Mudcat synchronicity strikes again - I was playing that yesterday, and thinking I'd post it to the Mudcat, and it's on the CD player downstairs, with Gentle Annie being the next track up but one.

The CD in question is Martyn Myndham-Read's "Undiscovered Australia", which I bought off him a couple of weeks ago at Walton Folk Festival. A great set of songs, and he sings them perfectly.

The sleeve notes are A.L. Lloyd and Martyn. Here is what they say about this one:

Gentle Annie (Foster/Trad arr. Wyndham-Read) This song was originally an American one written by the venerable Stephen Foster in 1856. Subsequently it migrated to Austalia and, after suitable adaptation in true bush style, eventually made it to Martyn from David Lumsden of Melbourne, who had it from an old Victorian (State, not era) singer, Tom Newbound. The suggestion has been made that the line "your mutton's very sweet, Gentle Annie, and I'm sure it can't be packed in New South Wales" may be a reference to the time of the Land Act in the 1890s, which prevented the movement of meat from state to state. If so there maybe an implication of cattle rustling (called "duffing" in Australia).

The record is issued by Musica Pangaea - with the website giuven as http://www.rootsworld.com/pangaea/ - but that doesn't work. But it's worth hunting up if you can.