic piece of aussie history, Tony's voice is magnificent..



[jonnygee64]

Although I've been away from Sydney for many years now, this clip grabs at my emotions! I worked in Sydney television for almost ten years.

[television472tv]

00:00 the 7's birthday 1969 is closeing and going to the next year of seven.

[MaccasWell76]

It was colored for the anniversary (as shown with the 7 network emblem at start of the video) as we didn't have color until late 1974.

[MarkJSau]

@MaccasWell76 This was shot on colour film, so what you are seeing is the original vision, even though Ch 7 first broadcast it on TV in black-and-white. Colour TV started in Australia on 1 March 1975

[60srocker46]

we love you tommy, and this song is always in our hearts, as are you

[SimonVidz]

i found this song because FRENZAL RHOMB COVER'D IT LOLLLL

[1prouddemocrat]

I have never been to the Commonwealth of Australia, but EVERY time I watch this video, I want to catch the next flight to Sydney!

[goulbear]

Brought tears to the eyes of this ex-Sydney sider. I love Newtown.

[Imamummy2]

My dad thought Tommy Leonetti was right up there with Sinatra and Bennett as a singer, he was wonderful in concert. Did anyone know that he returned to the States in the mid-70's and appeared in an episode of The Waltons before he sadly died form cancer...? what a loss.

[thelewischildren]

Dear Anna,

I hope this reminds you of us at Ryde Rotary when you go home.

Kind regards,

Maureen.

[DollyAU]

My Favourite Singer and Entertainer EVER! R.I.P. Tommy :) :) You will always be Remembered not like most of us :) :)

[jessicalizzy7]

Brought tears to the eyes of an ex-Sydney girl.

[atje43]

I remember sydney this way...from my childhood

[infidel1100]

Sydney certainly is a photogenic city - the watersways and bridge are the crown witnesses of this . It was all foreseen, of course, by Charles Darwin's grandfather Erasmus who prophesied:

"There shall broad streets their stately walls extend,

The circus widen, and the crescent bend...

There the proud arch, colossus-like, bestride

Yon glittering streams, and bound the chasing tide"

Tommy Leonetti's mellifluous tones are an enduring audial testimony to Darwin's vision. Vale and RIP Tom

[bytom11]

I wonder if anybody will remember comment of one of radio personalities

Saying “ Let me present “ the Italian trio +Tomy Leo Netti + wonder who it was

See if anybody remembers ??? Love this song… Hope to be in Sydney soon..

RIP Tommy

Jay Jay

[54Chiavazza]

so many memories come back ..I've been looking for this song a long time .Thank you so much!!

[xXJeeXTeeXAyeXmanXx]

the newer 7 network logo watermark = not original watermark

[60srocker46]

tommy leonetti, we love you and miss you , sydney , what happened to you , you were the jewel of the world, come back pls

[60srocker46]

tommy leonette, we love you and miss you

[ssrabs]

I haven't seen this clip for over 30 years!! A tear run down my cheek when I saw this last night. I am so proud to be a Sydneysider..........

[flyerboy1963]

This Song and flim is a National treasure ...when will this song show it self again ....who be the one to sing it as good as Tommy ....Sydney back then how sweet it was....it was the city i grow up in...where did it go?

[DollyAU]

Beautiful Tommy :) We Miss you since you have been gone But like you say in this Beautiful Song Yo've Never Been Away Tommy ! XXX

[jimincairns]

I saw The Paradise strip-club door..I worked there! G'day,Jack and Amy...but I expect they're gone to god by now..!

[birdie2219]

This is truly Sydneys song.

[garykelly1944]

Bloody hell, I never expected to see that again! Thanks for posting it!

[bearmanoz63]

This is brill. However I totally disagree wth "Iangorton". If you don't like living in "HM" empire. Go somewhere else!

[DollyAU]

This Should Have Been Played at The Olympic Games ! What A Wonderful Tribute to The Most Famous Australian City World Known by The Most Beautiful Voice Ever Mr Tommy Leonetti ! :) Come on Aussie's Promote This Brilliant Video and Bring Back Tommy Leonetti Showing OUR BEAUTIFUL SYDNEY With His Beautiful Voice !

[martbd]

How could of this song been used in 1969 it has reference to the Opera House light which opened in 1973?

