It's hot in Brisbane but it's Coolangatta

With it's red and blue cartoon cover, the song It's hot in Brisbane but it's Coolangatta is an endearing novelty for voice and piano composed in 1953 by Claude Carnell, for the Coolangatta Chamber of Commerce. State Library holds the sheet music for 'Coolangatta's souvenir song', which includes promotional information about Coolangatta, and offers the performer a choice of a 'slow bounce' version or 'Dixieland or fast' version.

The song was recorded in 1953 by Gwen Ryan, with Claude Carnell's Orchestra and additional vocals from Doug Roughton’s Hokey Pokey Club. You can hear the digital sound file via the National Film and Sound Archives catalogue. The National Library's digital score can be reached from the item record in the State Library catalogue.

Robyn Hamilton - Queensland Music Coordinator