Lyrics & Knowledge Personal Pages Record Shop Auction Links Radio & Media Kids Membership Help
The Mudcat Cafesj

Post to this Thread - Sort Ascending - Printer Friendly - Home


Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream

DigiTrad:
DROVERS DREAM
DROVER'S DREAM


Related thread:
(origins) Origins: Drover's Dream (19)


GUEST,Jericho 05 Aug 21 - 01:28 AM
Nigel Parsons 27 Dec 13 - 05:40 AM
Bugsy 26 May 12 - 07:59 PM
Sandra in Sydney 22 May 12 - 10:36 AM
Bugsy 22 May 12 - 03:57 AM
Sandra in Sydney 22 May 12 - 02:40 AM
Bugsy 22 May 12 - 01:58 AM
GUEST,Dave Smith. 22 May 12 - 01:44 AM
Bob Bolton 24 Mar 10 - 07:13 PM
MartinRyan 23 Nov 09 - 05:37 AM
GUEST 23 Nov 09 - 05:07 AM
Rowan 04 Dec 08 - 06:53 PM
Joybell 04 Dec 08 - 06:45 PM
GUEST,Alistair Banfield 04 Dec 08 - 06:17 PM
Bob Bolton 21 Jan 07 - 08:01 AM
GUEST,Ted Miller 20 Jan 07 - 04:47 PM
GUEST 30 Jun 06 - 09:57 AM
Bob Bolton 08 Oct 04 - 06:52 AM
Hrothgar 08 Oct 04 - 06:31 AM
Bob Bolton 07 Oct 04 - 08:27 PM
The Fooles Troupe 07 Oct 04 - 07:46 PM
GUEST,MMario 07 Oct 04 - 02:01 PM
GUEST,Barrie Roberts 07 Oct 04 - 01:59 PM
The Fooles Troupe 07 Oct 04 - 10:22 AM
Betsy 07 Oct 04 - 10:02 AM
Bob Bolton 07 Oct 04 - 09:49 AM
Betsy 07 Oct 04 - 07:13 AM
Bob Bolton 07 Oct 04 - 06:06 AM
Bob Bolton 07 Oct 04 - 12:08 AM
GUEST,Barrie Roberts 06 Oct 04 - 01:48 PM
Betsy 06 Oct 04 - 12:51 PM
GUEST 06 Oct 04 - 11:07 AM
Bob Bolton 04 Oct 04 - 10:28 PM
Betsy 04 Oct 04 - 03:30 PM
GUEST,Barrie Roberts 04 Oct 04 - 02:22 PM
Betsy 04 Oct 04 - 12:25 PM
Bob Bolton 04 Oct 04 - 12:39 AM
GUEST,JDC 03 Oct 04 - 11:34 AM
breezy 08 May 04 - 01:05 PM
Nigel Parsons 08 May 04 - 12:38 PM
Bob Bolton 13 Nov 03 - 06:47 AM
GUEST,ajdiesel@dodo.com.au 12 Nov 03 - 10:13 PM
Bob Bolton 13 Mar 03 - 07:56 AM
gnomad 12 Mar 03 - 02:22 PM
GUEST,MCP 11 Mar 03 - 08:37 PM
Malcolm Douglas 11 Mar 03 - 07:18 PM
bradfordian 11 Mar 03 - 06:54 PM
GUEST,Q 11 Mar 03 - 06:18 PM
Bob Bolton 11 Mar 03 - 05:00 PM
GUEST,Q 11 Mar 03 - 04:29 PM
gnomad 11 Mar 03 - 02:22 PM
bradfordian 11 Mar 03 - 02:11 PM
Bob Bolton 15 Sep 02 - 11:59 PM
greg stephens 15 Sep 02 - 08:17 PM
Susanne (skw) 15 Sep 02 - 06:39 PM
GUEST 14 Sep 02 - 08:17 PM
Stewie 14 Sep 02 - 07:47 PM
Susanne (skw) 14 Sep 02 - 05:21 PM
Bob Bolton 17 Jan 00 - 10:47 PM
Alan of Australia 17 Jan 00 - 06:54 PM
Susanne (skw) 17 Jan 00 - 06:34 PM
Bob Bolton 04 Dec 99 - 09:17 AM
alison 02 Dec 99 - 09:14 PM
Bob Bolton 02 Dec 99 - 08:01 PM
Bob Bolton (release 1.04) 02 Dec 99 - 08:47 AM
Bob Bolton (#3) 02 Dec 99 - 08:44 AM
Bob Bolton 02 Dec 99 - 08:41 AM
Bob Bolton 02 Dec 99 - 08:29 AM
Susanne (skw) 01 Dec 99 - 06:49 PM
Alan of Australia 01 Dec 99 - 07:22 AM
Malcolm.Smith@durham.ac.uk 01 Dec 99 - 04:37 AM
Susanne (skw) 30 Nov 99 - 07:58 PM
Bob Bolton 30 Nov 99 - 07:52 PM
Bob Bolton 30 Nov 99 - 08:12 AM
RoyH (Burl) 30 Nov 99 - 07:44 AM
Susanne (skw) 29 Nov 99 - 07:08 PM
Bob Bolton 29 Nov 99 - 05:55 PM
Alan of Australia 29 Nov 99 - 10:28 AM
Bob Bolton 29 Nov 99 - 06:47 AM
Alan of Australia 28 Nov 99 - 06:10 PM
coriander 28 Nov 99 - 04:55 PM
wildlone 28 Nov 99 - 12:34 PM
Susan of DT 28 Nov 99 - 12:20 PM
Willie-O 28 Nov 99 - 12:18 PM
coriander 28 Nov 99 - 11:08 AM
bill\sables 28 Nov 99 - 06:02 AM
coriander 28 Nov 99 - 05:46 AM
Stewie 27 Nov 99 - 08:12 PM
bill\sables 27 Nov 99 - 06:51 PM
coriander 27 Nov 99 - 04:56 PM
Share Thread
more
Lyrics & Knowledge Search [Advanced]
DT  Forum Child
Sort (Forum) by:relevance date
DT Lyrics:













Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: GUEST,Jericho
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 01:28 AM

This has been bugging me forever but me Pa used to sing the chorus as "I was dreaming I suppose, of a time from long ago".
Does anyone know where this version originates from?

Cheers


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Dec 13 - 05:40 AM

No major variations in this version (as printed in the BBC's Singing Together), but enough minor ones to make it worth adding.
As with the verse quoted by Ted Miller it has 'luminate in the second line (to keep the scansion). It also has heck in the last verse where others have hell or the dickens (presumably bowdlerisation by the BBC)
I haven't chased through for other variations, but present it as found.


THE DROVER'S DREAM
Traditional Australian

One night when trav'ling sheep my companions lay asleep,
There was not a star to 'luminate the sky,
I was dreaming I suppose, for my eyes were partly closed,
When a very strange procession passed me by
First there came a kangaroo with his swag of blankets blue,
A dingo ran beside him as a mate,
They were trav'ling mighty fast, but they shouted as they passed
'We'll have to jog along, it's getting late.

