Australian Christmas Carols

Subject: Australian Christmas Carols
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 02:11 AM

I find it pretty chunderous listening to Australians singing songs like "I'll Keep You Warm This Christmas" and "White Christmas" .... when it's hot enough to eat Christmas pud at room temperature at this time of year.

I don't expect anyone in the Northern hemisphere to sing Aussie carols, except in the privacy of their own homes. The ones that I'm thinking of are usually sung by school kids here, but are great songs in their own right.

I'll post here next week, but the ones I'm thinking of are:

The Three Drovers
Silver Stars Are In The Sky
The North Wind is Tossing The Leaves...
Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing...
Christmas Bush for His Adorning

Any Aussies care to embellish please?

Regards
John

Subject: Lyr Add: AUSTRALIAN JINGLE BELLS
From: alison
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:29 AM

Hi John,

Here's a few..... I'll do them separately.

AUSTRALIAN JINGLE BELLS

Chorus,

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer's day, Oh,
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden ute.

Dashing through the bush in a rusty Holden ute.
Kicking up the dust, esky in the boot.
Kelpie by my side, singing Christmas songs,
It's summer time and I am in my singlet, shorts and thongs. Oh….

Engine's getting hot, we dodge the kangaroo,
Swaggie climbs aboard, he is welcome too.
All the family's here, sitting by the pool,
Christmas day the Aussie way, by the barbecue. Oh…..

Come the afternoon, Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce are swimming in their clothes.
Time has come to go, we take a family snap,
And pack th car and all shoot through before the washing up. Oh…..

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr/Chords/Tune Add: THE CAROL OF THE BIRDS
From: alison
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:34 AM

Here's one you mentioned above.

THE CAROL OF THE BIRDS

(C )Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing
(Dm)Lifting their feet like warhorses prancing
(C) Up to the sun the (F)woodlarks go winging
(Am)Faint in the (C )dawn light (F)echoes their (G) singing
Or(C )ana! Or(Am)ana! Or(Dm7)ana to (G7)Christmas (C)Day.

Down where the tree ferns grow by the river
There where the waters sparkle and quiver
Deep in the gullies bell-birds are chiming
Softly and sweetly their lyric notes rhyming
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.

Friar birds sip the nectar of flowers
Currawongs chant in wattle tree bowers
In the blue ranges lorikeets calling
Carols of bush birds rising and falling
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.

MIDI file: CAROLBIR.MID

Timebase: 480

Name:
TimeSig: 6/8 24 4
Key: C
Tempo: 090 (666666 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 60 029 0238 0 60 029 0002 1 60 038 0238 0 60 038 0002 1 62 053 0238 0 62 053 0002 1 64 043 0478 0 64 043 0002 1 65 044 0238 0 65 044 0002 1 67 049 0238 0 67 049 0002 1 69 033 0238 0 69 033 0002 1 67 038 0238 0 67 038 0002 1 65 034 0478 0 65 034 0002 1 64 034 0238 0 64 034 0002 1 62 036 0238 0 62 036 0002 1 62 028 0238 0 62 028 0002 1 64 044 0238 0 64 044 0002 1 65 042 0478 0 65 042 0002 1 67 043 0238 0 67 043 0002 1 69 034 0238 0 69 034 0002 1 71 035 0238 0 71 035 0002 1 69 036 0238 0 69 036 0002 1 67 034 0478 0 67 034 0002 1 65 032 0238 0 65 032 0002 1 64 029 0238 0 64 029 0002 1 64 034 0238 0 64 034 0002 1 65 030 0238 0 65 030 0002 1 67 036 0478 0 67 036 0002 1 64 038 0238 0 64 038 0002 1 62 038 0238 0 62 038 0002 1 62 036 0238 0 62 036 0002 1 64 033 0238 0 64 033 0002 1 65 033 0478 0 65 033 0002 1 62 040 0238 0 62 040 0002 1 60 032 0238 0 60 032 0002 1 60 025 0238 0 60 025 0002 1 62 036 0238 0 62 036 0002 1 64 038 0238 0 64 038 0002 1 62 042 0238 0 62 042 0002 1 60 029 0238 0 60 029 0002 1 62 044 0238 0 62 044 0002 1 64 031 0238 0 64 031 0002 1 65 042 0238 0 65 042 0002 1 67 037 0238 0 67 037 0002 1 69 036 0238 0 69 036 0002 1 71 036 0238 0 71 036 0002 1 72 036 0718 0 72 036 0002 1 67 048 0478 0 67 048 0002 1 64 032 0238 0 64 032 0002 1 72 052 0718 0 72 052 0002 1 69 036 0478 0 69 036 0002 1 64 038 0238 0 64 038 0002 1 72 038 0238 0 72 038 0002 1 69 049 0238 0 69 049 0002 1 65 037 0238 0 65 037 0002 1 64 038 0478 0 64 038 0002 1 62 031 0238 0 62 031 0002 1 60 037 1438 0 60 037
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=90
K:C
CCDE2F|GAGF2E|DDEF2G|ABAG2F|EEFG2E|DDEF2D|
CCDEDC|DEFGAB|c3G2E|c3A2E|cAFE2D|C6||

