G'day again,This was requested in another thread by "Ickle Ruthie" and a couple of versions of the words posted there. I have refined this by checking some versions and I'm fairly happy with this version (and it's pretty typical of the way Ted Egan sings it).
I have also posted the MIDIText of the tune ... in it different forms for different verses and with the refrain for the 3rd to 5th verses.
THE DROVERS BOY
Words & Music: Ted Egan © 1982
They couldn't understand why the drover cried
As they buried the drover's boy,
For the drover had always seemed so hard
To the men in his employ,
A bolting horse, a stirrup lost
And the drover's boy was dead.
The shovelled dirt and a mumbled word
And it's back to the road ahead
And forget about the drover's boy.
They couldn't understand why the drover cut
A lock of the dead boy's hair.
He put it in the band of his battered old hat
As they watched him standing there.
He told them "Take the cattle on
I'll sit with the boy awhile"
A silent thought, a pipe to smoke
And it's ride another mile
And forget about the drover's boy.
They couldn't make out why the drover and the boy
Always camped so far away,
For the tall white man and the slim black boy
Had never had much to say
And the boy would be gone at break of dawn
Tail the horses, carry on
While the drover roused the sleeping man
"Daylight - hit the road again"
And follow the drover's boy
(Follow the drover's boy.)
Voice: Mm ... Ah, ...
In the Camooweal pub they talked about
The death of the drover's boy.
They drank their rum with the stranger who'd come
From the Kimberley run, Fitzroy
And he told of the massacre in the west
Barest detail, guess the rest
Shoot the bucks, grab a gin
Cut her hair, break her in
And call her a boy, the Drover's boy,
(The Drover's boy
And call her a boy the drover's boy.)
Voice: Mm ... Ah, ...
So when they build that Stockman's Hall of Fame
And they talk about the droving game;
Remember the girl who was bedmate and guide
Rode with the drover side by side
Watched the bullocks flayed the hide
Faithful wife, but never a bride
Bred his sons for the cattle runs
Don't weep for the drover's boy
Don't mourn for the drover's boy
But don't forget ... the drover's boy.
Voice: Mm ... Ah, ...
The MIDIText that I have included has three different verses, representing the way Ted sings this song. The first verse has 2-bars of rests at the ends of each of the two double lines. The second verse omits these rest bars (as do the succeeding verses).
The last three verses have a wordless refrain.The sections (after verses 3, 4 & 5) marked "Voice: Mm ... Ah, ..." are a quietly 'lilted 16 bar refrain ... The "Mm ..." goes for 10 bars and the "Ah ..." goes for 6 bars. You probably need to be hear it sung to get it right.
From: The Song Goes On, Edited by Lynne Tracey, Wise Publications, London/Sydney/New York/Cologne, 1986
Regards,
Bob Bolton
MIDI file: droversb.mid
Timebase: 240
TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Tempo: 080 (750000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0360 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 1608 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 1608 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0708 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0144 0 57 064 0036 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0096 0 57 064 0024 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0216 0 62 064 0024 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0132 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0384 1 57 080 0113 0 57 064 0007 1 57 080 0113 0 57 064 0007 1 61 080 0113 0 61 064 0007 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0648 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0648 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0648 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0708 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0144 0 57 064 0036 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0096 0 57 064 0024 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0216 0 62 064 0024 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0132 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0384 1 57 080 0113 0 57 064 0007 1 59 080 0113 0 59 064 0007 1 61 080 0113 0 61 064 0007 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0648 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0648 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0648 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0708 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0144 0 57 064 0036 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0096 0 57 064 0024 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 57 080 0048 0 57 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0216 0 62 064 0024 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0132 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0048 0 59 064 0012 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0384 1 57 080 0113 0 57 064 0007 1 57 080 0113 0 57 064 0007 1 61 080 0113 0 61 064 0007 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0768 1 66 080 0384 0 66 064 0096 1 69 080 0384 0 69 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0384 0 62 064 0336 1 61 080 0048 0 61 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 61 080 0048 0 61 064 0012 1 62 080 0672 0 62 064 0288 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0384 0 69 064 0096 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0144 1 66 080 0240 1 64 080 0048 0 66 064 0240 0 64 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0864 0 62 064
EndThis 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:2/4
Q:1/4=80
K:C
D8|^F^F^F^F^F2^F^F|E2D2D2DD|DD2DD2D2|A,8|
-A,8|A,8|-A,6D2|-D8|D7D|-D8|^F8|-^F^F^F2^F2^F2|
E2D2D2DD|D2B,2^C2D2|E8|-E8|E8|-E6^F2|-^F8|
^F8|G8|-G8|G2G6|-G4G3G|^F2^F2^F2DD|D2D2D2D2|
^C8|-^C7A,|B,2B,2A,3A,|B,2B,2A,2A,A,|B,2B,B,^C2D2|
ED4B,3|B,B,B,6|-B,2A,2A,2^C2|B,8|-B,6D2|^F^F^F^F^F2^F^F|
E2D2D2DD|DD2DD2D2|A,8|-A,6DD|^F^F^F2^F2^F2|
E2D2D2DD|D2B,2^C2D2|E8|-E6^F2|G2G2G3G|^F2^F2^F2DD|
D2D2D2D2|^C8|-^C7A,|B,2B,2A,3A,|B,2B,2A,2A,A,|
B,2B,B,^C2D2|ED4B,3|B,B,B,6|-B,2A,2B,2^C2|
B,8|-B,6D2|^F^F^F^F^F2^F^F|E2D2D2DD|DD2DD2D2|
A,8|-A,6DD|^F^F^F2^F2^F2|E2D2D2DD|D2B,2^C2D2|
E8|-E6^F2|G2G2G3G|^F2^F2^F2DD|D2D2D2D2|^C8|
-^C7A,|B,2B,2A,3A,|B,2B,2A,2A,A,|B,2B,B,^C2D2|
ED4B,3|B,B,B,6|-B,2A,2A,2^C2|B,8|-B,8|^F8|
-^F8|A8|-A8|B8|-B4A4|G4^F2E2|D8|-D4^CDE^C|
D8|-D8|^F8|-^F4A4|B4^F2A2|A8|G2G6|^F4^F4|
E6E2|D8|-D13/2||