The pelican and the crane they came in from off the plain
To amuse the company with a Highland Fling,
The dear old bandicoot played the tune upon his flute,
And the native bears sat round them in a ring.
The drongo and the crow sang us songs of long ago
The frill-necked lizard listened with a smile,
And the emu standing near with his claw up to his ear
Said, 'Funniest thing I've heard for quite a while!'

The frogs from out the swamp, where the atmosphere is damp
Came bounding in and sat upon the stones
They each unrolled their swags and produced from little bags
The violin, the banjo and the bones.
The goanna and the snake and the adder wide awake
With an alligator danced The Soldier's Joy.
In the spreading silky-oak the jackass cracked a joke
And the magpie sang The Wild Colonial Boy.

Some brolgas darted out from the tea-tree all about
And performed a set of Lancers very well
Then the parrot green and blue gave the orchestra its cue
To strike up The Old Log Cabin in the Dell.
I was dreaming I suppose, of these entertaining shows,
But it never crossed my mind I was asleep
Till the Boss beneath the cart woke me up with such a start
Yelling: 'Dreamy, where the heck are all the sheep?'

X: 1
T: The Drover's dream
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
C: Traditional Australian
Z: NP 27/12/2013
K: F
C2| F>G A>G F2 C>C| D>E F>D C2 C>C| F>F F>F F>F E>F|G6 C>C| F>G A>G F2 C>C|D>E F>D C2 F>G| A>A A>F G>G G>E| F6 F>G| A>A A>A A2 A>B|c>c c>A F2 z>C|F>F F>F F>F E>F|G6 C>C|F>G A>G F2 C>C|D>E F>D C2 (F>G)|A>A A>F G>G G>E|F6||
w: One night when trav-'ling sheep my com-pan-ions lay a-sleep, There was not a star to 'lu-mi-nate the sky, I was dream-ing I sup-pose, for my eyes were part-ly closed, When a ve-ry strange pro-ces-sion passed me by First there came a kan-ga-roo with his swag of blan-kets blue, A ding-o ran be-side him as a mate, They were trav-'ling might-y fast, but they shout-ed as they passed 'We'll *have to jog a-long, it's get-ting late.
Copied from Singing Together: Summer term first published 1990 reprinted 1993
NP


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Bugsy
Date: 26 May 12 - 07:59 PM

Will do.

Cheers
Bugsy


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 May 12 - 10:36 AM

Bugsy, I know everything (as long as you ask me the right question!)

eek, I just noticed a typo in my last post - The Bushwackers were a later band which formed in 1970s - not the real ones, the Bushwhackers, who appeared in Reedy River & were the founders of the Bush Music Club in 1954.

Bugsy, keep an eye on the following Bush Music Club blog as I'll be posting a few reminiscences of the early days of the Bush Music Club & the New Theatre (home of Reedy River) that were included in our workshop at this year's National - The Bush Music Club, the first 10 years.

I've already posted pics of the show here in BMC's photo website


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Bugsy
Date: 22 May 12 - 03:57 AM

Such knowledge Sandra.........I'm in AWE!

CHeers

Bugsy


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 May 12 - 02:40 AM

Dave, Drover's Dream was a song collected from Mick Dolan by Ron Edwards. Sorry to rain on your parade.

Mudcatter Cloudstreet sings Drover's Dream A popular song across Australia in it's day. This version collected by Ron Edwards from Mick Dolan (b. 1895). The tune is a variation of Killaloe, which is also the regimental quick march of the Royal Irish Regiment.

Bugsy posted the version issued in the mid 50's which was the first traditional Australian song to make the Top 40.

It was sung by the Bushwackers, who sang it in the musical play 'Reedy River' (first Australian play to feature Australian songs) in 1954 which popularised the songs & music of the settlers in the 19th century.

sandra


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Bugsy
Date: 22 May 12 - 01:58 AM

Here you go

The Drovers Dream

Cheers

Bugsy


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: GUEST,Dave Smith.
Date: 22 May 12 - 01:44 AM

G'Day all i have been reading this thread with much interest, I am a Bush poet and the drovers Dream is some thing i do in Poem form. In my wandering I came across this which i think is the original poem,
Enjoy. Cheers Dave.

A Drovers Dream. Mick Dolan 1895

One night when travelling sheep, all my mates they were asleep
The stars and moon illumined the summer sky
My eyes they'd hardly closed, in fact I must have dozed
When a very strange procession passed me by
First there came a kangaroo, with his swag of blankets blue
A dingo likewise followed for a mate
While a possum and a crow said, "Come on, we'd better go,
And hurry up before it gets too late."

The goanna and the snake and the adder wide awake
Struck up "The Old Log Cabin in the Dell"
Then a parrot green and blue sang, "A Doodle, Doodle, Doo"
And a platypus clattered with the bells
A fox he came along and he sang a comic song
And the audience gave a hearty cheer
Then a big white cockatoo and a brolga dressed in blue
Sang some songs we hadn't heard for many a year.


A pretty young Galah played upon a steel guitar
With twenty magpies dancing all the while
Some plovers flew around to investigate the sound
And a frill-necked lizard listened with a smile.
A little bower bird said he'd like to have a word
And whistled off "When Coming Through the Rye"
Then a great big eagle hawk let out an awful squawk,
As he swooped down from his place up in the sky.


Three frogs from out the swamp, where the atmosphere is damp
Came creeping up and sat upon some stones
They unrolled their little swags and took from out their bags
The violin, the banjo and the bones
The sweet young bandicoot played a tune upon his flute
Three native bears came in and formed a ring
The pelican and the crane, they came in from off the plain
And amused the audience with the Highland Fling


A porcupine came along and he sang a comic song
And a wombat played upon a mandolin
While an Emu standing near with his claw up to his ear
Said it was the finest thing he'd ever seen.
Then there came an awful crash as if creation had gone smash
And waking found that I had been asleep
For the Boss behind the cart awoke me with a start
Shouting, "Murphy, where the dickens are the sheep?"


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Drover's Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:13 PM

G'day "GUEST" of 23 Nov 09 -0.5:37 AM,

The lines (~) about:

Two brolgas darted out, from the tea-trees all about,
And performed a set of Lancers very well,

... probably deserve some comment on the mating rituals of the large crane grus rubicundus, the brolga of northern and eastern Australia.

These large birds are often observed 'dancing' and 'bowing' in patterns and attitudes that suggest the steps of a stately quadrille ... such as the widely known and danced Lancers. Another poem / song Irish Lords ... written by C H Souter, in South Australia in the first decade of the 20th century - and set to a tune by Martin Wyndham-Read - has (describing the the apparent richness of the newly taken-up 'selection') "The Brolgas danced a minuet ..." - yet another stately dance.

Regards,

Bob


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: MartinRyan
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 05:37 AM

GUEST

Click here to see what is meant.

