ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)

Subject: Lyr Add: COONAWARRA THREE SHADOWS - J. Crossley
From: rich-joy
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 05:38 AM

COONAWARRA THREE SHADOWS
~ Judith Crossley (South Australian)


1.        It was the ninth of October, in Echuca where she lay
A new boat on the river, while the steamers passed way
Laid up, forgotten, rotting, just a few were left to trade
Of those roaring river steamers, that saw the outback made.


CHORUS
Excelsior keep turning
Murrumbidgee, you'll never die
J L Roberts on the water, see the paddles fly
Shadow ships go softly with her, drift on all her days
Coonawarra, lovely black swan, takes the River Ways.


2.        She was built in 1950, for the Murray tourist trade
Murray Valley Coaches, lost a boat in '48
Brave old Murrumbidgee burned, one sad heroic day
There was not a soul there perished, but that fine ship passed away.


3.        Last barge to work the Murrumbidgee, J L Roberts stood alone
For fifty years she had ploughed the river, her story was well-known
On her hull they have built a lovely boat, to take the 'Bidgee's place
And they named her for the black swan
Coonawarra, bird of grace.


4.        For ninety years that redgum hull, has left the river sand
For thirty years the Coonawarra beat across the land
Three ghosts they travel with her, from the elder time
And three shadows has the Coonawarra, they carry on the line.



from the singing of Denis and Lyn Tracey ...

This is a lovely song about the resurrection of 3 "dead" paddle steamers, made into 1 boat and then named the Coonawarra.
Can't do chunes, but maybe there's an Aussie 'catter out there who can and who knows it ???

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: COONAWARRA THREE SHADOWS - J. Crossley
From: rich-joy
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 05:13 AM

Silly Me - left a word out of the TITLE!!!

"Coonawarra HAS Three Shadows"

Also, last line of verse 3 is :

"Connawarra, BIRD of grace"

and in the last verse :

"For 90 years that redgum hull has LEFT the river sand
For 30 years the Coonawarra BEAT across the land ... "

Thanks to Dale J. for those corrections.
Now, anyone got the chune??!!

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shawows - J. Crossley
From: GUEST,Casey Handmer
Date: 02 Jul 26 - 10:12 PM

The chorus tune, in C, is approximately:

Excelsior keep turning
G C   D E F    E   F
Murrumbidgee, you'll never die
E   D C C    D      C G   F
J L Roberts on the water, see the paddles fly
F F G G    C   C CD E    E    E EF   E   D
Shadow ships go softly with her, drift on all her days
E   E    E    E F   E D    C    C   D C    G   F
Coonawarra, lovely black swan, takes the River Ways.
C   C C D   E   FE D    C    C      D C B   C

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)
From: Helen
Date: 02 Jul 26 - 10:48 PM

Thanks rich-joy. I've never heard of the song but here is a video link:

AU Sign in Irene Petrie - Coonawarra has Three Shadows

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)
From: JennieG
Date: 02 Jul 26 - 11:16 PM

Lovely! I have memories of joining in the chorus at concerts and sessions over the years.

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)
From: Helen
Date: 02 Jul 26 - 11:21 PM

I always manage to pick up this bit by mistake from YouTube: AU Sign in.

Sorry. When I copy the title of the video it flicks up to that bit above the video itself.

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)
From: JennieG
Date: 03 Jul 26 - 06:00 AM

After I wrote this earlier today a little thought went "ding" in my brain....I checked my shelf of Ozzie song books, and it is in 'The song goes on: Contemporary Australian folksongs' published in 1986. Words, music, dots and chords.

The introduction explains that the 'Coonawarra' (black swan) paddleboat was built from the 'J.L. Roberts' barge, with paddle wheels from the 'Excelsior' and shaftings from the burnt-out 'Murrumbidgee'- hence the three shadows of the title.

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)
From: Helen
Date: 03 Jul 26 - 06:42 AM

Thanks JennieG. I don't have that book so the info is interesting.

Please ignore the following if you want but ...

Also I feel compelled to explain to non-Aussies the pronunciation of Coonawarra - well the way I think it is pronounced anyway, based on many of the First Nations place names in Oz.

Main emphasis on "Coo" and secondary emphasis on "war", but "warra" is usually pronounced as "worra" (like the o in hot) and not "warra" (like the a in hat) or "war-ra" (like the a in war). So 'Coo-na-'wor-ra. The other fun bit is that Coo has a higher pitch and warra is lower. A bit like the way the name Yankee-Doodle is sung in the song of the same name. So many Aussie place names with four syllables have the same emphasis and pitch, e.g. Murrumbidgee, Coolangatta, although just to be confusing some names emphasise the second syllable e.g. Merimbula and Murwillumbah. Go figure.

Subject: RE: ADD: Coonawarra Has Three Shadows (J. Crossley)
From: rich-joy
Date: 03 Jul 26 - 08:50 PM

Lovely to see the interest and to hear the song again after all these years!!!

There are a couple of photos c. 2019 of this vessel on Flickr - on Black Diamond's pages - and details of the history :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/blackdiamondimages/48435872706/

More pics/film here from 2023 with sale details :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/260527864150656/posts/2158158177720939/

Cheers! R-J