You know that flute riff. Even if you haven't heard the song in a year, it’s probably stuck in your head right now. Greg Ham’s iconic melody is the soul of Men at Work’s 1981 smash, but for guitarists, hunting down a land down under tab usually starts with a desire to play that specific hook.
But here’s the thing. Most people get it wrong.
It’s easy to think of this as just another 80s pop song with a catchy beat. In reality, it’s a masterclass in reggae-influenced pop-rock rhythm. If you’re looking at a basic chord sheet that just says Bm and A, you’re missing the point. You’re missing the "stank" that makes the song actually move.
The Acoustic vs. Electric Dilemma
When you search for a land down under tab, you’re going to find two very different worlds.
First, there’s the Colin Hay solo acoustic version. If you’ve seen him live in the last decade, you know he plays it stripped back. It’s haunting. It’s slower. He uses a capo, usually on the 2nd fret, and relies heavily on open chord shapes to get that resonance. It's beautiful, but it's not the radio version.
Then you have the studio version from Business as Usual. That version is all about the "upstroke." To play it correctly, you can't just strum down-up-down-up like you’re sitting around a campfire. You have to think like a reggae guitarist. You’re hitting the strings on the "and" of the beat.
1 and 2 and 3 and 4...
If you don't nail that syncopation, the song sounds like a boring folk tune. It loses its teeth. The studio track relies on B minor, A, and G, but it’s the way those chords are voiced that matters. Most accurate tabs will show you barre chords at the 7th and 5th frets. Why? Because you need the ability to "choke" the strings with your fretting hand to get that percussive, short sound. Open strings ring too long. They're too messy for this vibe.
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The Infamous Flute Riff (On Guitar)
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the kookaburra in the tree.
Most people looking for a land down under tab aren't actually looking for the chords. They want the flute part. Because Greg Ham’s riff is the hook, every guitar player wants to transcribe it to the fretboard.
Historically, this riff caused a massive legal headache for the band. In 2010, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the flute riff pinched a melody from "Kookaburra," a nursery rhyme written in 1932 by Marion Sinclair. It was a devastating blow to the band’s legacy and, tragically, Greg Ham himself.
When you play it on guitar, you’re usually looking at the high E and B strings. It’s a B minor pentatonic shape, essentially.
$f_{riff} = \text{B minor pentatonic scale (approximate)}$
You start high. You slide. You have to mimic the breathiness of a flute with your pick attack. It’s not just about hitting the right frets; it’s about the phrasing. If you pick every note hard, it sounds like a MIDI file. You need legatos—hammer-ons and pull-offs are your best friends here.
Common Mistakes in Popular Tabs
I’ve spent way too much time looking at "Top 100" tab sites. Most of them are community-contributed and, frankly, kind of lazy.
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They often simplify the Bm - A - Bm - G progression in a way that ignores the bass line. John Rees’s bass playing on this track is incredibly melodic. If you’re playing solo guitar, you almost have to incorporate some of those bass walks to make it feel full.
- The Over-Strum: Stop strumming through the whole bar. The space between the notes is what makes it "Australian Reggae."
- The Wrong Key: Sometimes you'll find tabs transposed to Em for "beginners." Don't do it. It loses the bright, punchy energy of the original Bm key.
- Ignoring the Bridge: The "Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder" section shifts the energy. The chords stay similar, but the intensity changes. You need to open up the strumming pattern there.
Honestly, the best way to learn this is to watch old videos of Ron Strykert. His right-hand technique was precise. He wasn't flailing. He was acting like a human metronome.
Gear and Tone: Getting the "Down Under" Sound
You can have the perfect land down under tab and still sound like garbage if your tone is too heavy.
This isn't a high-gain song. If you’re using a distortion pedal, turn it off. You want a "clean-ish" sound with just a hint of breakup. A Stratocaster on the second or fourth position (the "quack" positions) is ideal. It gives you that thin, percussive snap that cuts through the mix.
Add a little bit of chorus. The 80s were drenched in chorus, and Men at Work were no exception. It adds a shimmering, watery quality to the chords that makes the B minor feel less "sad" and more "vibrant."
The Cultural Weight of the Song
It’s weird to think about now, but this song was a massive political statement for some. It was an anthem for a country trying to find its identity apart from British or American influence.
When you're sitting there with your guitar, trying to figure out the land down under tab, you're participating in a piece of history. This song topped the charts in the US and the UK simultaneously. That didn't happen for Australian bands back then.
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It’s a song about the commercialization of Australia, which is ironic considering how many commercials it’s been in. But the lyrics are actually kind of dark. "Plundering" and "vegemite sandwiches" and "full of zombies." It’s not just a happy travel tune.
Why the B Minor Chord is King Here
Most pop songs live in G major or C major. Choosing B minor as the home base gives the song a slight edge. It feels "cool" rather than "happy."
When you’re looking at your land down under tab, notice how often it returns to that Bm. It’s a grounded chord. It anchors the whole track. If you’re a beginner, this is actually a great song to practice your barre chords. You’ll be switching between Bm and A constantly. By the end of a three-minute practice session, your hand will be cramping, but your chord transitions will be significantly faster.
Actionable Steps for Mastering the Song
Don't just pull up a tab and mindlessly strum. That’s how you stay a mediocre player. If you want to actually "own" this song, follow this progression:
- Isolate the Rhythm: Put down the guitar. Listen to the track. Clap only when the guitar hits. You’ll realize it’s much less frequent than you thought.
- The "Choke" Technique: Practice your Bm barre chord. Hit the strings and immediately release the pressure with your left hand. You should get a "chick" sound. That "chick" is the heartbeat of the song.
- Learn the Bassline: Seriously. Even if you're a guitar player, learn the bass movement. It will help you understand why the chords work the way they do.
- The Flute Riff on the High E: Find a tab that puts the flute riff on the top strings. Focus on the slides. Greg Ham’s playing was fluid. Your guitar playing should be too.
- Record Yourself: Play along to the original track. Record it on your phone. Listen back. Are you rushing? Most people rush this song because the energy is high. Slow down. Let it breathe.
The land down under tab isn't just a map of where to put your fingers. It's a guide to a specific kind of 80s groove that relies on restraint. The best players aren't the ones hitting the most notes; they're the ones hitting the right notes at the right time.
Stop looking for the "perfect" PDF. Start listening to the nuances of the 1981 recording. The way the drums and guitar lock together is something a computer-generated tab will never truly capture. You have to feel the "thump" of the bass and the "snap" of the snare.
Once you get that rhythm down, you won't even need the paper anymore. You'll just be playing. And that’s the whole point, isn’t it?
Get your guitar. Turn up the mids. Watch your timing. You've got this.