Lyr ADD: Diamantina Drover (Hugh McDonald)

Subject: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Chet W.
Date: 07 May 98 - 10:37 PM

This is a song I heard performed by the House Band a number of years ago. I remember the music but not all of the words. Is Diamontina the right spelling?

Thanks, Chet W.

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 08 May 98 - 01:31 AM

G'day Chet,

The song "Diamantina Drover" is in one of the Bushwackers' Songbooks (#2, I think). I have both at home and can OCR in the text next week. If you have not got it from someone else before then, I will post the words. I think the author's name is something extremely Scottish - like Hector McDonald.

It is a strangely haunting song, certainly to me, as it seems to be the experience of a city born person drawn into the country and torn between the two. In the song, the protaganist stays in the Bush - in my own life, the economic realities pull back to the Big Smoke.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DIAMANTINA DROVER (Hugh McDonald)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 May 98 - 07:36 PM

G'day Chet,

As promised, I dug out the words to Diamantina Drover. I wasn't too far out with the author's name - it is Hugh McDonald, not Hector ~.

I hope this pastes in correctly; it is copied straight from an MS Word 6.0 file.

THE DIAMANTINA DROVER
By Hugh McDonald

The faces in the photograph are faded,
And I can't believe he looks so much like me,
For it's been ten long years today since I left for old Cork Station -
Saying I won't be back till the droving's done.

CHORUS: For the rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina,
The drover finds it hard to change his mind,
For the years have surely gone like the drays from old Cork Station -
And I won't be back till the droving's done.

It seems like the sun comes up each morning,
Sets me up and then takes it all away,
For the dreaming by the light of the campfire at night,
Ends with the burning light of day. CHORUS

I sometimes think I'll settle back in Sydney,
But it's been so long and it's hard to change your mind,
For the cattle trail goes on and on, and the fences roll forever -
And I won't be back when the droving's done. CHORUS

This comes from the Second Bushwackers Australian Songbook, Anne O'Donovan Pty Ltd, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, 1983 - out of print.

Old Cork Station, in southwestern Queensland, is located on a large billabong among the many dry watercourses of the Diamantina river.

Right! - That seems to have worked (at least before sending it)

Regards,

Bob Bolton

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 28-Mar-02.

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 May 98 - 07:48 PM

G'day again,

Hmmm ... Seems to be some problem with line returns - I guess I have to download the page on attaching HTML commands to make sure all this prints like it looks on the Reply box.

Anyway, You should be able to work the lines out - it's a simple four square structure and it all rhymes. I take you already know the tune - I still have to work out how to do all these clever things to post in ABC or MIDI. I do have the tune in an electronic file (MusicTime) and I can download a

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 May 98 - 07:54 PM

Er - G'day again - I think I hit Ctrl instead of Shift (+ M) and the message posted itself. I will try to get it correct now;

Anyway, You should be able to work the lines out - it's a simple four square structure and it all rhymes. I take you already know the tune - I still have to work out how to do all these clever things to post in ABC or MIDI.

I do have the tune in an electronic file (MusicTime) and I can download a MIDI file from that. Presumably this can be posted or can be converted into ABC and posted. ... one day I'll learn how to do that.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: chet w
Date: 10 May 98 - 09:52 PM

Thanks, guys. It's a lovely song.

Chet W.

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: alison
Date: 15 May 98 - 08:22 AM

Hi,

I'll post the tune tomorrow.

Great song, both my kids used to like it as a lullabye.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: Tune Add: THE DIAMANTINA DROVER (Hugh McDonald)
From: alison
Date: 15 May 98 - 08:56 AM

hi,

OK.... so I lied...... it's not tomorrow...

Here you go

ABC format:

X:1
T:DIAMANTINA DROVER
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:D
A,8|F3FF2F2|E3EF2E2|D2B,6|-B,6BB|B3BB2B2|
A2A2F2A2|B8|-B3BB2c2|B2c2BA2F|A6FA|B3AB2A2|
F2D4B,D|E4F2F2|D2DDB,2A,2|B,8|-B,4F2A2|B4BA2F|
A6FD|E3EE2F2|D2B,4F2|B3BB2B2|A3AF2A2|B8|-B4c3c|
d3cBA2F|A6FA|B3AB2A2|FDB,5D|E4F2F2|D2DDB,2A,2|
B,8|-B,8||

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Connor
Date: 29 Sep 98 - 02:35 AM

My understanding is that this song was written by the fiddler in Redgum. In the album "Redgum - Caught in the Act" Hugh sates that he wrote it after meeting an old drover on a train. They got tae talking and he more or less told yer man his life story during the course of the journey. Other great Redgum songs include 'The Last Frontier' 'I was only 19' 'The Killing Floor' and the depressing 'Gladstone Pier'. Infact all of their songs are bonza ye ken. Any one got any lyrics tae the above? Ouroo, Connor

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 29 Sep 98 - 03:46 AM

G'day,
That's my understanding too about the origins of The Diamantina Drover. That's the only Redgum song I sing, so I can't help with other lyrics. Songs like 'I was only 19' are important for the same reason as 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' and I find them both hard to listen to.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Connor
Date: 29 Sep 98 - 12:28 PM

G'day Alan. I agree that "I was only 19(A walk in the light green)" and the Eric Bogle song "And the band played Waltzing Matilda" are very powerful songs. I would throw in "The green fields of France" and John Williamson's "Diggers of the ANZAC". All the best, Connor

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Stevo
Date: 06 Oct 98 - 03:15 AM

Any words to the John Williamson song?

