Lyr Req: Canning Stock Route

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Lyr Req: Canning Stock Route

15 Mar 08 - 03:17 AM (#2288895)
Subject: Lyr Req: Hunting Lyrics to Canning Stock Route
From: GUEST,Gary Keep

Hello,

In the mid 80s I picked up some albums of songs from Western Australia. The songs were credited the "The Westerner". One song in particular I wanted to learn about a year ago. I dropped the old tape in my car stereo and after a couple of plays it was eaten. The tape player was sent to the factory but no tape ever returned.:(

I have searched in vain for this album and song. Another great song from this recording was Bringing the Beer to Broome, an old favorite with our band Dogwatch.

The Chorus to this song about the Canning Stock route is:

Anyone out there have the lyrics or a copy of the tape or vinyl who could transcribe the lyrics?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Gary Keep

15 Mar 08 - 03:56 AM (#2288903)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hunting Lyrics to Canning Stock Route
From: GUEST

"End of the Canning Stock Route" ?

It's in a Slim Dusty songbook. Was written (according to one site) by Muir and Dusty.

15 Mar 08 - 03:56 AM (#2288904)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hunting Lyrics to Canning Stock Route
From: GUEST,Peace

Sorry. The above was me.

15 Mar 08 - 04:01 AM (#2288905)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hunting Lyrics to Canning Stock Route
From: Peace

TotalTabs | The End Of The Canning Stock Route by Slim Dusty

TotalTabs HotLinks, Add Yours :: View All. Squizzle - Funny movies, pictures, games, etc. Have you been Squizzled? (11034 clicks) ...

aussie.totaltabs.com/songs.asp?id=23658

15 Mar 08 - 06:46 AM (#2288948)
Subject: Lyr Add: END OF THE CANNING STOCK ROUTE
From: Peace

Sorry. I had to join a site to access what I thought might have the song you seek. WRONG SONG! However, here's it is, anyway.

END OF THE CANNING STOCK ROUTE
Words by Peter Muir. Music by Slim Dusty.

INTRO: G D G

1. [G] The camp gear's in the store room. All the packs are in the shed
With the [C] dust of seven summers on their [G] hide.
Saddle straps are hard and brittle. Stirrup irons are rusty red,
For the [A7] Canning Stock Route finished when Wally Dowling [D] died.
No more [G] cattle travel southward thro' the spinifex and sand.
All the [C] wells are falling in along the [G] track.
Now the Canning’s but a [B7] legend, just a [C] lonely desert land,
And it's [G] doubtful if the [D] Munjongs want it [G] back.

2. Eight hundred miles of sandhills, now and then a sandstone ridge
With a salt lake here and there with samphire flat;
An oasis in the desert you can find at Durba Springs
Bubbling, running water, it's a fact
But unless you own a camel, you could never travel there,
And a horse would fail now the wells have fallen in,
For the sandhills on the Canning reach a hundred feet or more
And it's certain that no car could take you in.

3. The famous Never Never and the place they call Outback,
Two elusive lands that few men ever found,
Are located on the Canning down that lonely desert track,
Where to be this very moment would be worth a thousand pound.
To be with Wally Dowling, whipping water from the well,
While the stockmen hold the mob back from the trough,
Stop the thirsty bullocks trampling in their great desire to drink,
Just to do one trip would suit me well enough.

4. But my wish is just a daydream which can never be fulfilled,
For when Wally died the stock route had its day.
Now the Billiluna cattle are travelling down to Broome
In a roaring diesel road train to the meat works by the bay.
And the tick line stops the others, every station in the north.
No one may use the Canning if he would.
So they truck their beef to Wyndham and sell for what its worth,
And I doubt they'd use the Canning if they could.

5. It's really had its day now and won't be used again.
No more drovers’ horse bells ringin' will be heard,
For a cattle loaded road train smothered in its diesel fumes
Now struggles up the rise in lower third.
When I travel up the Canning I am sure to be alone
With my camels and some thoughts of yesterday.
They will take me slowly northward till at last the trip is done,
And find contentment when I’ve stowed the packs away.

Repeat verse 1 and fade.

15 Mar 08 - 08:20 AM (#2288971)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hunting Lyrics to Canning Stock Route
From: Notferjo

Hi Gary

On Bringing the Beer to Broome....
It was written by that great Aussie Ted Egan and is recorded on his "The Kimberley" recording

Have fun

NFJ

15 Mar 08 - 11:50 AM (#2289092)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hunting Lyrics to Canning Stock Route
From: GUEST,Gary Keep

Thanks for all the quick responses!

There are a number of Canning Stock route songs I've come across including the Slim Dusty song, but of course they're not the one I'm looking for.

Ted Egan wrote Bringing the Beer to Broome? S'truth! Good on ya mate! After singing that song for 20+ years I finally know who wrote it, not surprised its Ted Egan.

Maybe I should just be bold and try emailing some folk clubs and singers down under. An old friend of mine has been living there since the early 80s and hits all the folk festivals he can.

Thanks again for the enlightenment. ;)

Gary

16 Mar 08 - 06:36 PM (#2290092)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Canning Stock Route
From: Jim Dixon

Is this the right song?

There's a song called THE CANNING STOCK ROUTE, composed by Bob Emery, performed by the Fiddler's Green Bush Band, on a various-artists album called "Pubsongs from Down Under, Vol. 2," Blue Sun, 1998. I heard these lyrics in a sound sample:

…to see the cattle moving through the scrub
The parrots and the kangaroo rats soon had to share the land
With a thousand head of cattle as they passed
Dust and sand and stony desert
Canning and his team push on
Bringing up artesian water
From way down….

03 Apr 21 - 10:30 AM (#4100591)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Canning Stock Route
From: rich-joy

Don't s'pose the OP is still with us, but I have just posted his requested lyrics into the "Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook" thread, post dated 3rd April 2021 [/mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=168402&messages=1075&page=1&desc=yes#4100587 ]

But still no link to a recording unfortunately!!

As well as the Slim Dusty lyrics posted above by Peace, I also posted lyrics by Bob Emery to another CSR (Canning Stock Route) song, by the Fiddlers Green Bush Band, as mentioned above by Jim.
Both songs are now linked to YT recordings.

Anyone know of any others?!

Cheers,
R-J

03 Apr 21 - 03:36 PM (#4100631)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Canning Stock Route
From: GUEST,#

You may be able to reach Gary Keep via the Dogwatch Nautical Band (who are located in the San Francisco Bay area).