Tribal Voice is the second studio album by Yothu Yindi, released in September 1991 on the Mushroom Records label. The album peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Charts and was certified 2× Platinum.

Tribal Voice
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 1991
Recorded1989–1990
StudioThe Vault, Paradise, RBX Studios
GenreAboriginal rock
Length42:57
LabelMushroom Records
ProducerMark Moffatt
Yothu Yindi chronology
Homeland Movement
(1989)
Tribal Voice
(1991)
Freedom
(1993)
Singles from Tribal Voice
  1. "Treaty"
    Released: June 1991
  2. "Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)"
    Released: April 1992
  3. "Tribal Voice"
    Released: September 1992

At the 1992 ARIA Awards Yothu Yindi won Best Cover Art for Tribal Voice by Louise Beach and Mushroom Art with photography by Serge Thomann; Engineer of the Year for "Maralitja", "Dharpa" and "Tribal Voice" by David Price, Ted Howard, Greg Henderson and Simon Polinski; Best Indigenous Release for Tribal Voice; Song of the Year and Single for the Year for "Treaty".[1][2]

The album did not receive a domestic vinyl release until 2018, however it was released on vinyl in Europe in 1992.

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic      link

AllMusic's reviewer, Jonathon Lewis commented "the traditional songs are stunning, and Mandawuy Yunupingu's voice is suited perfectly to these, but it is the rock tracks that are the weak links in this disc. Yunupingu is not a particularly good pop singer, and the music is sometimes insipid" but went on to say "despite this, Tribal Voice is a fine example of both traditional and modern Aboriginal music."[3]

Track listing

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  1. "Gapu" (Traditional song, arranged by Galarrwuy Yunupingu)
  2. "Treaty" (Mandawuy Yunupingu, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Milkayngu Mununggurr, Witiyana Marika, Stuart Kellaway, Cal Williams, Paul Kelly)
  3. "Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" (M. Yunupingu)
  4. "My Kind of Life" (M. Yunupingu)
  5. "Maralitja" (Crocodile Man) (M. Yunupingu)
  6. "Dhum Dhum" (Bush Wallaby) (Traditional song, arranged by Marika)
  7. "Tribal Voice" (M. Yunupingu)
  8. "Mainstream" (M. Yunupingu)
  9. "Dharpa" (Tree) (M. Yunupingu, Kellaway)
  10. "Yinydjapana" (Dolphin) (Traditional song, arranged by Marika)
  11. "Mätjala" (Driftwood) (M. Yunupingu, G. Yunupingu, Marika, Kellaway, Williams)
  12. "Hope" (M. Yunupingu)
  13. "Gapirri" (Stingray) (M. Yunupingu)
  14. "Beyarrmak" (Comic) (Traditional song, arranged by G. Yunupingu)
  15. "Treaty" (Radio Mix) (M. Yunupingu, G. Yunupingu, Mununggurr, Marika, Kellaway, Williams, Kelly, Garrett) (moved to after "Tribal Voice" on 2018 LP reissue)
  16. "Djäpana" (Radio Mix) (M. Yunupingu)

Tracks 3, 8 and 16 were added to the 1992 reissue of the album and appear on all subsequent reissues. Tracks 3, 6 and 16 were released as a CD single in 1992 and tracks 3 and 8 appear (in different versions) on the band's 1989 debut Homeland Movement.

Track 2 appears in the 1992 film Encino Man.

Personnel

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  • Mandawuy Yunupingu – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar
  • Galarrwuy Yunupingu – vocals, clapsticks
  • Witiyana Marika – vocals, clapsticks, backing vocals
  • Milkayngu Mununggurr – didgeridoo, backing vocals
  • Gurrumul Yunupingu – keyboards, percussion, guitar, didgeridoo, organ, backing vocals
  • Makuma Yunupingu – didgeridoo
  • Cal Williams – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, guitar, backing vocals
  • Stuart Kellaway – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Ricki Fataar – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Mark Moffatt – organ, bass guitar, guitar
  • Ray Periera – congas
  • Allen Murphy – drums
  • Huey Benjamin – drums
  • Archie Roach – backing vocals
  • Tim Finn – backing vocals
  • Rose Bygrave – backing vocals
  • Steve Wade – backing vocals

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for Tribal Voice
Chart (1991–1993) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[4] 4

Year-end charts

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Year-end chart performance for Tribal Voice
Chart (1992) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] 15

Certifications

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Certifications for Tribal Voice
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[5] 2× Platinum 140,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "1992: 6th Annual ARIA Awards". ARIA Music Awards. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  2. ^ "ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Artist: Yothu Yindi search results". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  3. ^ Lewis, Jonathon. "Tribal Voice- Yothu Yindi". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Yothu Yindi – Tribal Voice". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 307.