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Bill
Date: 08 Oct 98 - 10:47 PM

Where is this Diamantina of the song located?

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: GUEST,Lyric
Date: 25 May 04 - 03:51 PM

In Queensland

http://www.diamantina.qld.gov.au/

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Diamontina Drover
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 26 May 04 - 12:57 AM

G'day Bill,

About 10 post above (... and six years ago!) I posted:

"Old Cork Station, in southwestern Queensland, is located on a large billabong among the many dry watercourses of the Diamantina river."

Somewhere, in another thread, I suspect I may have even given map coordinates ... but that's about all you need to know - it's down in the dry southwest corner of Queensland!

I suppose I should add that a billabong (Wiradhuri - NSW local Aboriginal language - meaning ~ "dead water") is usually an anabranch; a secondary bend in a river that ends up as a separated pool when the water level falls (in drought ... summmer ... El Niño ... whatever ... ).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: GUEST,Jimmy Smits
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 07:59 AM

Johnson & Johnson's Baby Talc?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: Andrez
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 10:39 AM

Hugh McDonald took over as frontman for Redgum after John Schumann left the band he did play fiddle for a time prior to John's departure. From memory I recall that he had always wanted to write a 'hit' and I guess he got his wish in one sense. On the other hand the song seems to have slipped into the tradition and thats an even greater statement about the quality of the song. The chording is great too!

I knew him from the Melbourne folk scene around 25 + years ago when the song was written. Not too sure what he is doing these days but last I heard he was producing albums in Melbourne and still doing solo gigs in pubs around town. Around that time I bought a '63 Epiphone Eldorado model steel string guitar from him so between the "drover" and the guitar I have a lot to remember and thank him for.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: GUEST,Jody (nz)
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 06:17 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: Rowan
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 07:00 PM

Hugh wrote the song during 1977, I think, when he was staying at my brother's place in Rosanna. There was some mirth about the fact that Hugh spent most of the day watching midday tv, usually a mind-numbing experience. But he got a great song out of it. And the Diamantina is wonderful country.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 07:47 PM

It's a haunting song - I've never been able to work out why. I had a mate, Mike Minehan, who used to sing it in a pub session we had - and every time it seemed to bring the room to silence. Christy Moore recorded it - but I think Mike sang it every bit as well. It was the song he sang - I can't remember him singing a different one. Didn't need to.

I just typed "Diamantina, Australia" into Google maps, and selected the   close up satellite view. Looks pretty dusty at that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 03:11 AM

Brilliant version by Patrick Street

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: GUEST,Perry
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 08:54 PM

Mike Hanrahan a member of the Irish Descendants, from canada, NewFoundalnd I believe, has a great version on his solo CD. 'Tie me down'

Perry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: Beer
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 09:42 PM

Was first introduced to the Dusty Diamontina a few years back by John Williamson. Love it.
Beer from Canada

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamontina Drover
From: Rowan
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 10:13 PM

Hopefully a mudelf could correct the spelling in the title to Diamantina.   ?

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamantina Drover
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 12:18 AM

Thank's GOD, after several time searching finally found this song and all the stuff behind the song. Thank you very much Folks! Thank you internet. YeeHaaa!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamantina Drover
From: GUEST,Annika, Sweden
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 03:49 AM

Just found this on YouTube. Very early Kasey Chambers singing Diamantina Drover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olgSU0L-9K8

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamantina Drover
From: GUEST,Sillent Killer
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 09:56 PM

8s a great song!!!!
All of my Brothers in our Assn. like that song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamantina Drover
From: Brendy
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 12:08 AM

I have the Diamantina Drover on the Redgum "If You Don't Fight You Lose" album.
... which includes a song with the prophetic phrase:
"There's a man in a tie, pointing to the sky.
Where you going to run to, now?...

Great album.

B.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamantina Drover (Hugh McDonald)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 08 - 10:36 PM

Hey all, I found this thread when I was trying to learn a bit about the song. Thanks for the info and the lyrics. In return I thought I'd share a rough version I recorded yesterday.
Diamantina Drover (a capella). Ta.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Diamantina Drover (Hugh McDonald)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Nov 17 - 08:50 AM

Bit of trivia, the Diamantina is where the real-life "Jolly Swagman" of "Once A Jolly Swagman" fame is buried according to the notes in a book on Banjo Paterson. Apparently he did spring into the billabong to escape from the law, having been accused of having set fire to some sheep sheds on MacPherson's farm, he lived to tell the tale. He died two years later and was buried in the Diamentina area.

Great song we've performed it for years, learnt from the singing of Ray Moore who does a terrific version of it.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Diamantina Drover (Hugh McDonald)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jul 22 - 03:07 PM

joe-do cleanup