Sandra, Loaded Dog sing Lawson's original words. Their tune is by Phil Roeterdink, a member of the band.

R-J has posted a couple of songs by Doug Ashdown. Since we were born in the same city - Adelaide, South Australia - and he was the first live folk act that I saw back in the '60s, I thought I should post another of his songs. I couldn't find the lyrics on the Net so this is my transcription.

THE SADDEST SONG OF ALL
(D.Ashdown/J.Stewart)

The papers got wet in the morning rain
The birds sang - Friday started early that day
Mr Albert Aloysius Jones rubbed the sleep out of his bones
Ate his toast and he spoke her name
His feet went off to find a train
Same old way and his hand reached out to catch its pay
There was much he didn’t know about his life
The girl who typed his letters loved him better than his wife

And he couldn’t hear the song the children sang
He couldn’t see the trees behind the wall
And he never heard the melody the bells played when they rang
For the city sang the saddest song

Mrs Milly Jones arose and ran a comb around her curls
Did the washing and the ironing for 3 dirty little girls
And her body glowed as she recalled that the man who sold the milk
Still thought her young and sweet enough to say that she was made of silk
And she smiled as she remembered all the things about his touch
She wondered how a man like that could make her feel so much
And then she cooked the dinner

The Jones’ leaves were in a pile
The children smiled and brought them breakfast on a tray
Mr and Mrs Jones rubbed the sleep out of their bones
Took the food and said, ‘thank you’
Then they wondered what to do with Saturday
And her hand reached out to catch his pay
And as he gave he smiled and called her ‘mother’
She spent some upon the children and rest upon her lovers

And they couldn’t hear the song the children sang
Couldn’t see the trees behind the wall
And they never heard the melody the bells played when they rang
For the city sang the saddest song of all

Youtube clip

I heard Ashdown at a small folk club called The Catacombs.

Folk revival in Adelaide

--Stewie.