Regards


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 05:07 AM

what does dance a lancer mean


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Rowan
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 06:53 PM

Goanna was queried a few years back as a word in a song and many of you will know this is a type of Lizard common in the outback.

Well, where I come from "goanna" was what you called that musical instrument, up against the wall, with the 88 keys along the front.

Monitor lizards (Varanus species) are often called goannas although there are other names around in Oz, such as Perentie, Lace Monitors etc. Such names should refer to particular, individual, species but are often casually mixed. Monitors even get to the Wallace Line as Komodo Dragons.

Cheers, Rowan


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Joybell
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 06:45 PM

In the last verse -- Has anyone else noticed the 19th century Minstrel line-up of instruments "the violin, the banjo, and the bones"? The minstrels had a huge influence on music here in Aus.
Cheers, Joy


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,Alistair Banfield
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 06:17 PM

Just to add to things that were mentioned years ago. The recordings made by Lloyd in Australia were original Wattle recordings. Topic themselves licensed the recordings from Wattle rather than the other way around. Warren Fahey was able to use some of the recordings on Larrikin records. There is a wonderful book just coming out written by the (deservedly) highly-respected musician and author Dave Arthur, being the biography of A.L.Lloyd or Bert Lloyd to his friends.

Goanna was queried a few years back as a word in a song and many of you will know this is a type of Lizard common in the outback. So common it is, that an Australian group took the name and produced (at least) one record which involved the production talents and musical talents of one Trevor Lucas, erstwhile friend of Bert Lloyd. Indeed the version Trevor sang on his first English solo LP of the song Waltzing Matilda owes much to Bert Lloyd. Another point of interest relating to Bert Lloyd is that his version is sung on the 1990s version of Encarta - Microsoft's multimedia encyclopaedia.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 08:01 AM

G'day Ted,

Your song is clearly a fairly standard version of The Drover's Dream. On what sort of "... recording of Australian Boy Scout Songs in 1966..." did you find it? My Dad was active in the Sydney Region - particularly with Campfire sessions at Waterfall Scout Camp ... south of Sydney, on the fringes of The Royal National Park.

He often lugged into the Camp a large (7") reel-to-reel tape recorder (and a smallish [Mini-Minor]12 volt battery I bought from the British Leyland plant at which I worked) to play Australian folk songs for the Scouts - and to record the Campfire performances. I don't know if any of this ever was released - or distributed ... although what you have may be a commercial recording of a large Scout event, like their Annual Gang Shows.

Regards,

Bob


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,Ted Miller
Date: 20 Jan 07 - 04:47 PM

I found it on a recording of Australian Boy Scout Songs in 1966.
Here's the first verse.
One night while herding sheep, my companions lay asleep.
There was not a star to 'luminate the sky.
I was dreaming I suppose for my eyes were nearly closed
when a very strange procession passed me by.
First there came a kangaroo, with his swag of blankets blue,
a dingo ran beside him for a mate.
They were traveling might fast, but they shouted as they passed,
"We'll have to jog along, it's getting late."
I can look for the rest of the verses if you need them.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 09:57 AM


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 06:52 AM

G'day Hothgar,

I was just quoting the whole notes ... which I did not do in my 1985 anthology - precisely because I didn't think they added much to the case. The Singabout issue was May 1958, when the mag was editied by John Meredith, assisted by Alan Scott - so I couldn't imagine that remark had much to do with John Manifold ... who was something less that a close friend of either!

However, it does come out of that desire to find that the apparent author has "pinched it" from the great unknown (and unwashed ... ?) folk. Admittedly, there are 'unauthored' songs closely related to Shearers' Dream ... obviously Australia's on the Wallaby comes to mind.

Did SD descend from AotW ... or vice versa? ... Did the great anonymous folk take Lawson's poem and use it for a model for other purposes? (Although the tone of Australia's on the Wallaby might just suggest that it's a bit of Lawson incunabula!)

Regard(les)s,

Bob


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Hrothgar
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 06:31 AM

"It is doubtful whether THE SHEARER'S DREAM is an original composition of Lawson's"

Bob, I can't help thinking this smacks of all those people who were determined to believe that "Waltzing Matilda" was not written by Banjo Paterson because they so much wanted it to be traditional.

Especially if Manifold is involved...


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 08:27 PM

G'day Foolestroupe/Robin,

I did mention that the tune's text form was: "(in Alan of Oz's no-longer-supported-by-Mudcat MIDItext program)." - I guess it is also "no-longer-supported-by-Alan".

If you want to try the old version, you can PM to me an e-mail address to which I can send the (very small ... 69 kb) self-extracting file.

Warning!
A/
Your e-mail browser may reject the file, since it is named "MIDITXT.EXE" - so I may have to rename it and let you restore the name to install.

B/
It never worked well for me on the reconversion of the text-string to a MIDI file ... and Alan never answered my help requests.

C/
It may not work at all with the latest OSs ... (So what is[n't] new?)

Regard(les)s,

Bob


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 07:46 PM

And a big 404 on that Miditext link too MM!

It's just not my day!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 02:01 PM

foulestroupe - try http://miditext.8m.net/ for a miditxt download.

or you can copy the abc portion to concertina.net.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 01:59 PM

G'day Bob,
And thanks for the above article. Fascinating stuff, and I'm inclined to agree that it's probaly traditional and he wouldn't have slipped in a lyric of his own that way.
Barrie


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 10:22 AM

That's a big 404 on that Miditext link BB...


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Betsy
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 10:02 AM

Cheers Bob
Cut , Pasted and Saved already - thanks for the "Dressed up like a page in a pantomime" explanation - it's too easy to sing lines like this without thinking / knowing what they mean.

Many thanks again.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE SHEARER'S DREAM (Henry Lawson)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 09:49 AM

G'day Betsy,

Here is the full text of the original publication in Singabout magazine (Complete with 1958 side notes on female shearer's rouseabouts ... in shorts!):

Singabout Vol 2, No 4, May 1958

THE SHEARER'S DREAM

Words: Henry Lawson
Tune: Traditional


Collected by John Meredith from the singing of Charles Ayger, aged 80, of Glebe, a suburb of Sydney.

It is doubtful whether THE SHEARER'S DREAM is an original composition of Lawson's, or a traditional ballad which Lawson heard around the sheds and polished up for publication. It seems more likely that it is the latter. The singing of this song, described as a traditional ballad, is the highlight of a short story titled THE SHEARER'S DREAM, in the collection, SEND ROUND THE HAT. It is hardly likely that Lawson would introduce one of his own compositions in this way; but if he did write these verses, then he must have done so while still in his 'teens, for Charles Ayger learned the song at a time when Lawson would have been about 19 years of age.

Mr. Ayger was born in 1877, and learned the song while going to school at Geurie, near Wellington, New South Wales. This singer says that the name of the air is THE SAXON TONGUE, and it closely resembles CASTLE GARDENS or COVENT GARDENS, (also known as CONVENT GARDENS) which is fairly well known to New South Wales folk singers, and is the air used f or THE BACK-BLOCK SHEARER (WIDGEEGOWEERA JOE). THE SHEARER'S DREAM is said to have been widely sung in the bush at the turn of the century, and another version is sung by Duke Tritton.