I've got Emu up a gum tree somewhere I'll look it up.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS IN THE ALICE (Greg Hastings)
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 07:57 AM

CHRISTMAS IN THE ALICE
(Greg Hastings) key c

Christmas in the Alice is like no other place I know
Santa doesn't like it much 'cause there isn't any snow
His reindeer get all grumpy as the waterholes go dry
For when it's stinkin' hot down here its bloody hard to fly

Dressed up like a polar bear isn't very wise
His nose gets even redder and the sweat runs in his eyes
Once he nearly missed us and his nose began to freak
By the time he turned the whole thing 'round, he'd got to Tennant Creek

He always seems to make it and he's full of Christmas cheer
For when he's finally landed he's guaranteed a beer
He leaves behind his presents with a cheery ho ho smile
Then they pour him back upon his sled and off he roars in style

Now someone once asked him if he'd ever lived in fear
Of ever being caught one day drunk in charge of deer
He gave a little chuckle with a twinkle in his eye
You may have cops with bags down here but none of them can fly

And then there was this rumour, or so I've heard it said
He once used six white boomers to pull along his sled
He thought it was a good idea while travelling in the bush
But they hopped of in the scrub one day and left him there to push

So if you should spend Christmas out in Alice Springs
Be very well prepared mate for some bloody funny things
Big fat men in polar suits screaming across the sky
And sweaty grumpy reindeers complaining as they fly

Through all the dust the flies the heat and every thing it brings
Carrying all the pressies out back to Alice Springs
I told to you this story 'cause I thought you all should know
Santa doesn't like it much 'cause there isn't any snow

Changed from all uppercase. --JoeClone, 27-Jun-02.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:28 PM

One of my all-time absolute favorite poems of any season has to be Adrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson's grand work called "SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH" !!!

It simply BEGS to be given a tune!!

I'll post it one o' these days soon, as I want to use it, printed out, as an Christmas card.

Art

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:43 PM

G'day all,

I was at a practice of the Bush Music Club Concert Party last night where we went through about 8 of the 15 Wheeler & James Australian Christmas Carols. These were written in the late 1940s by two blokes from the New South Wales Dept of Education to give the kids Christmas songs that related to the world they knew ... almost as short of snow, ivy and misteltoe as Palestine!

The season may be different (and most scholars don't go for the Roman church's appropriation of the Bacchanalia / Winter Solstice Festival date for Christmas anyway) but the most of the Australian Outback is very like biblical Palestine and it is those resemblances that are emphasised.

These carols are in styles drawn firmly from what little of the British carol tradition survived the Puritan era and have a nice traditional musical base without deep northern forest trimmings.

Interestingly, I had an expatriate Pom who got very shirty about the Aussie carols "... we had no right to change Christmas traditions ..." - "... this was just ... animism; that's what it is!...". He didn't like my observation that animism is exactly what the British carols graft onto the Christmas story.

The year before last, I came across a bundle of CDs of the Adelaide Singers and the South Australian Symphony Orchestra doing the full arrangements of the Wheeler and James set ... and very impressive it sounds! Unfortunately, I have passed all of them on to interested singers.

At the more traditional end, there was a collected carol from Sally Sloane, of Lithgow, NSW, ... a version of Christ was born in Bethlehem, rather similar to a version collected in rural America. I think I fielded a query on this but I'm not sure if I have posted the words and music. It is not in the current DT, so I might post it tomorrow, just in case. It is not a bad version ... one of last night's crowd complained that we did not have it in the sheet music handed out.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Webby
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 07:08 AM

Hi john,

Can we send Rolf Harris back!!!. I'm sure he's has a few carols for you

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bert
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 09:54 AM

You're right Webby,

Rolf Harris did one about 'Six white boomers, Snow white boomers'
Unfortunately I never did learn it.

