Down City Streets

"Down City Streets" is a song written by Australian singer songwriter Ruby Hunter and recorded by her husband Archie Roach. The song was released in 1991 as the second single from Roach's debut studio album Charcoal Lane (1990).

"Down City Streets"
LP cover
Single by Archie Roach
from the album Charcoal Lane
B-side	"Muntana, No No No"
Released	1991 (1991)
Recorded	April 1990
Studio	Curtain Street Studios, Melbourne
Length	4:05
Label	Aurora, Mushroom Records
Songwriter(s)	Ruby Hunter
Producer(s)	Paul Kelly, Steve Connolly
Archie Roach singles chronology
"Took the Children Away" (1990) "Down City Streets" (1991) "From Paradise" (1993)

"Down City Streets" is an autobiographical song Hunter wrote recalling her time as a homeless alcoholic. She gave the song to her husband Roach to record for his debut studio album.[1] In 2015 Roach recalls the scenario coming home one night "... she was there and she screwed up this paper and tried to hide it under the pillow or something like that and I said, 'What is that?' She said, 'Ah, nothing'. I said, 'Can I have a look at it?' She reluctantly gave me this piece of paper with a song written on it ... and she just sat down and sang it to me."[2]

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992, the song was nominated for ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release.[3]

The song was re-recorded by Roach and Hunter on the album Ruby in 2005.

Track listing

single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Down City Streets"	4:05
2.	"Muntana" (live at Triple J)	7:36
3.	"No No No" (live at Triple J)	3:50

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Edition(s)	Label	Catalogue
Australia	1991	CD single Vinyl	Standard	Aurora, Mushroom Records	K10360

References

1. "Ruby Hunter: Pioneering Aboriginal singer and songwriter". Independent. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
2. "Archie Roach: still sounding like daybreak". Sydney Morning Herald. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
3. "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 28 September 2018.