Oh, I dreamt I shore in a shearin'-shed, and it was a dream of joy,
For every one of the rouseabouts was a girl dressed up as a boy --
Dressed up like a page in a pantomime, and the prettiest ever seen
They had flaxen hair, they had coal-black hair -- and every shade between.
Chorus:
There was short, plump girls, there was tall slim girls, and the handsomest ever seen --
They was four-foot-five, they was six-foot high, and every height between.

The shed was cooled by electric fans that was over every shoot;
The pens was of polished ma-ho-gany, and everything else to suit;
The huts had springs to the mattresses, and the tucker was simply grand,
And every night by the billerbong we danced to a German band.

Our pay was the wool on the jumbuck's backs, so we shore till all was blue --
The sheep was washed afore they was shore (and the rams was scented too);
And we all of us wept when the shed cut out, in spite of the long, hot days,
For every hour them girls waltzed in with whisky and beer on tr-a-a-a-ys!

There was three of them girls to every chap, and as jealous as they could be --
There was three of them girls to every chap, and six of 'em picked on me;
We was draftin' 'em out for the homeward track and sharin' 'em round like steam,
When I woke with my head in the blazin' sun to find 'twas a shearer's dream.

(It is interesting to note that this year (1958), in New Zealand, Maori girls were employed for the first time as rouseabouts -- and they worked in shorts, "like a page in a pantomime"!

The tune - clearly related to that of Widgeegoweera Joe - is as follows (in Alan of Oz's no-longer-supported-by-Mudcat MIDItext program). If you can't run Alan's program ... well, there is the included ABC format version, for fanciers of that format!


MIDI file: shearrsd.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Tempo: 165 (363636 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0600 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 64 080 0113 0 64 064 0007 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0552 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0552 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 64 080 0113 0 64 064 0007 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 080 0113 0 67 064 0007 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0000 1 62 080 0552 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0552 0 60 064 0048 1 67 080 0057 0 67 064 0003 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 64 080 0113 0 64 064 0007 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0552 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0552 0 60 064
End


This 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:6/8
Q:1/4=165
K:C
G11/2G/2|A2GEFG|C2EGAE|G2GF2E|D5C|B,2CDEF|
B2BB2A/2A/2|G2FEFA|G5G|A2GEFG|C2EGAE|GG5/4GF2E3/4|
D5C|B,2CDEF|B2AG2E|FGFE2D|C5G/2G/2|A2GEFG|
C2EGAE|G2GF2E|D5C|B,2CDEF|B2AG2E|FGFE2D|C37/8||


Enjoy!

Bob

miditext link corrected Oct 7 '04 - joeclone


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Betsy
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 07:13 AM

Cheers Bob I appreciate your efforts - I'd like to dig the song out again !!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 06:06 AM

G'day yet again Betsy & Barrie ...

I ought to check these obscure sources more carefully:

Singabout — Selected Reprints, Edited by Bob Bolton, Bush Music Club Sydney, 1985, p. 40.

The Shearer's Dream
Wrords: Henry Lawson      Tune: Traditional

Collected by John Meredith from the singing of Charles Ayger, aged 80 (May 1958 ... ?) of Glebe, a suburb of Sydney.

The collected tune is, indeed, bright and breezy ... a close relative of that of Widgeegoweera Joe, which has been discussed her recently (and is in the DigiTrad ... but without tune!). Im expecting a bunch of musicians any moment ... but I'll try to post the tune (and Charles Ayger's words) later tonight ...

Regards,

Bob


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 12:08 AM

Errrr ... G'day again Betsy and Barrie,

I will get around to checking details on the collected and/or Lloyd tunes for The Shearers' Dream ... but the Bush Music CLub's Golden Jubilee festival is only three days off ... and I keep finding myself chasing up some new and previously unconsidered point ... like PA ... or performer /guest lists.

I may get onto this tonight - before the music session - otherwise ... next week!

Regard(les)s,

Bob


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 06 Oct 04 - 01:48 PM

Hello again Betsy,

We can't keep meeting like this! You can e-mail me thro' my website at:

www.barrieroberts.com

or at my personal address:

barrie.roberts2@btopenworld.com

My breath is bated till then. Barrie


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Betsy
Date: 06 Oct 04 - 12:51 PM

Guest - ( I assuming it's Barrie ) why don't you send me a quick PM message and I'll have the patter with you - I've tried but can't send you a PM.
Good to hear from you.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 04 - 11:07 AM

G'day Bob & Betsy.
Thanks for the additional info, Bob.
Betsy, yes, I admit I used to run the Songsmiths Club at the Fitters Arms in Walsall, where I sometimes sang 'The Road to Mandalay'. I still live in Walsall but have descended socially to being a fulltime writer of true and fictional crime. If you want to relive the departed glories of the Fitters Arms, there is a Free Reed triple CD issued last year to commemorate their 25th anniversary. Its called 'This Label Is Not Removable' and carries a track of yours truly singing 'The Road to Mandalay' at the Fitters in 1974.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 10:28 PM

G'day Betsy and Barrie,

It's a setting of a Henry Lawson poem ... and I think the tune was one of those English tunes that A L Lloyd picked out of his diddy bag when he didn't have (or know) the Australian collected tune to start with.

In this case I'm fairly certain the particular poem-as-song was collected - but with a fairly bright and cheery tune ... I'll check back when I get home. Lloyd was working mostly from photocopies sent to the EFDSS of the carbon copies circulated between several active Australian collectors - but there were no copies of the field tapes ... that would have been far beyond the personal budgets of unfunded collectors - in those days. The minor tune Lloyd produced does not seem to have been found or known in Australia ... but the power of a larger, overseas, music publisher gives it more penetration.

A lot of Lawson's poems were sung ... indeed, 'Duke' Tritton, who went shearing in 1905 and was a very active singer said he heard Lawson sung much more often than he ever heard the poems recited.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Betsy
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 03:30 PM

Thanks Barrie - that's the one - had a line "and every night by the Billabong we'd dance to a German Band ".I'll check it out now I've got the right Title !!!!
Daft question Barrie but I'll ask it anyway - did you ever sing "On the road to Mandalay" (apart from other songs of course) in the folk Clubs around Walsall.

Cheers


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 02:22 PM

Dear Betsy,

The song you have in mind is 'The Shearer's Dream':

I dreamt I shore in a shearing shed
And it was a dream of joy,
For every one of those roustabouts
Was a girl dressed up as a boy.

