In Australia in 1967 90% of the population voted in the referendum in favour of deleting sections of the Constitution discriminating against Aborigines.

Singer/songwriter Phyl Vinnocombe (later Lobl) released an EP, Dark eyed daughter the following year for the Aboriginal Advancement League of Victoria. All proceeds went to the League.

MP3s are available at the link

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My first recorded song, almost my first song, was sparked by media coverage of the student bus ride led by Charles Perkins Aboriginal activist and University students in 1965.

An old traditional rhyme gave a frame for the song.

'Mother may I go out to swim?'
'Yes my darling daughter.
Hang your clothes on a Hickory limb,
But don't go near the water.'

The last verse of the song was born not from a belief, but from realisation and dismay that many of those who did profess to believe could also hold racist views.


DARK-EYED DAUGHTER, Words & Music: Phyl Lobl

Mother may I go out to swim?
Yes my dark-eyed daughter,
Mother I would go out to swim
but at the pool I can't get in,
Because of the colour of my skin
because I'm your dark-eyed daughter.

Mother may I go to the show?
Yes my dark-eyed daughter.
Mother tell me do you know
which side of the theatre I should go?
Go where the colour of your skin won't show
my darling dark-eyed daughter.

Mother will I go to school?
Yes my dark-eyed daughter.
Mother when I go to school
will the children treat me cruel?
Children follow their parents' rule
my darling dark-eyed daughter.

Mother when will all this end?
I don't know my daughter.
Maybe it will end the day
when heaven and earth will pass away
And we will hear a great voice say
you're welcome here …… my daughter.

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The song tells of an incident in November 1963 when police made a surprise arrest of 10 aboriginal leaders from Old Mapoon Queensland. The leaders were transferred to a settlement 90 miles from their home. The official explanation was that the leaders were having undue influence on the rest of the community. A typical reaction to Aboriginal claims to ownership of traditional land and freedom of settlement.

WHOSE HAND

Words: Hills, Tune: Kitamura

It was late one Friday afternoon. Whose hand?
The prison boat came silently down stood a little out of town
Its purpose they would learn too soon.

They came upon them after dark. Whose hand?
'Pack your bags' the order ran 'We'll take your leaders child and man.'
And not a dog had time to bark.

Two policemen lay at head and toe. Whose hand?
The reason why no one could tell before the dawn they knew quite well.
And women and children were next to go.

Their house burned or taken down. Whose hand?
To the Government dip like a cattle herd, songs and tears within them stirred
With one last look at their former home.

They protest with fear and woe. Whose hand?
Have we no rights no race no land we are people you understand.
Have we no say in where we go? Whose hand? Whose hand?

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Renowned aboriginal poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal went by the name of Kath Walker in the sixties when she demonstrated wry Aboriginal humour at modern displacement of traditional customs.


NO MORE BOOMERANG

Words: Walker (Noonuccal) Tune: Lobl

No more boomerang no more spear,
Now all civilised colour bar and beer,
No more corroboree gay dance and din,
Now we got movies and pay to go in.

No more sharing what the hunter brings,
Now we work for money and pay it back for things,
Now we track bosses to catch a few bob,
Now we go walkabout on bus to the job.

One time naked who never knew shame,
Now we put clothes on to hide whatsaname.
No more gunyah now bungalow,
Paid by hire purchase in twenty years or so.

Lay down the stone axe take up the steel,
Work like a nigger for a white man's meal,
No more firestick that made whites scoff,
Now all electric and no better off.

Bunyip he finish got now instead,
White-fella bunyip call him red.
Abstract pictures now, what they comin' at
Cripes in our caves we did better than that.

Black hunted wallaby, white hunt dollar.
White-fella witch-doctor wear dog collar.
No more message lubras and lads,
Got television now, mostly ads,

Lay down the woomera, lay down the waddy,
Now we got atom bomb. End everybody.

List of English words from many Australian Aboriginal languages

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Efforts of Aboriginal groups for self determination prompted the writing of this song.

WILL YOU FIGHT WILL YOU DARE?

Words & Music: Phyl Lobl

The dreamtime folk are stirring now and they have laid a claim
To a part of the land their fathers' roamed that carries their tribal name.
Where Vestey's cattle brands are scored, where stockmen's whips are cracked,
The dreamtime folk are holding out and there'll be no going back.

Chorus
Will you fight will you dare?
Will you give will you care?
Will you help to mend wrong?
Will you stand up now the for the dreamtime folk
By joining their freedom song?

Where the muddy Murray waters pour, red tomatoes rule the weed,
And the dreamtime folk who planted them can see where their road could lead.
They could leave behind the pickers' huts, they could leave the fringe of the town.
They could take their place in this lucky land, if we let them then they can.

Do they have to reach some famous height before you'll let them grow?
Would you shelter first the tall gum tree or the spring flowers from the snow?
The plant is young but the plant will know and its fruit will sweeten the tongue
Of the dreamtime folk whose bitter bread has choked their freedom song.

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