Bert.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (Australian)
From: alison
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 06:02 PM

hi,

Here's the Aussie version of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (Aussie)

On the (1st, 2nd, 3rd. etc) day of Christmas my true love sent to me
a kookaburra up a gum tree.
two snakes on skis,
three wet galahs,
Four lyrebirds,
Five kangaroos.
Six sharks a surfing,
Seven emus laying,
Eight dingoes dancing,
Nine crocs a snoozing,
Ten wombats washing,
Eleven lizards leaping,
Twelve possums playing.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX WHITE BOOMERS
From: alison
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 06:06 PM

hi Bert, You asked for it.....

SIX WHITE BOOMERS

Intro: (spoken slowly:)

It was Christmas in Australia,
When a little voice did say,
"Where's my Mommy? They've taken her away."
(sound of reindeer hoofs approaching)
(sound of a sleigh door opening)
"I'll help you find your Mommy, son
Hop up on the sleigh."

Right inside the bag of toys, little Joey hopped,
But they hadn't gone far when Santa stopped,
Unharnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why,
Then he heard a far off booming in the sky.

(boom-uh, boom-uh, boom-uh boom-uh,
boom-ump, boom-ump, boom-ump, boom-ump)

CHORUS: (between each verse)

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun,
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.

Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat,
Took his fur lined boots off to cool his feet,
Into one popped Joey, feeling quite at hay,
While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh.

When Joey said to Santa, "Santa, what about the toys,
Aren't you giving some to Aussie girls and boys?"
"Oh, they've all had their presents, sonny, we were here last night,
This trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight."

Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Blavel Bar,
"Slow down, there," said Santa, "it can't be far",
Hop up on my lap here, Son, and have a look around,
"There! There she is! That's Mommy! bounding up and down."

Well that the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had,
Curled up in Mother's pouch feeling snug and glad,
The last he saw was Santa heading northwards from the sun,
The only year the boomers worked a double run.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 08:19 PM

G’day all you Aussie carollers,

My records would suggest that I have already posted (17 September 1998?) the words and ABC of Sally Sloane’s Australian-collected version of the carol Christ was Born in Bethlehem, but it hasn’t made it to the DT, so here it is again.

CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM

Folk Songs of Australia and the men & women who sang them, J Meredith & H Anderson, Ure Smith, North Sydney, 1967, vol 1, p189.
Source : Sally Sloane (1894 - 1982)

Christ was born in Bethlehem, Christ was born in Bethlehem,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.
And in a manger lay, and in a manger lay,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.

The Jews they crucified him, the Jews they crucified him,
The Jews they crucified him and nailed him to a tree.
And nailed him to a tree, and nailed him to a tree,
The jews they crucified him and nailed him to a tree.

Mary she came weeping, Mary she came weeping,
Mary she came weeping and stole away my Lord.
And stole away my Lord, and stole away my Lord,
Mary she came weeping and stole away my Lord.

MIDI file: christwb.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0288 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0288 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0336 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0288 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 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=100
K:C
G3GG2A2|B2G2A4|A3AA2B2|c2A2B4|B3AB2d2|d2B2c2B2|
A2G2B2A2|G6B2|d2d2e2e2|d4B2c2|d2d2e2e2|d4B4|
B3AB2d2|d2B2c2B2|A2G2B2A2|G13/4||

Notes:
1/ Pitch has been lowered by one tone from collected version, to suit a general range of voices and simplify accompaniment.
2/ The leading note to the first phrase in line three has been lowered from D to B and, to the second phrase, from D to C (possibly more reflecting my personal style of singing than the inherent nature of the tune).
Bob Bolton

In their book, Meredith & Anderson note that:

"Other versions have appeared in print in the United States of America, first in Botsford’s Folk Songs of Many Peoples, where it is simply noted as a ‘Kentucky song’, and more recently in E.K. Wells’s book, The Ballad Tree. Miss Wells collected her version in the Kentucky mountains and includes the lines sung by Sally Sloane in a slightly different form to a somewhat different tune."

Wheeler & James Carols:

I have the three books "Five Australian Carols; First (Second and Third) Set" by John Wheeler and William G. James. The carols are printed with the four choir parts plus piano accompaniment. The books contain, respectively:

FIRST SET: (1948) The Three Drovers (D) The Silver Stars are in the Sky (Eb) Christmas Day (C) Carol of the Birds (Eb) Christmas Bush for His Adorning (D)

SECOND SET: (1954) The Day that Christ was Born on (Ab) Christmas Night (G) The Little Town where Christ was Born(Eb) Sing Gloria (Ab) Noel-Time (G)

THIRD SET: (1961) The Christmas Tree (A) Our Lady of December (Ab) Golden Day (Eb) Country Carol (The Oxen) (Ab) MerryChristmas (F)

Of these, I have MusicTime files (with the words) for:

The Three Drovers (D) The Silver Stars are in the Sky (D) Christmas Day (C) Carol of the Birds (D) Christmas Bush for His Adorning (D) Sing Gloria (G - Am) MerryChristmas (D)

These are the carols that have proved the most popular. I notice that this includes all five of the first set and only one each from the second and third sets.

