G'day yet again,

freda: Phyl points out that she didn't do the original trimming and tune - that was done by Royston Nicholas in 1974. Phyl did some morer trimming and modifying ... and I'll let her explain (notes from her CD Alcyone)

The Fight at Eureka Stockade
(Henry Lawson/Royston Nicholas adapted Phyl Lobl)

I added a verse to the original adaptation by Royston Nicholas, which I've heard only via other singers. Because Lalor & Carboni didn't get a suitable mention I added mine. I wanted to make a song more relevant for primary school kids studying the topic 'Gold In Australia'. There are some other changes to the original, which is available in a number of publications.

'We were all of us young on the diggings, in the days when the nation had birth —
Light-hearted, and careless, and happy, the flower of all nations on earth;
But the creed of our rulers was narrow — they ruled with a merciless hand,
For the mark of the cursed broad-arrow, was deep in the heart of the land.

The troopers were most of them newchums, with many a gentleman's son;
Riding on horseback was easy, hunting the diggers was fun.
They roused the hot blood that was in us, the cry came to roll up at last;
I tell you that something had got to be done when the diggers rolled up in the past.

We were all of us young on the diggings, in the days when the nation had birth —
Light-hearted, and careless, and happy, the flower of all nations on earth.

They say that in spite of the talking it all might have ended in smoke,
But just at the point of the crisis Peter Lalor* quietly spoke.
'We have all had our say and its useless, you must fight or be slaves my friends
If its fight, and you're wanting a leader, I'll lead you right on to the end'.'

We built a stockade at Eureka, we fashioned a flag full of stars.
The weapons we gathered were meagre, pikestaffs, poles and some bars.
They marched in their hundreds from Creswick. Carboni and Lalor were there —
Resolved to make changes, determined to see that the laws of Australia were fair.

CHORUS

Surprised in the grey of the morning, half-armed and the barricades bad,
A battle of twenty-five minutes was long 'gainst the odds that we had,
The light of the morning was deadened as the smoke drifted over the town,
And the clay of Eureka was reddened ere the flag of the diggers came down.

But it rose in the hands of the people,
High on a breeze it is tossed.
It remembers the mates who had died for a cause
That was won when the battle was lost.

CHORUS

* ORIGINAL:' … the voice of a quiet man spoke
'We have had all our say and it's useless, you must fight or be slaves!' said the voice;
'If it's fight, and you're wanting a leader, I'll lead to the end — take your choice!'

* The added verse is No.4.

Fergie:

Here are the words I wrote to "create" the missing Australian words to The Isle de France:

Isle of France

Tune Trad.               New Words: Bob Bolton

As the sun went down and the moon advanced,
A storm swept up on the "Isle of France".
That ship was swept on to hidden shoals,
I alone was saved of one hundred souls.

On a speedy barque, named for that fair isle,
I was sailing home, freed from durance vile,
To my old home town and to all I know,
When vengeful fate struck this heavy blow.

I fought the waves, fled the savage shark,
On a broken spar from our shattered barque.
I came ashore, in the dark of night,
Fifty miles west of Port Phillip light.

I was found and saved by a party bold,
Bound for Ballaarat, there to search for gold.
So I went with them, sharing good or ill:
Staked a digger's claim, south of Bakery Hill.

But the gold was scarce and the licence fee,
Was a pound too much for a man like me;
So with Lalor, Vern, and Black and Hayes,
A flag of stars, at Eureka raised.

That Sunday morn, we were scarce awake,
When the Redcoat troops did our stockade take.
Full thirty miners lay in their gore;
They thought they'd crushed us for evermore!

But the Miner's Right, we have won at last.
It's history now, the reforms have passed.
But remember how the reform was made
At Eureka Lead, in a bush stockade.

(I'll send off the MIDI and my "sheet music" version direct to Joe Offer & MMario.)

Regards,

Bob

---

Click to play