Tune Req: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira

Subject: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: GUEST,Paul Gage
Date: 19 Apr 04 - 11:33 PM

Does any know of the works of Lyall Sayers.
He is an Australian singer/writer from 70s/80s
I used to have a vinyl album, but have lost it over the years.
The song I particularly wanted the music for was one about Albert Njamatjira (the aboriginal painter)
the first verse goes
'Now Albert Njamatjira
was a member of the tribe
that roamed Macdonnell Ranges
in the Territory so wide

the Chorus
Now the canvas standing empty
and the pallet lying dry
and ghost gums waiting patiently
beneath the cloudless sky
For the trees they seem to weep
and the gentle breezes sigh
for Albert Njamatjira has gone from his land

Subject: RE: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 Apr 04 - 11:56 PM

G'day Paul,

There's a good chance that any of Lyell's songs will have been published in the Victorian Folk Music Club / Victorian Folk Dance & Song Society magazine Tradition in the '60s or '70s. I have a full bound set at home ... with some sort of index, so I can look this up when I get home.

I also know that I have a number of songs about Albert Namatjira on various recordings ... but I can't really swear that I have this one!

I'll get back (after tonight's Backblocks Musicians session ... ?).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: rich-joy
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 02:15 AM

I don't know Lyell's song about Namatjira, but,
Sirocco had one, I recall
- and a nice one has been written by long-time West Aussie folkies, Geoff and Margaret Morgan - it's on their latest CD "Storm on the Horizon" - with some other good originals too that really grow on ya!!

Cheers!
R-J

Subject: RE: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 10:11 AM

John Williamson's "Raining On The Rock" makes mention of Albert Njamatjira. A very good song, especially when John is joined by Aborigine singer Warren H. Williams.

Subject: RE: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 10:14 AM

G'day again Paul,

I had a look through the index of Tradition, Magazine of The Folklore Society of Victoria and The Victorian Folk Music Club (minor correction!), 1963 - 1976 ... and they don't have this song.

In my vinyl collection I have a (mid-1970s?) Larrikin LP Victoria Street, Songs of Lyell Sayers, and it includes Lament for Namatjira. I have yet to connect up the LP deck I have bought to talk to my computer's soundcard ... I might get that sorted out tomorrow, then I can get the words - and, maybe, transcribe the tune.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: LindsayInWales
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 11:24 AM

There's another song about Albert Namatjira which I have on CD, rather moving, it's by Slim Dusty...would anyone like me to post the words???

starts like this..

Oh hushed are the voices and grey are the skies
And many the teardrops fall from dark saddened eyes
And many fair brothers will stand with bowed head
For the message came this morning; Namatjira is dead

chorus

Oh the stairs that Namatjira climbed up to the hall of fame
And there he left upon its' walls a true Australian name
His paintings out of God's Own Country where his people play
The stairs that Namatjira climned up to the hall of fame
The golden stairs of fame.

Incidentally, has anyone else ever heard the exquisite voice of Aborigine singer Mandawuy Yunupingu, who leads the Aborigine rock-band "Yothu Yindi" - now he is amazing!

Subject: RE: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: LindsayInWales
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 11:31 AM

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/australians/namat.htm

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: GUEST,jedigirl
Date: 14 Jan 05 - 02:34 PM

Hi Lindswidder, also got this song on CD, need the lyrics for a report in class, am still trying to understand the whole lyrics (I'm German it's a little difficult for me though I'm quite good at English)...
heard Yothu Yindi at the Olympics 2000 - on Tv :-( loved that music!!!!

Subject: Lyrics: Lyel Sayer - Lament for Albert Namatjira
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 01:44 AM

G'day (GUEST)Paul Gage,

I seem to have got distracted ... When I finally set up an LP deck to capture the track on computer ... this one had a flaw / scratch in the middle. I had to do some cunning re-recording to try to catch the missing words ... and I seem to have got diverted ... for the past 9 months!

I have just typed up the words ... as I hear them (with a few 'queries' in parentheses):

Lament for Namatjira
Lyell Sayer, on his LP Victoria St., the songs of Lyell Sayer
Larrikin Records LRF-146, 1984

Now Albert Namatjira was a member of the tribe
Along McDonnell's Ranges, in the Territory so wide;
And he captured all the beauty of that wide and lovely land,
With the colours of his palette and the sureness of his hand.

Now the canvas's standing empty and the palette's lying dry,
And ghost gums posing patiently, beneath the cloudless sky -
But the trees there seem to weep and the gentle breezes sigh,
For Albert Namatjira … is gone from his land.

The products of his skill and eye, were famous through the land,
His canvases were valuable and, so, in great demand.
But Albert lived, as always, on the age-old tribal lands
And shared his wealth with everyone, as tribal law demands.

Now the canvas's standing empty and the palette's lying dry,
And ghost gums posing patiently, beneath the cloudless sky -
But the trees there seem to weep and the gentle breezes sigh,
For Albert Namatjira … is gone from his land.

The right of drinking liquor was given then to him,
A right denied, by white man's law, to members of his (s)kin.
(His) people all insisted that, by right, what's yours is mine,
So Albert was arrested - and sentenced for his crime.

Now Albert lies forsaken, in a lonely desert grave,
In gaol he died, a broken man that pity could have saved …
The victim of two cultures that didn't understand -
So let him be remembered as a martyr to this land.

