The Barnestormers Cover Rock And Roll Classic 'Real Wild Child'

The Barnestormers (Jimmy Barnes, Chris Cheney, Slim Jim Phantom, Kevin Shirley and Jools Holland) have released a new single from their upcoming self-titled album, out next month. For two minutes and 42 seconds, Jimmy Barnes becomes the Real Wild Child Johnny O’Keefe wrote about all those years ago, back in 1958.

The joyful, rock ‘n’ roll cover is perfect for The Barnestormers - every band member has a bit of rockabilly in them, and their take on Real Wild Child solidifies the passion behind this project. Check out the animated music video below.

Originally written in 1958, Australia’s Johnny O’Keefe flew up the ARIA Chart with the tune Wild One.

Johnny Greenan and Dave Owens – members of Johnny O’Keefe’s band, the Dee Jays – wrote the song with O’Keefe after they witnessed a fight at one of their gigs in the inner-Sydney suburb of Newtown. After hearing Johnny O’Keefe’s version, Buddy Holly’s manager took the song back to the US, where it was renamed Real Wild Child to avoid confusion with the Marlon Brando movie The Wild One.   

Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a signature version of the song, while decades later, Iggy Pop’s interpretation hit the UK Top 10 and reached #1 in New Zealand. It was featured in the blockbuster movies Pretty Woman and Crocodile Dundee II and became the theme for ABC’s long-running music video show, rage.   

Chris Cheney’s band, The Living End, even performed the song at the 2008 ARIA Hall of Fame to mark the 50th anniversary of this Australian classic.   

The band announced their inception last month. They released their first single, the Don Walker song, Johnny’s Gone, on 10 March and proved The Barnestormers are a far cry from the screamed vocals over rock songs of Cold Chisel - this is a rockabilly group.

Jimmy Barnes and Chris Cheney revealed the existence of this new supergroup in the first episode of the new season of RocKwiz in February.

The Barnestormers self-titled debut album is out on Friday, 26 May. You can pre-order it here.