I have tended to place them in more proletarian and/or singable keys.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH (Paterson)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 01:21 AM

SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH
by Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson

It chanced out back at the Christmas time, When the wheat was ripe and tall,
A stranger rode to the farmer's gate--A sturdy man and a small.

"Rin doon, rin doon, my little son Jack, and bid the stranger stay,
And we'll hae a crack for Auld Lang Syne, for the morn is Christmas day."

"Nay noo, nay noo," said the dour guidwife, "But ye should let him be,
He's maybe only a drover chap, From the land o' the Darling Pea."

"Wi a drovers tales, and a drover's thirst tae swiggle the hail nicht through,
Or he's maybe a life assurance carle, to talk ye black and blue."

"Guidwife, he's never a drover chap for their swags are neat and thin,
And he's never a life assurance carl with the brick dust burnt in his skin."

"Guidwife, guidwife, be nae sae dour---for the wheat stands ripe and tall
And we shore a seven pound fleece this year, ewes and weaners and all."

"There is grass to spare and the stock are fat, where they whiles are gaunt and thin,
And we owe a tithe to the travellin' poor, so we maun ask him in."

"Ye can set him a chair at table side and gie him a bite tae eat,
An omelette made of a new-laid egg, or a tasty bit o' meat."

"But the native cats hae taen fowls--they havena left a leg,
And he'll get nae omelette at a' till the emu lays an egg."

"Rin doon, rin doon, my little son Jack, "to whaur the emus bide,
Ye shall find the auld hen on the nest while the auld cock sits beside."

"But speak them fair and speak them saft lest they kick ye a fearful jolt,
Ye can gie them a feed of the half inch nails or a rusty carriage bolt."

So little son Jack ran blithely down with the rusty nails in hand,
Till he came where the emus fluffed and scratched by their nest in the open sand.

And there he has gathered the new-laid egg---'twould feed 3 men or 4,
And the emus came for the half inch nails right up to the settlers door.

"A waste o' food," said the dour guidwife, as she took the egg with a frown,
"But he gets nae meat unless ye rin a paddy-melon down."

"Gang oot, gang oot, my little son Jack---wi your twa-three doggies sma,
Gin ye come nae back wi a paddy-melon, then come nae back at a'."

So little son Jack he raced and he ran and he was bare o' the feet,
And soon he captured a paddy-melon---was gorged with stolen wheat.

"Sit doon, sit doon," my bonny wee man; "to the best that the hoose can do,
An omelette made o' the emu egg, and a paddy melon stew."

"'Tis well, 'tis well", said the bonny wee man, "I have eaten the wide world's meat,
And the food that is given with right good will is the sweetest food to eat."

"But the night draws on to Christmas Day and I must rise and go,
For I have a mighty way to ride to the land of the Esquimaux."

"And it's there I must load my sledges up with the reindeers four-in-hand,
That go to the North, South, East and West---to every Christian land."

"Tae the Esquimaux," said the dour guidwife---"ye suit my husband well,
For when he gets up on his journey horse he's a bit o' a liar himsel'."

Then out with a laugh went the bonny wee man--to his old horse grazing nigh,
And away like a meteor flash they went far off to the Northern sky.

(PATERSON'S ENDING:)

When the children woke on the Christmas morn, they chattered with might and main,
For s sword and a gun had little son Jack, and a braw new doll had Jane,
And a packet o' screws had the twa emus; but the dour guidwife got nane!

(THIS IS HOW I'D PREFER IT TO END:)

When the children woke on the Christmas morn they chattered with might and tact,---
For a sword and Glenlivet had tough tot Jane, and and a new "Ken" doll had Jack,
And a packet o' screws had the twa emus, but the dour guidwife got clap!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 01:42 AM

The above posted poem, by Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, truly does beg to be given a tune...

from the book "Collected Verse of A.B. Paterson---Angus & Robertson publisher

And thanks to Dale Rose for pointing me to this 'cause he knew I'd probably have my book packed in an unmarked box as I'd told him we were striving to get moved!! Deductive reasoning rivalling Holmes'! Thanks Mr. Rose!!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 12:09 PM

Thanks, Art! After your ending, could the guidwife still have a Darling Pea? Incidentally, there are by actual count 5,271,009 tunes that fit those words. I recommend "O God, Our Help in Ages Past".

What's "orana"? What's a "paddy-melon"?

