DARYL’S HORSES CELEBRATES 30-YEAR REIN
DARYL Braithwaite’s The Horses turns 30 this month, with the singer saying the hit is more popular now than when it reached No.1 in 1991.
A cover of an album track by US singer Rickie Lee Jones, The Horses took five months to top the ARIA chart and has now been streamed more than 40 million times.
It continues to stream so well it was the No.20 best selling song by an Australian artist on ARIA’s 2020 endof-year chart.
Braithwaite, who turned 72 last week, is astounded the song is still being discovered by people who weren’t born when it was released.
“It is amazing. I can look at it from an outsider’s perspective,” Braithwaite said.
“People tell me how it affects them. And it’s significant. It does a lot of good. It’s associated with weddings and funerals. Sometimes people who are down on their luck listen to that song to raise their spirits.
“It’s unusual to have one song played at both those occasions. I’ve had a few offers to sing The Horses at weddings and funerals. I’ve had to decline, I just couldn’t do that.
“I never thought it’d be a hit in 1991. You never know that kind of thing. And I never thought it’d have this kind of longevity. Not many artists have a song like this.
“I really don’t think it was as popular in 1991 when it was No.1 as it is 30 years later.”
His record label, Sony, will mark the song’s initial release, on January 28, with a “Daryl BraithDay” – there is new merchandise available to mark the milestone, including mugs, tea towels, teaspoons, tote bags, sweaters, bucket hats and T-shirts, including one with scenes from the iconic video clip for The Horses.
“I just want to pay recognition to the fact people have supported that song for so long,” Braithwaite said.
The singer, who hit the Top 40 again last year with Love Songs, is looking forward to returning to touring once border restrictions are lifted.
“I still really enjoy the song, it’s still fantastic to play. That’s the reward. I’m dreading the day we start playing The Horses and there’s no reaction.”