Lyr Add: Moreton Bay (Collected Version)

Subject: Lyr Add: MORETON BAY
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Jul 98 - 11:42 PM

G'day,

In my thread, chasing words for Youghal Harbour and The Road to Youghal, I mentioned that part of the reason was that we sing, in Australia, a convict ballad Moreton Bay to that tune. The well-known version is somewhat constructed by folklorist John Manifold from several versions (not a bad thing in itself - I have done the same).

However, this version is collected from an oldtimer in Victoria (Manifold's fragments are from Queensland) and is a very interesting variant - as well as a valuable comparison to the better known one.

The tune is from the same source: Youghal Harbour (used for Boulavogue) but has a bouncier nature, rather like Vin Garbutt's version of Road to Youghal ... although this is pretty much Vin's personal style coming through.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

MORETON BAY
As collected from Simon McDonald of Creswick, Victoria, Australia, by Hugh Anderson

I am a native of the land of Erin,
I was early banished from my native shore;
On the ship Columbus, went circular sailing,
And I left behind me, the girl I adore.
O'er the bounding billows, which were loudly raging,
Like a bold sea mariner, my course did steer;
We were bound for Sydney, our destination,
And every day in iron wore.
Chorus: Oh, Moreton Bay, you'll find no equal,
Norfolk Island and Emu Plains,
At Castle Hill and cursed Toongabbie,
And all time places in New South Wales.

When I arrived; 'twas in Port Jackson,
And I thought my days would happy be,
But I found out I was greatly mistaken -
I was taken prisoner to Moreton Bay.
Moreton Bay, you'll find no equal,
Norfolk Island and Emu Plains;
At Castle Hill and cursed Toongabbie,
And all time places in New South Wales.
Chorus: Instrumental

Now every day as the day was dawning,
As we rose, from heaven fell the morning dew,
And we were roused without a moment's warning
Our daily labour, to renew.
For three long years, I was beastly treated,
Heavy irons on my legs I wore;
My back from flogging was lacerated
And oft-times painted, with crimson gore.
Chorus: Oh, Moreton Bay, you'll ...

Like the Egyptians and ancient Hebrews,
We were oppressed under Logan's yoke,
But a native black, there laid in ambush,
Did give this tyrant a mortal stroke.
Now fellow prisoners; be exhilarated,
That all such monsters such death may find,
And when from bondage, we are liberated
Then our former sufferings shall fade from mind.
Chorus: Oh, Moreton Bay, you'll ...

Subject: Tune Add: MORETON BAY
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 07:50 PM

G'day DT (and everyone else),

The is the tune to the collected version of MORETON BAY, as collected by Hugh Anderson from Simon McDonald, Creswick, Victoria, Australia in 1960. This tune has more 'bounce' or 'life' to it than the 'Boulavogue' version of 'Youghal Harbour'.

MIDI file: moretonb.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0480 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 79 080 0192 0 79 064 0048 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 72 080 0276 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 81 080 0048 0 81 064 0012 1 81 080 0276 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 79 080 0276 0 79 064 0024 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0276 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 76 080 0288 0 76 064 0072 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0168 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 81 080 0288 0 81 064 0072 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 79 080 0372 0 79 064 0048 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0168 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 79 080 0276 0 79 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 81 080 0096 0 81 064 0024 1 79 080 0096 0 79 064 0024 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 76 080 0276 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064
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:3/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
G6|ccAG2G/2G/2|cceg2g/2g/2|age/2c5/2c/2c/2|
dcA3A/2A/2|ccAG2G|c/2c/2ceggg|agec2d|cc/2c/2c2c3/2c/2|
caa/2a5/2g/2e/2|ceg/2g5/2g/2g/2|age/2e/2e2c|
dcA3G/2G/2|ccA/2G5/2G|cce2gg|age3d|ccc3c|
cea3g|ceg/2g7/2|agee2c|dcA3G|ccA3G|cce/2g5/2g|
age/2e5/2d|ccc3/2||

I hope you find this variant of interest - I certainly do!

Regards,

Bob Bolton