4th Best Auckland gets a Song
07.05.09
In celebration of the news that Auckland has been voted the 4th Best City in the world in an international survey, a group of Kiwi musicians and celebrities have banded together to record Auckland's first unofficial Official Song.
The Mercer 2009 Quality of Living survey, announced last week, ranked Auckland in 4th equal place, behind Vienna, Zurich and Geneva, and tying with Vancouver.
To commemorate this accomplishment (a bright spot of good news in a week when swine flu and the recession dominated the headlines), Cadbury Moro, the makers of New Zealand's 4th-favourite chocolate bar*, asked Auckland-based singer-songwriter Lindon Puffin to pen a celebratory song to gift to the city.
The anthem 'We Are Fourth' pays comedy homage to the City of Sails and celebrates its success in representing New Zealand in the survey's top 10, beating iconic cities such as London, Sydney and New York. The song and accompanying music video also send up some of the things that Auckland is rather more infamous for, including, but not limited to, the rain and traffic jams (meaning the rest of the country can also enjoy the song).
'We Are Fourth' by Most Of Us features guest vocals from Opshop's Jason Kerrison, Tyree and Deach from Smashproof, Jordan Luck, J Williams, Annabel Fay, Josh Leys and Lucid 3's Victoria Girling-Butcher, plus an all-star chorus of famous Auckland faces including the Mad Butcher Peter Leitch, former Warrior Monty Betham, Nick Campbell and Simon Oscroft from Midnight Youth, and Jon Austin from 48 May.
The song will be released today and proceeds donated to Cure Kids, which funds vital research into life-threatening children's illnesses. The song will also be gifted to each of the Auckland region's mayors.
Moro would like to thank everyone who contributed to the making of this record and video, including all of the celebrities who gave their time and talents for free in order to celebrate Auckland's Fourthness and raise funds for Cure Kids.
In addition to those already mentioned, others who donated their time to appear in this song and/or the accompanying music video include Blair Strang, Glenn 'Wammo' Williams (Kiwi FM), Jimmy The Dwarf (C4), Jono Pryor (The Rock), Louise Wallace, Mike Puru (The Edge), Steven Oates and comedians Te Radar, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer and Mark Scott.
Special thanks to Lindon Puffin (songwriter, lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Jolyon Mulholland (bass and electric guitars), Will Mulholland (drums) and The Lab's Olly Harmer (sound engineer).
'We Are Fourth' by Most Of Us featuring Lindon Puffin, Jason Kerrison, Tyree and Deach, Jordan Luck, J Williams, Annabel Fay, Josh Leys, Victoria Girling-Butcher and friends, is out now through 174 East Music.
Proceeds go to Cure Kids: http://www.curekids.org.nz/