The cranes are dancing here, too, Alison. O.k., they will be in a couple months. They'd be confused if we called them brolgas, though.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Art Thieme
Date: 11 Dec 98 - 01:58 AM

I've been told that a paddy melon is a cross between an Irishman and a cantelope. But, the truth is that an Irishman CAN elope---if his gal goes with him! ;-)

But seriously folks---I believe a paddy melon is a smallish kangaroo---right? (Funny, you don't look smallish!!)

Art

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Musicman
Date: 12 Dec 98 - 01:18 AM

I see you've got the Six white Boomers listed here. I was just asked about that one today! Does anybody 'ave a midi version. I need to learn the song, so midi or noteworthy or fax would be appreciated. I have no idea how the songs goes. Call me [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From:
Date: 13 Dec 98 - 07:45 PM

This is pretty good.

You Aussies certainly beat out Canadians when it comes to Christmas tunes. We have only The Huron Carol (which is not technically "Canadian" because it was written by an early French missionary in the Wyandotte language, and translated into English) and First Christmas, by Stan Rogers, which is too depressing to sing around the Christmas tree. Although generally we have more snow and fir trees than most nations our Christmas songs are generally recycled English carols and 1940's Hollywood covers. I'd be happy to have someone start a new thread and prove me wrong.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Dec 98 - 07:53 PM

G'day Art, Jerry and all,

There was quite a good tune to the Paterson poem that won the "New Tune to old Poem" section in the Bush Music Club Song and Verse contest, some years back. I will look it up and post it. Of course, it isn't really a carol, is it, but it is bloody good Christmas song.

Terminology:

A Paddy Melon is a Bennet's or Red-necked Wallaby (Wallabia Rufogrisius. Wallabys are a smaller sub-group of Kangaroos and the name Paddymelon is a rough English approximation of the Dharug (Sydney region Aboriginal) name. Just to confuse everyone, the name paddy melon is also used for an introduced pest - a sort of inedible melon vine from South Africa.

Orana is also from an Aboriginal language and means "morning" - in which sense it is used for the geographical region around Dubbo, in New South Wales' central region, or "welcome", which is the way that John Wheeler uses it in The Carol of the Birds.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 14 Dec 98 - 01:34 PM

Thank you!

Subject: Tune Add: SIX WHITE BOOMERS
From: alison
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 06:21 AM