I can't jus now recall much more, but can do so if noone else beats me to it. Bert Lloyd certainly used to sing it and (from memory) I believe its in the Penguin Australian Folksongs.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Betsy
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 12:25 PM

What was the title of a Song that goes:-
( Chorus )
There were tall thin girls there were short fat girl - the prettiest I'd ever seen,
They were four foot high they were six feet wide and every shape in between.
Martin Whyndam-Read used to sing yonks ago - I always thought it was the "Drovers Dream" .Hell of a song also - really good tune.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 12:39 AM

G'day JDC,

Where ... and when ... was that? (If we aren't asking too many secrets!)

I'm simply interested to know just how widespread this song was after The Bushwhackers Band recording of (~) 1955 managed to nudge the song, briefly, into the Australian popsong lists. I can remember their recording being played, 10 years later (and about 10 years before the "rocky / bush / folk" band that misappropriated their name), on 7SD - the Scottsdale (Tasmania) "Country Music" station.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,JDC
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 11:34 AM

My dad sang that song to me when I was a child. I had no idea it was so popular. Thanks for the lyrics, they take me back.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: breezy
Date: 08 May 04 - 01:05 PM

I collated a version subsequent to reasearching the song in the Vaughan Willie library and put it on cassette.

Its avery educational song, get kids to count the animals mentioned and give em a mars bar -snack size -if they agree with your number.

Its agreat collage project too

I've got Val Marsden and the boys Graham and John aka Cockersdale appearing in St Albans on Fri 21st may at the Duke of Marlborough
visit www.folk4all.net


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 08 May 04 - 12:38 PM

The 4 verse version also appears in one of the BBC's schools books "Singing Together" (ISBN 0 563 350 660) together with melody line and simple one line harmony.

Available to scan in & e-mail if anyone would like to PM me for a copy


Nigel


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Nov 03 - 06:47 AM

G'day Arthur,

That last line is the usual sanitised version sung by folkies ... but what "GUEST,Q" quoted is what the old ex-shearer, Chris Williams, sang to John Meredith's newfangled tape recorder, back in the '50s. (incidentally, john only printed " ... two of his cleaner versions.")

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,ajdiesel@dodo.com.au
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 10:13 PM

The last line is (Ususally) "Yelling dreamy, where the hell are all the sheep"
Add yes, it it tea tree!
Cheers all . Arthur


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 07:56 AM

G'day gnomad,

Thanks for that information. I would have expected the Australian term to be an English one ... modified, as appropriate, for the new conditions.

We still have the (rough) equivalent of your "drove roads" in the thousands of kilometres of "stock routes" - usually wide, usually grassed, areas running besides motor roads, these days. Except in the really wild country, these would be fenced at property boundaries, sometimes broken up into sections by cross fences and, at least nowadays, cattle grids. At appropriate intervals (~ 16 km/10 miles) there will be stock pens, where stock could be closed in for the night.

Nowadays, these are used more for "working the long paddock" - taking starving/drough-affected stock onto the stock routes to garner a bit of green grass. The reqirement to travel each day limits the abuse of the 'long paddaock'.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: gnomad
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 02:22 PM

Bob Bolton: Yes UK, Yes a modern song about a now outdated practice.

There are examples still in the UK countryside of old drove roads. These were used by the drovers for the movement of mainly sheep & cattle, sometimes over significant distances, in UK and cattle terms at least :-). Poultry, esp geese & ducks were also customarily driven to market on foot.

Many have now been metalled but some remain green. They can often be distinguished by having disproportionately wide verges, few ditches, and solid stock-proof hedges or walls. The idea being that the stock were kept from browsing the crops they passed, but could pick up some sustenance en route.

What has actually saved many of these old roads is their becoming redundant in the new railway age, as descibed in the song, leading to a sort of benign neglect. They make good footpaths where the latest craze of off-roading isn't finally doing for them.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 08:37 PM

bradfordian's version has some differences from the version in the Picking Sooty Blackberries book and I've posted the version from there in the thread Lyr Add: The Drovers (Keith Marsden).

Mick


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 07:18 PM

Nothing strange about it. It was a common term until the practice ceased in England.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DROVERS (Keith Marsden)
From: bradfordian
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 06:54 PM

Thanks for that lead gnomad. Further research has revealed:-

THE DROVERS by Keith Marsden (in Yorkshire, about as far away from Oz as you can get)

Oh, I was a lad when I saw the fisrt signs
The gahering of beast and of man
The ???? of the halter and dogs running free
For the drovers were on the road again

CHORUS
Oh the droving days are gone
And the drovers day is run
For there's railways laid
And they've taken the trade
And the droving days are gone

For we had the freedom of high moor and fell
No fences and walls bound us then
The meetings with old friends at farmstead or fair
And the drovers were on the road again

I'm old and there's no place at hirings for me
For who wants a bent broken man
I wish God would bring back the days that we knew
When the drovers are on the road again

From the Picking Sooty Blackberries CD (CR CD001)

additional verse
We cursed down the valleys, we cursed up the hills
We stumbled through marsh bog and fen
Each year was the last that we knew come the spring
That the drovers are on the road again

another verse perhaps?
BTW, drover does seem strange for an English term!
Great tune, Vivaldi you say?

Brad

See this thread for another transcription, which may be more complete.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 06:18 PM

Don't know about England, but in the U. S. and Canada, drover used to have the same sense as in Australia- one who moves large herds. The word has gone out of usage since the time that cattle drives ceased many years ago. Now it seems mostly to mean a crowd of people.

The words by bradfordian, although English in some of the words, in tone sounds like the "cowboy poems" written in America in the last 80 or so years. I suppose the same type of nostalgic song is written in Australia.
A couple of American cowboy songs that I have seen had "drover" in the verses, but the word appears mostly in histories and descriptions of the American west written in the late 19th century and later.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 05:00 PM

G'day GUEST,Q,

That's an interesting variant, from Merro's first volume of Folk Songs of Australia and the men and women who sang them. John got quite a few variants over the years - it was obviously a popular song ... and drovers got all round the place.

bradfordian and gnomad: I take it that The Drovers, by Keith Marsden, would be a UK (probably English) modern song. Some of the terms, particularly "hirings" were not common in Australia and the general tone sounds "English" (to me, anyway). In an English context, would the term "drover" have had the same sense as in Australia - a person who escorted large groups of cattle or sheep over long distances - or would it have had a more general sense of a wagoner or carter?

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DROVER'S DREAM
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 04:29 PM

Lyr. Add: THE DROVER'S DREAM

Whilst traveling with some sheep,
While my mates were fast asleep,
Not a star or moon beneath the southern sky.
I was dozing, I suppose,
For my eyes were hardly closed,
When a very strange procession passed me by.
First there came a kangaroo,
With a swag of blankets blue,
A dingo followed closely for a mate.
They saluted me and passed,
They were traveling very fast,
Saying, "Let us jog along, it's getting late."

When the old bandicoot
Played a tune upon the flute,
A frilled-neck lizard listened with a smile.
An emu standing near
With its claw up to its ear
Said, "That's the sweetest thing I've heard for quite a while."
An opossum and a crow
Sang a song of long ago;
Three native bears came in and formed a ring;
The pelican and the crane
Came in from off the plain
And amused the audience with an 'ighland fling.