Now the canvas's standing empty and the palette's lying dry,
And ghost gums posing patiently, beneath the cloudless sky -
But the trees there seem to weep and the gentle breezes sigh,
For Albert Namatjira … is gone from his land.

Note: In the 3rd verse, 2nd line, I can't decide whether Lyell sings "members of his kin" (how it sounds) or "members of his skin", which is more correct, as Aboriginal law specifies to whom he owes various commitments in terms of the very complex "skin" system of inter-relationship and consanguinity.

In the 3rd verse, 3rd line, the "skip occurs ... and this is my best guess of the inaudible first word.

I'll see how I go on transcribing the melody ... but I have a deadline looming, so ... it may be a while!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: GUEST,Paul Gage
Date: 19 Feb 05 - 03:21 AM

Hello Bob

Thank you so much!!! I had given up on a response.
I know the tune to sing, but don't have the notes.
You have already surpassed all expectations.

Thanks

Paul

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Lyall Sayers - Albert Njamatjira
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 05:23 AM

G'day Paul,

Sorry I hadn't got around to transcribing the dots ... but I met up with Lyell Sayers at the (Australian) National Folk Festival, in Canberra - over Easter. I now have photocopies of Lyell's original typescript/hand corrected lyrics ... and his manuscript music for the song!

Lyell has written out the tune in the key of C ... but notes, at the bottom, that he actually sang in A (which I had noticed, listening to the LP) - playing G chords with a capo on the second fret. I have keyed in the tune and shifted it down to A - and saved to a MIDI file and then to the old ("not supported by Mudcat") MIDItxt program. This file can be converted via the old DOS-based app ... or you can extract the ABC notation it includes. I'll e-mail the MIDI file to MMario, as well, so it may end up in the DT ... eventually.

Here are the words (slightly adjusted to Lyell's version - bolding indicates adjustments):

Lament for Namatjira
Words & Music © Lyell Sayer. Recorded on his LP Victoria St., the songs of Lyell Sayer
Larrikin Records LRF-146, 1984

Now Albert Namatjira was a member of the tribe
Who roam McDonnell's Ranges, in the Territory so wide;
And he captured all the beauty of that wide and sunny land,
With the colours of his palette and the sureness of his hand.

Now the canvas standing empty and the palette lying dry,
And ghost gums posing patiently, beneath the cloudless sky -
But the trees there seem to weep and the gentle breezes sigh,
For Albert Namatjira … is gone from his land.

The products of his skill and eye, were famous through the land,
His canvases were valuable and, so, in great demand.
But Albert lived, as always, on the age-old tribal lands
And shared his wealth with everyone, as tribal law demands.

Now the canvas standing empty and the palette lying dry,
And ghost gums posing patiently, beneath the cloudless sky -
But the trees there seem to weep and the gentle breezes sigh,
For Albert Namatjira … is gone from his land.

The right of drinking liquor was given then to him,
A right denied, by white-man's law, to members of his kin.
But tribal law insisted that, by right, what's yours is mine,
So Albert was arrested - and sentenced for his crime.

Now Albert lies forsaken, in a lonely desert grave,
In gaol he died, a broken man that pity could have saved …
The victim of two cultures that didn't understand -
So let him be remembered as a martyr to this land.

Now the canvas standing empty and the palette lying dry,
And ghost gums posing patiently, beneath the cloudless sky -
But the trees there seem to weep and the gentle breezes sigh,
For Albert Namatjira … is gone from his land.

From Lyell's typescript of the words … adjusted to his manuscript music and first verse words (closer to what's on the LP).

And here's the MIDItxt file of the tune:

MIDI file: namatjir.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8

Tempo: 128 (468750 microsec/crotchet)

Start

0720 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0576 0 66 064 0144 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 68 080 0096 0 68 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 64 080 0288 0 64 064 0072 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 59 080 0576 0 59 064 0144 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0576 0 66 064 0144 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 68 080 0096 0 68 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 64 080 0288 0 64 064 0072 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 59 080 0576 0 59 064 0144 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0576 0 66 064 0144 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 68 080 0096 0 68 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 64 080 0288 0 64 064 0072 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 59 080 0576 0 59 064 0144 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0450 0 64 064 0030 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 68 080 0192 0 68 064 0048 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0384 0 66 064 0096 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 62 080 0384 0 62 064 0096 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 57 080 0768 0 57 064

End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1

T:

M:4/4

Q:1/4=128

K:C

^C7B,|A,2A,2A,2^C2|E2E2E2E2|^F2^F2^F2^G2|

^F6^F^G|A2A2^G2^F2|^FEA3E3|^F2E2D2^C2|B,6^CB,|

A,2A,2A,2^C2|E2E2E2E2|^F2^F2^F2^G2|^F6^F^G|

A2A2^G2^F2|^FEA3E3|^F2E2D2^C2|B,6^CB,|A,2A,2A,2^C2|

E2E2E2E2|^F2^F2^F2^G2|^F6^F^G|A2A2^G2^F2|

^FEA3E3|^F2E2D2^C2|B,6^CB,|A,2A,2A,2^C2|E4E2E2|

^F2E2^F2^G2|A2E4E2|A2A2A2^G2|^F2^F4^C2|D4^C2B,2|

A,13/2||

Regards,

Bob