Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: Felipa
Date: 10 Jan 22 - 06:35 PM

The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402   Message #4068950
Posted By: Stewie
20-Aug-20 - 10:45 AM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia/NZ Songbook
Subject: RE: Rise Up Mudcat Songbook - Australia

    Will Ogilvie, a Scotsman, wrote some fine bush ballads during his years as a jackaroo in Australia. One of his best was 'When the brumbies come to water' which circulated in oral tradition, changed, shortened and turned into a song. This version was collected by Ron Edwards.

    WHEN THE BRUMBIES COME TO WATER

    There's a lonely grave half hidden where the blue-grass droops above,
    A slab that roughly marks it: we planted it with love
    There's a mourning rank of riders closing in on every hand
    O'er the vacant place he left us: he was best of all the band
    Now he's lying cold and silent with his hidden hopes unwon
    Where the brumbies come to water at the setting of the sun

    There's a well-worn saddle hanging in the harness-room above
    A good old stock horse waiting for the steps that never come
    And his dog will lick some other hand when the wild mob swings
    We'll get a slower rider to replace him on the wing
    Ah but who will kiss his wife who kneels beside the long lagoon
    Where the brumbies come to water at the rising of the moon

    We will miss him in the cattle camps a trusted man and true
    The daddy of all stockmen was young Rory Donahue
    We will miss the tunes he used to play on his banjo long and low
    We will miss the songs he used to sing of the days of long ago
    Where the shadow-line lies broken 'neath the moonbeams' silver bars
    Where the brumbies come to water at the twinkling of the stars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iBYnmtyYFw&list=TLPQMjAwODIwMjBy6-MxDVTFYA&index=2

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jan 22 - 06:29 PM

Do we have lyrics?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Mar 14 - 02:17 PM

You're very welcome. I'm glad you checked back.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: GUEST,Dave B
Date: 21 Mar 14 - 03:54 PM

Hello Leeneia,

Many thanks for your help, will work on the chords.

Best wishes,
Dave

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 08:31 PM

G'day leeneia,

It looks like you are well on the track of the guitat 'tab'.

Myself, as a player of 9... mainly...) "free-reed" boxes (Anglo concertina / button accordions / mouthorgans, I'm used to picking out the melody for a start ... then 'divining' the best chords from those inherent in Richter's 'push-pull / suck - blow scales - just as an old time folk player in Australian (... and other similar folk cultures would.

I might be able to write it down ... even come to a mutual agreement with the guitarist(s) ... but it's a long way from the sort of guitar - driven notation of the later "Folk Revival" ...

Anyway it works for me ... and I don't have too many arguments with guitar pluckers!

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 07:41 PM

Hi, Dave. I listened to Martin Wyndham Read singing it on YouTube and tried to make a MIDI of it. (I have a piano-type keyboard attached to my computer.) I think I have the melody about right.

Let me tell you some stuff about Martin's version.

1. He has a high voice for a man. After you figure out the structure of it, you might want to tranpose.

2. He's singing in the key of E.
3. The time is 4/4
5. The first chord is A, then E, These two chords alternate for quite a while, for 8 measures (I think) then there's a dissonant measure, where you can get away with A as long as you play delicately. Then the first half ends on a long low F# note which calls for a B chord.

The second half is about the same except that it ends:

A rising
B of the
E moon.

Take heart - it's an easy song. A good one for a first attempt at figuring out chords yourself.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: GUEST,Dave B
Date: 20 Mar 14 - 01:36 PM

Hello Bob,

Thanks for your reply, will carry on looking,

Best wishes,
Dave

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 Mar 14 - 05:40 PM

G'day Dave,

I can't bring to mind any printed collections with settings of more modern (i.e. ... published by known author - not "collected" from field sources ...

Certainly Will Ogilvie's "When the Brumbies Come to Water" is well known and loved in the Australian genre ... and many very good singers have it as a standard ... but I can't call up (or suggest a site for ...) any sets of 'dots' & chords!

Regards,

BobB

Subject: Chord Req: 'When the Brumbies Come to Water'
From: GUEST,Dave B.
Date: 19 Mar 14 - 05:21 PM

Hello All,

Can anyone help with chords for 'When the Brumbies Come to Water' as sung by Martyn Wyndham-Read. I don't have the knowledge or experience to work them out from the song.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks
Dave B.