Here's six white boomers

Slainte

alison

MIDI file: SIXWHITE.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: Six white boomers
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: Bb
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 58 030 0238 0 58 030 0002 1 58 029 0238 0 58 029 0002 1 58 040 0238 0 58 040 0002 1 58 059 0238 0 58 059 0002 1 65 053 0238 0 65 053 0002 1 65 044 0238 0 65 044 0002 1 65 044 0238 0 65 044 0002 1 65 043 0238 0 65 043 0002 1 67 061 0238 0 67 061 0002 1 67 049 0200 0 67 049 0084 1 63 050 0191 1 67 053 0047 0 63 050 0191 0 67 053 0051 1 65 053 0881 0 65 053 0024 1 62 031 0238 0 62 031 0018 1 65 033 0238 0 65 033 0051 1 58 053 0208 1 60 011 0030 0 58 053 0188 1 62 050 0048 0 60 011 0430 0 62 050 0002 1 58 030 0238 0 58 030 0002 1 60 052 0238 0 60 052 0002 1 62 061 0478 0 62 061 0002 1 58 050 0478 0 58 050 0002 1 65 057 0718 0 65 057 0002 1 65 061 0238 0 65 061 0002 1 58 051 0238 0 58 051 0002 1 58 042 0235 1 58 047 0014 0 58 042 0202 0 58 047 0007 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 65 048 0254 0 65 048 0019 1 65 052 0467 0 65 052 0002 1 65 054 0238 0 65 054 0002 1 67 065 0238 0 67 065 0002 1 67 049 0238 0 67 049 0002 1 63 042 0238 0 63 042 0002 1 67 050 0238 0 67 050 0002 1 65 046 0958 0 65 046 0002 1 58 037 0238 0 58 037 0002 1 58 053 0238 0 58 053 0002 1 58 042 0238 0 58 042 0002 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 62 040 0478 0 62 040 0002 1 65 052 0478 0 65 052 0002 1 60 038 0238 0 60 038 0002 1 63 042 0238 0 63 042 0002 1 62 045 0238 0 62 045 0002 1 60 033 0238 0 60 033 0002 1 58 043 0958 0 58 043 0002 1 58 053 0238 0 58 053 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 65 052 0238 0 65 052 0002 1 65 053 0238 0 65 053 0002 1 65 048 0478 0 65 048 0002 1 67 065 0238 0 67 065 0002 1 67 049 0238 0 67 049 0002 1 63 042 0238 0 63 042 0002 1 67 045 0238 0 67 045 0002 1 65 053 0958 0 65 053 0002 1 62 052 0238 0 62 052 0002 1 65 058 0200 0 65 058 0035 1 58 039 0238 0 58 039 0002 1 60 046 0238 0 60 046 0002 1 62 050 0478 0 62 050 0051 1 58 053 0158 1 60 045 0080 0 58 053 0158 0 60 045 0035 1 62 057 0485 1 58 053 0031 0 62 057 0447 0 58 053 0002 1 65 061 0718 0 65 061 0002 1 65 063 0238 0 65 063 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 040 0238 0 58 040 0002 1 58 040 0238 0 58 040 0002 1 65 054 0238 0 65 054 0002 1 65 049 0478 0 65 049 0002 1 65 053 0238 0 65 053 0002 1 67 068 0238 0 67 068 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 63 053 0238 0 63 053 0002 1 67 050 0238 0 67 050 0002 1 65 053 0958 0 65 053 0002 1 58 060 0238 0 58 060 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 044 0238 0 58 044 0002 1 62 053 0478 0 62 053 0002 1 65 065 0478 0 65 065 0002 1 60 052 0238 0 60 052 0002 1 63 057 0238 0 63 057 0002 1 62 052 0238 0 62 052 0002 1 60 048 0238 0 60 048 0002 1 58 048 0960 0 58 048 0000 1 58 072 0478 0 58 072 0002 1 58 067 0478 0 58 067 0002 1 62 057 0238 0 62 057 0002 1 65 050 0718 0 65 050 0002 1 70 040 0478 0 70 040 0002 1 63 039 0238 0 63 039 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 65 061 0718 0 65 061 0002 1 62 059 0238 0 62 059 0002 1 65 057 0238 0 65 057 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 60 052 0238 0 60 052 0002 1 62 053 0478 0 62 053 0002 1 58 057 0238 0 58 057 0002 1 60 049 0238 0 60 049 0002 1 62 057 0478 0 62 057 0002 1 58 044 0478 0 58 044 0002 1 65 061 0958 0 65 061 0002 1 58 053 0478 0 58 053 0002 1 58 054 0478 0 58 054 0002 1 62 044 0238 0 62 044 0002 1 65 057 0718 0 65 057 0002 1 70 057 0478 0 70 057 0002 1 63 053 0238 0 63 053 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 67 061 0238 0 67 061 0002 1 65 061 0663 0 65 061 0297 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 58 064 0238 0 58 064 0002 1 60 053 0238 0 60 053 0002 1 62 065 0478 0 62 065 0002 1 60 054 0478 0 60 054 0002 1 58 053 1881 0 58 053
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:Six white boomers
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:Bb
B,B,B,B,FFFF|GG5/4E3/4G5/4F15/4|DF5/4B,3/4CD2B,C|
D2B,2F3F|B,B,B,B,FF2F|GGEGF4|B,B,B,B,D2F2|
CEDCB,4|B,B,B,B,FFF2|GGEGF4|DFB,CD9/4B,/2C5/4|
D2B,2F3F|B,B,B,B,FF2F|GGEGF4|B,B,B,B,D2F2|
CEDCB,4|B,2B,2DF3|B2EGGF3|DFB,CD2B,C|D2B,2F4|
B,2B,2DF3|B2EGGF3|-FB,B,CD2C2|B,8||

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 01:17 PM

Couple questions for you folk that know these songs. I've been trying to fit words and tune together for The Carol of the Birds.
Which word in the last line of the verse gets two (or more) notes? I guessed "dawn", and maybe the "-ing" of "singing"
And where does the chorus start? On the seventh of the scale, so that the measure starts with the tonic (C) and the second syllable of "Or- RAN- a!"? Or is it "OR- an- a!"?
Nice song, tho it sneaks right in there and prints itself on my frontal lobes where I can't pry it off day or night.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 08:57 PM

Hi Barbara,

Yes "Dawn" get's two notes. "sing" and -"ing" get one note each. and yes "Or" is the seventh so that the bar (tonic note) starts with "ran"

3 notes on "Christmas".

hope that helps.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Musicman
Date: 18 Dec 98 - 04:43 AM

Hi there, Can anyone recommend a recording for Six White Boomers that might be had in Canada? I've got someone asking for a recording and I mentioned this great resource that I have available (they're not online!) and would see what I could do.

thanks.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: alison
Date: 18 Dec 98 - 10:12 AM

Hi,

I don't know about Canada...... but there's Rolf harris's greatest hits (it's on it.)

good luck

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Musicman
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 02:44 AM

Thanks Alison.

