G'day John,

I seem to have this one at the back of my mind ... but can't remember where or when I heard - from whom! I have never heard either John Meredith (who had an extensive, but unpublishable ... then ... collection) nor Rob Willis actually sing this song. I would have heard the song In Sydney, c. 1963/5 probably in a folk club.

I presume The Bushwhackers' Practice Tape would be related to The Bushwhackers Band ... John's (~) 1952 - 1957 group which pioneered the Austrlian Folklore revival from the mid 1950s ... possibly John practicing for the 50 year reunion, which happened at the (Australian) National Folk Festival, Canberra, Easter 2002 ... without John, who died earlier in that year. At the reunion, Rob "filled in" for John's button accordion playing with the four surviving "Bushwhackers".

This song did not appear in that reunion - and would not, unless it was clearly of Australian origins ... and somehow related to The Bushwhackers Band era. I'll see if I can catch Rob Willis on the long-distance blower and run it past him.

Regards,

Bob