If you were at primary school in Australia in the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s’, you may remember the ABC Sing Books. Each week songs were taught via a radio broadcast that was beamed into classrooms across Australia, and students and teachers would follow the music and lyrics in their own book, adorned with colourful humorous illustrations.

Smith’s Alternative is reliving those days with a singalong of gems from the books, led by Shortis and Simpson. (Therein lies a story- between 1973-1980, John Shortis and his friend Brian Simmons, yes, they were Shortis and Simmons, wrote those radio programs.

At Smith’s, lyrics will be displayed, and with special guests (including the aforementioned Brian Simmons), the audience will be lead through a joyous singalong of well-known pop, folk, and children’s songs just like in the classroom back then. Even if you weren’t there you will still know most of the songs.

In true Shortis and Simpson style there’ll be interesting stories, snippets of history and plenty of humour along the way.

And you can request your favourite songs, from any era of the books, by commentying on the facebook event page HERE.