Paul

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Dec 98 - 11:39 AM

Art- Christmas in the Bush sings well to Star of the County Down, Tramps and Hawkers and Rolling Down to Old Maui. Only problem I see is that there seem to be two lines missing; I guess one could always repeat the tune's part B.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 22 Dec 98 - 05:06 PM

G'day all,

As our warm, antipodean Christmas looms and I struggle through the party round, I must be getting overly picky. I was singing the "Aussie Jingle Bells", the same as that which Alison posted back around 7 December, and I realised that I am always annoyed to notice that the writer is obviously a city type, because the song talks of being in a rusty Holden ute (utility = pickup for our American friends) with an "Esky in the boot (portable cooler ... for the beer of course ... in the trunk) but: A/ a ute has no boot, only an enclosed tray area! and B/ It's not likely to be rusty, if it has spent its life in the dry outback ... of course, vehicles owned by soft city types drive along our coast line and get riddled with salt and rust copiously. The old wisdom was that you bought a country owned vehicle for body parts - the motor would be clapped out but the body panels would be free of rust.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Genie
Date: 04 Dec 01 - 07:59 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Dec 01 - 08:50 PM

Amazon sells Rolf Harris "Best of Rolf Harris" with Six White Boomers for $11.99. You also should be able to order it through any large recording dealer.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 01:37 AM

In the Australian brushfires thread of 25 December (that'd be December 25 here in the Northern Hemisphere ;-) ) Bob Bolton posted a Christmas lyric with a lot of "Noel Noel Noels" in it, but no tune. I was looking for the tune. Don't see it in this thread which seemed the obvious place to look...

Bob, you out there? Can you post it (or provide a link here to where you previously posted it)?

Thanks.

Liland

PS The only southern hemisphere Christmas carol I've seen in a (Northern) hymnal is Carol Our Christmas, Our Upside Down Christmas, by Shirley Elena Murray (sp?) of New Zealand. It's in the UCC's New Century Hymnal.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:07 AM

G'day Liland,

I just noticed that this thread had been refreshed. I will get together the words and MIDI information and post The Three Drovers shortly. If you PM me an e-mail address, I can send you a tidy little TIF of the words and music, as I have a selection of the most popular 6 of Wheeler & James's 1940s/50s 15 carols - set into more comfortable 'folkie' keys (C, D, G &c) that I taught at my workshop this year, as in years past.

It is interesting that, in the mere 50 years since this one was published, the protaganists have slipped into folklore. Cattle were commonly moved about Australia by drovers, working on horseback, right up to the Vietnam War era. When the Cold (and sometimes hot) War era underlined the poor transport facilities outback, the Government rushed through a string of military transport roads. Inevitably, road trains - high power trucks with many trailers full of stock, quickly replaced the old-style drovers, so that very few young Australians will have seen drovers at work anywhere but on an historical film!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Genie
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:14 AM

Ted from Australia ,

What is the tune to Christmas In The Alice?  Do you have a MIDI of it?
It's such a great song, I'd love to sing it.  (I do a Christmas Around The World program, and it would be a great addition.)
 

Art Thieme,
Pleas do post "Santa Claus In The Bush!"
 

Alison,
Tha Aussie version of the Twelve Days of Christmas is wunnerful--much better than the original, I think!

(Is it galahs or galahs?   And what the heck are galahs, anyway?

Slainte,
 

Genie

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE THREE DROVERS
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:15 AM

G'day again,

Sorry about the duplicated posting ... (?!?).

Here is the Aussie Carol (Actually, I suspect that I may have posted a number of these around ( December 1998 ...?):

THE THREE DROVERS
Words: John Wheeler
Tune: William G James

Across the plains one Christmas night, three drovers riding blythe and gay,
Looked up and saw a starry light, more radiant than the Milky Way;
And on their hearts such wonder fell, they sang with joy "Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel!

The black swans flew across the sky, the wild dogs called across the plain,
The starry lustre blazed on high, still echoed on the Heavenly strain;
And still they sang "Noel! Noel!, those drovers three "Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel!

The air was dry with summer heat and smoke was on the yellow moon;
But from the Heavens, faint and sweet, came floating down a wond'rous tune,
And as they heard, they sang full well, those drovers three "Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel!

