| Tucker's Daughter | |
| Cover: | Tuckers_Daughter.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Ian Moss |
| Album: | Matchbook |
| B-Side: | Islands |
| Released: | [1] |
| Recorded: | September 1988 |
| Studio: | Ocean Way Recording, Los Angeles |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Label: | Mushroom |
| Producer: |
|
| Next Title: | Telephone Booth |
| Next Year: | 1989 |
"Tucker's Daughter" is the debut single by Australian rock singer and guitarist, Ian Moss. It was released in November 1988[1] almost five years after his group, Cold Chisel, had disbanded for the first time. It is co-written by Moss and Don Walker (also from Cold Chisel).[2] [3] [4] The song was the lead single from Moss' debut studio album, Matchbook (1989).
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990 "Tucker's Daughter" was nominated for three awards and won two; Breakthrough Artist – Single and Song of the Year. The song was also nominated for Single of the Year.[5]
In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Tucker's Daughter" was ranked number 99.[6]
The lyrics of "Tucker's Daughter" tell the story of a farm labourer who finds himself the attention of his employer's daughter, but he does not return her affections.
Moss had initially written the music to the song less than a fortnight before recording on his debut album was about to commence. He said, "I was pretty confident I had a good hit here. I was literally running around the house going 'yahoo!', jumping up and clicking my heels."[7]
Walker described in 2005 how Moss had sent him pieces of music including certain phrases that he wanted included in places within the song, "Ian sent "Tucker's Daughter" on a cassette [by] express airmail from Los Angeles where he was, and he had the melody but the only lyric he had was, 'Hey there, motherfucker.' Right through the rest of the song. I couldn't use that, but I recognized that it had a certain percussive force".[8]
In September 2007 Moss told a reporter at The Herald Sun newspaper that he was dissatisfied with his entry at Wikipedia: "About 95 per cent of the stories I read say Don Walker wrote it, but I wrote it too. I wrote the music and the punch line. 'Build me up, tear me down'. I'm not sure how to edit Wikipedia, but I will get on to that and change it."[4]
The start of the video depicts Tucker's daughter, a young woman, played by actress Tasma Walton[9] walking through a field. Several scenes feature Ian Moss singing and playing his guitar inside a barn. Although Moss does not react to the woman's affection in the lyrics; three black and white scenes during the video depict the two having a romantic encounter.
7" Single (K690)
| Chart (1989) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[10] | 15 | |
| Australian Artist (ARIA) | 2 |