Three frogs from off the swamp,
Where the atmosphere was damp,
Came hopping in and sat upon some stones.
They laid down their swags
And took from out their bags
The violin, the banjo and the bones.
Then there came an awful crash,
As though creation had gone smash!
Waking up, I found I'd been asleep,
And the boss beneath the cart
He gave me an awful start,
He said, "Dreamy, where the fucking hell's the sheep?

Version by Chris Williams, a sheep shearer, from "Folk Songs of Australia, 1967, John Meridith and Hugh Anderson, pp. 202-203, with music.
The 2nd and 3rd verses differ from versions in the DT and posted.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: gnomad
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 02:22 PM

The Drovers, Words by the great Keith Marsden, tune courtesy of Vivaldi.

Don't have the words here, but they are available in "Picking Sooty Blackberries" ed. Val Marsden.

Available also on CD Doin' the Manch (Fellside FECD72) from Cockersdale.

A fine song IMO


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: bradfordian
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 02:11 PM

Hi folks,
On a similar theme, I was wondering if anyone knew anything about this other Droving song below:-

CHORUS
Oh the droving days are gone
And the drovers way is run
For the railway's made
And they've taken the trade
And the droving days are gone

LAST VERSE
I'm old and there's no place at hirings for me
For who wants a bent broken man?
I wish God would bring back the days that we knew
When the drovers are on the road again

Regards Brad.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 11:59 PM

G'day Greg,

Quite a lot of Bert Lloyd's songs came out on LP in Australia as early as the later 1950s, with local pressings by Wattle Records, presumably from the Topic masters. Much of this was re-released on CD by Warren Fahey's Larrikin Records, before it was bought up by Festival.

Quite a lot of his material uses the correct tunes, because the originals were identified by the Australian collectors ... and because he remembered quite a lot of it from his stint out here as a young bloke. The only problems were the more obscure songs, many of which had their own peculiar tunes ... or had greatly modified some American or British model. Where Bert didn't know anything of the tune, he felt quite happy to use something familiar out of the British stock ... just as he was doing with old British songs.

In this case he would have immediately identified Killaloo because he knew the music hall stuff inside out ... and the published transcriptions of the (simplified) sung versions would have been in the EFDSS library, since we had a reciprocal swap deal on their Sing anmd our Singabout magazines.

I do notice a few textual oddities in the Ian Campbell versions above ... but Bert also did a bit of editing ... as did collector /arranger /publishers, such as John Manifold, in Australia. Nobody was being as fussy as the university trained folklorists of today would have liked them to be!

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 08:17 PM

(Think I've just lost a message. If another version appears, that's folk-posting). I have four half-hours of Bert Lloyd Australian folksong radio progs off the BBC(60's I suppose).Dont know if they are all duplicated onLP or Cd, but I could make them available if they are not accessible elsewhere. never realised his tunes werent authentic. His DroversDream is certainly the same as what Bob Bolton posted here in abc(maybe not note for note, I just glanced through).


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 06:39 PM

Thanks, Stewie! I should have guessed, for 'tea-tree oil' is big as ecological skin care just now. It's just that I prefer growing old disgracefully ...


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 08:17 PM

Enjoyed listening to Drover's Dream
Emerald Primary School


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Stewie
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 07:47 PM

Susanne,

'Tea-tree' [the Maquarie Dictionary gives a hyphen, but the word is often seen in print without one] is 'any species of Leptospermum or any of several species of the allied genus Melaleuca'. Found in Australia and NZ, it is often developed as an ornamental with white, pink or red flowers. The oil of the tree is extracted for use as a natural germicide and fungicide. The word is sometimes spelt 'ti-tree' - for example, a town in the Northern Territory is named after it with this spelling. Evidently, the name 'tea-tree' stems from its use as a tea substitute in early colonial days.

Click for goanna

Click for brolga

--Stewie.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DROVER'S DREAM
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 05:21 PM

These are the lyrics of the Rossavielle version I mentioned above:

THE DROVER'S DREAM
(Trad)

One night when travelling sheep, my companions lay asleep
There was not a star illuminate the sky
I was dreaming I suppose, for my eyes were partly closed
When a very strange procession passed me by
First there came a kangaroo with a swag of blankets blue
And the dingo ran beside him as his mate
They were travelling mighty fast but they shouted as they passed
We'll have to jog along, it's getting late

The pelican and the crane they came in from off the plain
To amuse the company with a Highland fling
The dear old bandicoot played a tune upon his flute
And the native bears sat round him in the ring
The drongo and the crow sang us songs of long ago
And a frill-necked lizard listened with a smile
The emu standing near with his claw up to his ear
Said, Funniest thing I've heard for quite a while

The frogs from out the swamp where the atmosphere is damp
Came bounding in and sat upon the stones
They each unrolled their swags and produced from little bags
The violin, the banjo and the bones
The goanna and the snake and the adder wide awake
With an alligator danced The Soldier's Joy
In the spreading silky oak the jackass cracked a joke
And the magpie sang The Wild Colonial Boy

Some brolgas darted out from the tea(?) tree all about
And performed a set of lancers very well
The parrot green and blue gave the orchestra its cue
To strike up The Old Log Cabin in the Dell
I was dreaming I suppose, for these entertaining shows
But it never crossed my mind I was asleep
Till the boss beneath the cart woke me up with such a start
Yelling, Prithee me, where the hell are all the sheep

The only term I'm not sure about is the tea(?) tree in the last verse. However, if anyone would like to explain what a brolga or a goanna is, you're very welcome!


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 17 Jan 00 - 10:47 PM

G'day Susanne,

Reedy River first played in Melbourne (early 1953?) but did not specify what old songs were suitable. It was the Sydney production (from December 1953) that introduced the (Heathcote) Bushwhackers [the prototype of all later bush bands] and put out a songbook (by David Millis and John Meredith) that became the accepted standard.

Despite this, the published script gave no songs and suggested that those wishing to perform the play should contact the Bush Music Club (founded in 1954 by members of the Bushwhackers and of the Australian Folklore Society) for suitable songs. The English production probably grabbed whatever they though suited and this was entirely in the "workshop" spirit of the play.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 17 Jan 00 - 06:54 PM

OK, that makes sense.

Cheers,
Alan


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 17 Jan 00 - 06:34 PM

Alan, I meant to post this at the time: Notes from another Ian Campbell Folk Group album say the song featured in the ENGLISH stage version of "Reedy river", mounted by Unity Theatre in the fifties, which may explain why it isn't in your songbook. - Susanne


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 04 Dec 99 - 09:17 AM

G'day Alison,

As you will now see, above my last post (hmm ... has an ominous ring!) I did send them off - as separate postings. I hope the three variants have proved interesting to other Mudcaters.