[MarkJSau]

@martbd A bit late to reply to your question, but in 1969 the exterior (shells) of the Opera House had been completed, the internal fit-out took another 3 or more years before the opening. You can see the fully completed shells in the background, with the construction cranes still around them, in the background as Tommy goes to the waterside at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.

[martbd]

@MarkJSau What is it with Opera House lights if it was still under contruction when this was filmed?

[Gurrier]

I would very much like to own that snazzy dress shirt

[patmorac]

its up to you

Syd-ney SYD NEEEEE!!!!!!

[JHollowayNetwork]

the sign-off was in black & white, until 1975, when colour came in Australia.

[ProtectTheDamned]

should be god save the queen.

[martbd]

The Whitlam government change it in 1974, Fraser governent reinstated "God save the Queen" ... was adopted as the Australian national anthem on 19 April 1984 by a decision of the Labor government of Bob Hawke and a proclamation by the Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen.

[IanGorton]

@ProtectTheDamned I disagree. The best thing we ever did for our national identity was dump God Save The Queen as our national anthem

[crazycraig36]

Wow what a flashback ..........Now I know i'm over the hill.

[Claudius131]

Interesting to note that Channel 7 was using Advance Australia Fair long before the referendum of 1974 decided it as our National Anthem.

[MarkJSau]

@Claudius131 The ABC was using Advance Australia Fair to announce the radio news during the Second World War... so in the 50s/60s it was not a very new idea

[Aussiemarco]

Ahhh .. such memories seeing this. My bro and I used to sometimes stay up to watch the channel 7 close. This video is so tacky; has such ghastly lyrics, but its part of our psyche, and therefore in every over-40 year old Sydneysider's bloody. ("Miss the Opera House lights .......... from the Bridge!" "The little church steeple ........ in Woolloomoolloo!" Love it!!!)

[Imamummy2]

Did you know that the character Norman Gunston was based on Tommy and his nervous-style of interviewing when he had his own tv show in the 60's. He also appeared in an episode of The Waltons as well - he had a lovely voice and nobody can put this song over better than he did. The version by that rock band made me sick...

[thelewischildren]

I made it again to another New Year. Happy 2010. I will view the show from the bridge at midnight from a friends unit in Kirribilli - I will sing this to myself and think of how it has always inspired me.

Maureen - Australia

[ENEROT]

read your comment on Nana Miscori and felt for you and your missing your parents. I have family in Aus and trust you and your kin are well. Nana was [is] GREAT.

[MyCityOfSYDNEY]

SYDNEY,Australia..my beautiful home!

i LOVE it with all my heart!

[SuspenseTHRILLERS]

hey no worries Jules..glad u liked it!

[SuspenseTHRILLERS]

i love this and my city of SYDNEY!

[DollyAU]

Absolutely beautiful R.I.P Tommy :(

[bosbal]

Great song, great pics and a great city...Would love to visit someday!

Frank

[beachblues]

This song was actually written specifically for Tommy Leonetti by his close friend and author of 'Route 66' - Bobby Troup.

[bigg3469]

WOW!!!! That's what I call a truly awesome song! "My City of Sydney" could go in the pages in great cities songs songbook that includes "I Left My Heart In San Francisco"," I Love LA," LA's My Lady","Chicago My Home Town", "New York New York"," Paris is Only a Lonely Town, "Arrivedereci Roma" & others too numerous to mention. & I love the cute good night cartoon for ATN with the Kangaroo & her Joey!

[60srocker46]

i know that many people have sung about other cities in the world and that they are all well know songs , sung by well known artists. but i dont think that any of them have the warmth and feeling that this song does, again thank you

[60srocker46]

thank you tommy, we miss you

[Alainaa80]

Can i get this onto my computer and burn to disk?

[aronpedersen]

do you have the mp3 of this song sung by him

[drmatt108]

whoops! I'm a dickhead! On closer inspection I can see the cranes over the Opera House - yeah, it was made in '69

[drmatt108]

this was not made in 1969. The Opera House was finished in 1973!

[AidanLunn]

I didn't know that Australia had colour TV in 1969!!!

[watzupdawg]

They had the means to record colour. Though most people certainly would not have seen it in colour. That would have happened several years later when the older footage was run again when more people had colour TV.

[MarkJSau]

@watzupdawg The means to record colour was film. A lot of footage (especially outdoor stuff) was shot on colour film, even though the TV stations were not able (or allowed) to broadcast it until 1975