Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 27 Apr 21 - 08:02 AM

great, mate!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: GUEST,vectis
Date: 27 Apr 21 - 06:47 AM

Thank you everyone, you have made an old man (not me) very happy. He now has two to choose from.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Robot Shearer - Roland Griffin
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 07:20 AM

THE ROBOT SHEARER, by Roland Griffin - tune Ryebuck Shearer.

Well I've heard about a bloke who's makin' a machine
To take the wool off the sheep and take it off clean
It doesn't need a man so no shears will be seen
And they call it the robot shearer.

CHORUS -
If it don't shear a tally and it's fuses blow
It's silicon chips in the river I'll throw
And it's back to the drawing board the scientist will go
It's the end of the robot shearer.

There's a new one on the board it's the RS21
It doesn't take a tea break at the end of every run
The rousies all call it the galvanized gun
Yes of course it's the robot shearer.

CHORUS

Well it doesn't mind the dags and it doesn't mind the smell
It doesn't even sweat and it's cheap to feed as well
It'll never join the union so I hope it goes to hell
Yes a curse on the robot shearer.

CHORUS

Well it had a little trouble, or so I'm told
It found the ewes were difficult to hold
It seems they don't like him his hands are always cold
Bad luck to the robot shearer.

CHORUS

The boss he didn't mind when it docked all his lambs
Dipped all his wethers and crutched all his dams
But he really did his block when it castrated his rams
It's the sack for the robot shearer.

Published in Stringybark & Greenhide, 4(2), p.28

from Tony Suttor - It was awarded joint first prize in the 1986 Top Half Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, together with Paul Lawler's My Dear Darwin (according to Peter Bate's book Top Half Folk Festivals 1971-2012).

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Robot Shearer -AlanFoster
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 07:18 AM

ps. both have been posted in the Mudcat Australia/NZ Songbook

==============

THE ROBOT SHEARER, by Alan Foster - tune Ryebuck Shearer

video - Ryebuck Shearer sung by Ted Egan

Based on the Australian traditional song "Ryebuck Shearer" and inspired by the fact that a robot has been invented which is supposed to shear sheep.

I come from a factory and my name is F.R.E.D.
With bolts in my guts and chips in my head
My atomic reactor is safely lined with lead
And of course I'm a Robot Shearer.

CHORUS: If I don't shear a tally before I go
My microchips I will surely blow
And straight back to the factory I'll go
To reprogram the Robot Shearer.

Well the acronym F.R.E.D. is not very nice
Ridiculous Electronic Device
What the F stands for you'll not have to guess twice
And they call me the Robot Shearer.

Well the ringer he's a great big red headed lug
He said, "I'll beat this bionic mug"
But he only won 'cause he pulled my plug
And disabled the Robot Shearer.

There's a long haired bloke by the name of Clyde
What he said about me well it wounded my pride
When last seen he was wearing short back and sides
That's one for the Robot Shearer.

It happened one day while shearing a ram
With the delicate touch of my metallic hand
That it didn't quite work out the way I planned
He'll not forget the Robot Shearer.

Whether wool or flesh I can hardly guess
So the sheep often leave in a state of distress
I once heard someone say that I was RS
Which of course stands for Robot Shearer.

LAST CHORUS: If I don't shear a tally before I go
My microchips I will surely blow
And straight back to the factory I'll go
To recycle the Robot Shearer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 06:53 AM

now we have 2 Robot Shearers - the S&G song was written by Roland Griffin for Top End Folk festival,

Gerry's post by Alan Foster of Sydney

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 06:00 AM

Has anybody heard from Alan Foster? He's such a good guy. I miss him

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: GerryM
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 05:44 AM

It's by Alan Foster, and it was posted to http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=1768 some time ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 04:53 AM

Vectis did you contact Margaret Walters? She passed a request from a NZ friend to me & I told her about S&G.'

I just texted her to see if she had S&G, but I do know someone who has them & someone else who might have them.

sandra

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: rich-joy
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 04:10 AM

a Roly Griffin composition (NT - or ex-NT?)

I was after the lyrics too, for the Mudcat Oz-Enzed Songbook!
(when you find them, Vectis - can you post 'em??!!)


It is in Vol.4 No.2 on page 28 of the old (defunct?) Oz magazine "Stringybark & Greenhide" - I know this coz Sandra-in-Sydney has just sent me an index to them, by Bob Bolton!!
(but I think I passed my mags on years ago .....)

Good Luck!
R-J

Subject: Lyr Req: The Robot Shearer
From: vectis
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 12:49 AM

Looking for the words to The Robot Shearer, presumably a parody of the Ryebuck Shearer.
Anyone out there got the words?
Please - pretty please with knobs and bells on...