This is coming from my home machine, which is a lot more powerful than my work kludge, but I am trialling AOL's100-hour/30-day free trial and their general performance is downright disappointing. I don't think I'n going to stay with them.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: alison
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 09:14 PM

Bob,

email the MIDI files to Alan or myself... and we'll put them online at Mudcat MIDIs

slainte

alison


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 08:01 PM

Err G'day even yet again,

In the cold light of dawn (well, not too cold ... today is shaping up for 33º C / over 91º in Ark units) I relaise that I ran two names into one. (It was about half past midnight and I had had three attempts at sending on MIDItexts fall over.)

I gave one of the 1950s collectors as Nacy Stewart and that should have been Nancy Keesing, who worked with Douglas Stewart on the revision of 'Banjo' Paterson's 1905 book of collected material Old Bush Songs.

I'll get out of your way now!

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Tune Add: KILLALOO
From: Bob Bolton (release 1.04)
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 08:47 AM

Er G'day ... this time I'll get out of your way ...

This is the tune to Joe Cashmere's version of the song KILLALOO:

MIDI file: killaloo.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Tempo: 180 (333333 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0360 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0096 0 57 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0288 0 57 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 1008 0 64 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0288 0 57 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 1008 0 62 064 0072 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 61 080 0288 0 61 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 1008 0 64 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0288 0 57 064 0072 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 1008 0 62 064
End

This 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:6/8
Q:1/4=180
K:C
A,5A,|D2D^F2E|D3D2D|^F2ED2B,|A,3A2A|A2^FD2E|
^F2^F^F2^F|E6|-E3A2A|A2BA2^F|D3D2^C|B,2^CD2B,|
A,3A2A|A2BA2^F|G2E^C2E|D6|-D3E2^F|G2^FG2E|
^C3A2A|A2BA2^F|D3A2A|B2BB2^F|A2AB2^F|E6|-E3A2A|
B2BA2^F|D3D2E|^F2ED2B,|A,3^F2G|A2AA2^F|G2E^C2E|
D6|-D19/8||

Joe's words described the bloody conflict that results from getting a French teacher into an Irish rural town ... very English Music Hall!

Regards, Bob Bolton

miditext link correct Oct 7 '04 - joeclone


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Tune Add: KILALOE
From: Bob Bolton (#3)
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 08:44 AM

Me again ...

This is the tune Sally Sloane played as a schottische - KILALOE (her spelling):

MIDI file: killaloe.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 120 (500000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0720 1 62 080 0064 0 62 064 0016 1 64 080 0064 0 64 064 0016 1 66 080 0064 0 66 064 0016 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0144 1 62 080 0064 0 62 064 0016 1 64 080 0064 0 64 064 0016 1 66 080 0064 0 66 064 0016 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 76 080 0144 0 76 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 76 080 0144 0 76 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0144 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 67 080 0064 0 67 064 0016 1 66 080 0064 0 66 064 0016 1 64 080 0064 0 64 064 0016 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064
End

This 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:4/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
D27/4E/2^F3/4|G3/2A/2B3/2A/2G2D3/2D/2|E3/2G/2^F3/2E/2D2B3/2c/2|
B3/2B/2B3/2B/2B3/2d/2c3/2B/2|A6D3/4E/2^F3/4|
G3/2A/2B3/2A/2G2D3/2D/2|E3/2G/2^F3/2E/2D2B3/2c/2|
d3/2e/2d3/2B/2A3/2c/2B3/2A/2|G6A3/2B/2|c3/2B/2c3/2A/2^F2D2|
d3/2e/2d3/2B/2G2B3/2c/2|e3/2e/2e3/2c/2B3/2d/2c3/2B/2|
A6B3/2c/2|d3/2g/2d3/2B/2G2G3/2^F/2|E3/2^F/2G3/4^F/2E3/4D2B3/2c/2|
d3/2e/2d3/2B/2A3/2c/2B3/2A/2|G19/4||

A nice,sprightly dance tune version.

Bob B

midtext link corrected Oct 7 '04 - joeclone


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Tune Add: DROVER'S DREAM
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 08:41 AM

G'day yet again,

I'm having no luck posting these MIDItext files together so now (attempt #3) I'll send them separately!

This is the standard, local Drover's Dream (and Woolloomooloo Lair) tune:

MIDI file: drovrs_d.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Tempo: 192 (312500 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0360 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0168 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0504 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0168 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0504 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0504 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0168 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064
End

This 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:6/8
Q:1/4=192
K:C
D6|G2AB2A|G3D2D|E2^FG2E|D3D2D|G2GG2G|G2G^F2G|
A6|-A3D2D|G2AB2A|G3D2D|E2^FG2E|D3G2A|B2BB2G|
A2AA2^F|G6|-G3G2A|B2BB2B|B3B2c|d2dd2B|G3D3|
G2GG2G|G2G^F2G|A6|-A3D2D|G2AB2A|G3D2D|E2^FG2E|
D3G2A|B2BB2G|A2AA2^F|G19/4||

Regards,

Bob Bolton

miditext link corrected Oct 7 '04 - joeclone


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 08:29 AM

G'day again;

Susanne (skw): Lloyd came to Australia under one of the Commonwealth experience/ assistance programmes, between the wars ... as a ypung bloke. He worked out on cattle and sheep stations and heard te old songs - but did not collect ... or even note them down. He was not then the folklorist that he became in later life.

In the 1950s, working at the EFDSS (English Folk Dance and Song Society) on the Workers' Songs Project, he gained access to the carbon copies of the typed out words of the field-collected material of John Meredith, Nancy Stewart and Russell Ward. Drawing on distant memories of Australia ... and intense experience of British Song ... he recreated the past in the light of his present.

Interesting stuff ... but prone to get you into a barney in no time around the local folkies.

Regards

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 06:49 PM

Thank you, Malcolm - but what about the tune? Is it the original one used in Australia, or an English replacement?


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 07:22 AM

Funny, I'm not aware of the song being in "Reedy River". Certainly not in my copy of the RR song book, but I'm not an expert here.

Cheers,
Alan


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Malcolm.Smith@durham.ac.uk
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 04:37 AM

The Ian Campbell Folk Group Songbook (1965), produced by Sing Productions and published by Heathside Music, London has (unsurprisingly) the version Bill posted.

A footnote adds "This song was featured some years ago in the Australian musical play 'Reedy River'. We learned it from the singing of A.L. Lloyd, who says it is very widely known down under."

Malcolm.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 07:58 PM

Bob, thanks a lot for educating me about the drongo. I'll put your posting in my database!

About the tune: Lloyd lived in Australia for years. Didn't he pick up the original tune there? Or maybe he and the people who learned from him use an English tune, and the one used by Rossavielle is 'Killaloo'? It's rather sombre, although the recording itself is very lively. Maybe someone comes across their CD and can let us know. - Susanne


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 07:52 PM

G'day yet again,

Oh yes ... Alan: Strictly the tune is derived from, rather exactly the same as Killaloo, certainly not the Killaloo I play as a Schottische tune - a rather brighter and bouncier tune learned from Sally Sloane.

