PETER Combe is a huge Simon and Garfunkel fan who had aspirations of becoming the world’s next Paul Simon until he discovered many people wanted to be the world’s next Paul Simon.
Then the former primary school teacher had a revelation when writing songs for a children’s operetta in 1973.
“Writing songs for children was a completely untapped field and I found that really odd because people wrote stories for children all the time,” Combe said.
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READ NOW“I just had an instinctive feeling that I knew how to do it.
“I have a very serious side but I love doing silly stuff, love laughing and children are exactly the same. Maybe I’m just a big kid who hasn’t quite grown up yet.”
After a stint on London BBC program Music Time, Combe started in the 1980s to release hit after hit including Newspaper Mama, Toffee Apple, Juicy Juicy Green Grass, Spaghetti Bolognese and Mr Clicketty Cane.
Then in 1990 came Peter Combe’s Christmas Album with new original children’s songs for Christmas, which became a gold record in five weeks and a new Aussie family tradition.
“Christmas is a positive, uplifting time of the year and I wrote about what Christmas meant to me,” the Adelaide grandfather said.
“The songs on the album have been written in that same spirit of optimism. If you leave aside all the crass, commercial side of Christmas, it is a very hopeful time of the year.”
Despite the success, Combe is only, 28 years later touring his Christmas Album for the first time with a concert at Subiaco Arts Centre on November 25.
It was his 35-year-old son Thom, who works on Combe’s social media, and sometime plays guitar in his band, that suggested there was interest from fans in a tour including every track from the festive album.
Mercedes College choir will join Combe on stage in Perth to perform the choral sections of his show.
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Peter Combe’s Christmas Album Live
Where: Subiaco Arts Centre
When: November 25
Tickets: www.ptt.wa.gov.au