I can post a MIIDtext file for each tune if I remember to set them up.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 08:12 AM

G'day Suzanne,

The (Spangled) Drongo dicrurus bracteatus is a bird - a largish tropical bird that lives in the coastal forests of the north (Northern Territory and Queensland). It is also an insult for an idiotic person (alledgedly because the Drongo summers in the tropical north ... then flys SOUTH - to the colder regions - in winter).

I have not heard the tune used by the Ian Campbell group ... and have heard no other tune in Australia than Killaloo, of which it is a second generation 'parody'. In the sixties, a number of English groups sang collected Australian songs, garnered from material forwarded to the EFDSS as carbon copies of the correspondence between several of the main field collectors.

Of course, these had no tunes as they could not afford to send copy tapes. A.L. Lloyd and various friends set them to English tunes - as they were doing with old English songs known only from manuscript sources - and sang them ... to the chagrin of Australian collectors who knew the tunes that they had in this country. I suspect that this would be the case here. I would be interested to see a MIDI of the tune, if someone gets down the dots.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 07:44 AM

A.L. Lloyd sings this on Topic 12T118,"First Person" a vinyl album circa 1966.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 07:08 PM

Australian (?) band Rossavielle sings The Drover's Dream on its album 'Very F. Tricky', but they use a tune totally different from the usual one - the one the Ian Campbell Group use, for instance. Also, they use a slightly different set of lyrics. There is one word I can't make out. Is there an animal called 'drongo' in Australia? The line as I understand it is 'The drongo and the crow sang us songs of long ago'. BTW, I prefer this version to the traditional one. - Susanne


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 05:55 PM

G'day Alan,

Actually, I should have said:
"The Drover's Dream and Wooloomooloo Lair were both published in Singabout ..." .

The two songs were in successive issues of Singabout (and, I think, I put them on successive pages in my anthology Singabout - Reprints).

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 10:28 AM

G'day,
Since you mentioned the Woolloomooloo Lair Bob, here's a link to an earlier thread where I pointed out that the tune was basically the same as the Drover's Dream. You'll even find a comment from an old friend of yours, Mandola Man.

The Woolloomooloo Lair

Cheers,
Alan


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Nov 99 - 06:47 AM

G'day all,

Of course, the tune is that perennial favourite - used for several other songs in Australia, Killaloo ... probably more an English "Stage Irish" song than a real Irish one, But the Irish have habit other of taking up satirical song and turning them back on the British.

There was a thread on Killaloo some months back. It starts with the words:
I happened to be born, at the time they cut the corn
Quite contagious to the town of Killaloo.
and carries on into a punch-up, as a result of a misunderstanding of a new French teacher and various Irish students.

Another Australian song - about Larrikins ... street gangs of the late 19th century ... is a more direct parody, starting:
On the day that I was born, t'was a cold and frosty morn,
In that famous suburb, known as Woolloomooloo.

The Drover's Dream and Killaloo were both published in Singabout Journal of Australian Folksong in the late 1950s or early 1960s, but versions were known from earlier.

Regards,

Bob Bolton


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 06:10 PM

G'day,
As Bill suggested, I do indeed know the tune - we sing it often for schoolkids.

For the tune in dot format and a set of words more likely to be sung in Oz go to the url provided by Stewie above or just click here

Cheers,
Alan


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: coriander
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 04:55 PM

Thanks everyone! Although I have used Mudcat for lyrics for about a year, this is the first time I have posted a request! If I'd known you were all so quick and knowledgeable, I'd have saved hours of time spent trawling through books in the local library! :0) cheers all, Corinna


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: wildlone
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 12:34 PM

The Drovers Dream is available on Cd:ESM CD 357.
This is a double album containing This is the Ian Campbell folk group and Across the Hills.
released by Transatlantic.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Susan of DT
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 12:20 PM

Also on Ian Campbell Group first record (no subtitle) on elecktra


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Willie-O
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 12:18 PM

I have somewhere on tape a recording from the radio of O J Abbott singing this song.

It's a great one.

Mudcat--the place to bring your memory fragments!

Bill


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: coriander
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 11:08 AM

Bill, thanks for the offer, but I think that's what mothers are for - ie teaching you the tune to the songs they stuck in your head that bug you for the rest of your life!!!!! Corinna


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: bill\sables
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 06:02 AM

Hi Corinna, I can't post tunes but I'm sure Allan of Australia must know the tune and he can post it in ABC If not you could phone me and I could sing the tune into a recorder for you. I have done this for other catters and it seems to work. Cheers Bill


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: coriander
Date: 28 Nov 99 - 05:46 AM

Thanks Bill! That's the one! All I need now is to learn the tune properly!! cheers corinna


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drovers Dream
From: Stewie
Date: 27 Nov 99 - 08:12 PM

Tune with minor word changes from Bill's posting is here: http://www.chepd.mq.edu.au/boomerang/songnet/032.html


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Lyr Add: DROVER'S DREAM
From: bill\sables
Date: 27 Nov 99 - 06:51 PM

Hi Corinna Are these the words you are looking for

I was traveling with my sheep and my mates were fast asleep
No moon or stars were shining in the sky
I was dozing I suppose but my eyes had hardly closed
When a very strange procession passed me by
First came a kangaroo with his swag of blankets blue
He had with him a dingo for a mate
They were traveling pretty fast and they shouted as they passed
We've got to be getting home it's getting late

Then three frogs from out of the swamp where the atmosphere is damp
Came up and gently sat down on the stones
They unrolled their little swags and took from their dilly bags
A fiddle. a banjo and some bones
Then a little bandicoot played a tune upon the flute
Three koala bears came down and formed a ring
And the pelecan and the crane they flew in from the plain
And amused the company with a highland fling

Then three parrots in their joy sang the Wild Colonial Boy
A frilly lizard waltzed round with a smile
Then from out the old she oak a laughing jackass spoke
And spare me happy days he ran a mile
Then the emu standing near with his claw up to his ear
Sang Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep
I was underneath the cart, the boss woke me with a start
Saying Clancy where the hell are the flaming sheep

I am not sure who wrote it but I learned it from Ian Campbell in the early sixties.
^^
cheers Bill


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Drovers Dream
From: coriander
Date: 27 Nov 99 - 04:56 PM

Hello does anyone out there know the words to an Australian folk song called The Drovers Dream? My mum learned it when she was living in Australia years ago, and I remember her singing it, but neither of us can remember the words!! It starts with a line about when I was moving sheep, and I lay down to sleep.... and the next line has something about the stars illuminating the sky... Other than that, I know the drover dreams about animals (!!!!) corinna


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate
  Share Thread:
More...

Reply to Thread
Subject:  Help
From:
Preview   Automatic Linebreaks   Make a link ("blue clicky")


Mudcat time: 19 April 5:55 PM EDT

[ Home ]

All original material is copyright © 2022 by the Mudcat Café Music Foundation. All photos, music, images, etc. are copyright © by their rightful owners. Every effort is taken to attribute appropriate copyright to images, content, music, etc. We are not a copyright resource.