MIDI file: 3-drovrs.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0600 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 73 080 0048 0 73 064 0012 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 73 080 0192 0 73 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 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 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0552 0 64 064 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 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 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 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 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 73 080 0096 0 73 064 0024 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 73 080 0192 0 73 064 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 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 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 73 080 0144 0 73 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 69 080 0552 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0456 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=100
K:C
D6|A2AB3/2^c/2d|^c2A^F2E|D2E^F2G|A3/2B/2AG2^F|
E5E|^F2ED2E|^F2GA2A|B2AG2A|B2^cd2d|^c2AB2B|
A2^FG2G|^F2GA2B|^c3/2d/2eA3|-A2AD3/2E/2^F|
E3/2D/2ED3|-D3/4||

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: allie kiwi
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:35 AM

Genie, it is ga-LAH (or rather pronounced sort of gi-LAH) and it's a bird. Reknowned for it's strange call, there is a saying 'Stop being a great galah' where you are scoffing at someone for being silly...

Allie

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 30 Dec 01 - 12:26 AM

Based on data supplied by Bob, I have posted The Three Drovers, with a rough MIDI, in my online hymnal. And here is a picture of the melody (w/ chords and lyrics).

Liland

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Dec 01 - 12:00 PM

Can't remember who sang it but I still remember the chorus -

Christmas in Australia is Christmas in paradise
Christmas in Australia is, basicaly, bloody nice!
Bruce is going steady with Sheila
Sheila's going steady with Bruce
If you haven't got a Christmas suntan
Your a Pommie and your no bloody use!

Definiteley someone Antipodean at our club once. I can only think of Paul Metzers but it doesn't seem his style and I think he's a Kiwi annyway.

May come to me after the Festive beer has all gone;-)

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols: The west wind is
From:
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:58 PM

Can you help with words and music of The West Wind is tossing the leaves?

Thank you.

Tom Marriott

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:21 PM

Look here to find the lyrics and miditext.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:22 PM

(except it's the North wind, which might be why you couldn't find it)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 05:50 PM

refresh and renew request for MIDI of "Christmas in the Alice"

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Hrothgar
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 10:06 PM

... and, for the benefit of our Northern Hemisphere cousins - the north wind in Australia is usually hot. When it is not hot, it is hotter.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Christine Kirk
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 02:52 AM

Hi!

Am responding to your message that you have the full set of Australian Christmas Carols by John Wheeler and William James. Are they available for sale? If so, please could you give me a price, and describe the condition of the book/s.

Thank you

Sincerely
Chris Kirk

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:37 PM

When I try to make a midi out of the "Carol of the Birds" miditext in this thread, I get something that deteriorates drastically in the middle of the line "Faint in the dawn light", roughly at the word "dawn". Up to that point it's fine, aside from being impossibly fast; after that point it's garbage and dead air. Here's a link to what it comes out as:

Carol of the Bzx#@!!?%

Anybody got a decent midi file (or a corrected miditext version)?

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:42 PM

Also, has anybody got the tune to Christmas in the Alice? (Also the tune for "Santa Claus in the Bush"?) Both texts are in this thread but I don't see a tune. ("key c" is slightly insufficient for me)

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: bbc
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:43 PM

Are there any recording available of Australian carols? I'd be interested.

bbc

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: bbc
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:08 PM

This is a kind of nice site, w/ midis:

Everything Australian

I came across this recording:

How Far to Bethlehem

Is anyone familiar w/ it? Is it any good?

Thanks,

bbc

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:08 PM

Incidentally, I've just posted Carol of the Birds and Christ was born in Bethlehem in my online hymnal (New Arrivals Page). In English, yet, at least if "brolgas" and "orana" are English. Of course if anyone has an Esperanto version of either (or any other) I'm ready to post that, too.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:16 PM

G'day,

Christine Kirk: I presume it's me that you are asking about the " ... full set of Australian Christmas Carols by John Wheeler and William James ..." ... Well, I have only the one set of the three ("sheet music book-format") books (5 carols per book) and they are not for sale. I did a quick check with my best supplier of good Australian secondhand music books (Da Capo, Glebe, Sydney suburb [www.dacapo.com.au/]) and got no hits ... but I would need to check their stock physically to be sure!

I also have a single book with all 15 carols arranged for organ ... but I'm hanging onto that as well. I presume that the carol books are out of print (and fashion) ... but I do like to teach the carols to my music croups, so I have reset (most of) them into better keys for 'folkie' types and produced my own music sheets. If you PM me a suitable email address, I can send you these images.

Haruo: I'm also rather frustrated that the old MIDItext ~.exe files don't seem to work on my computers, these days. It may be the Alan of Australia based the code on older Windows versions with underlying DOS ... or just that they are not in 32 bit form for the latest computers. Unfortunately we have not heard from Alan for some time ... and MIDItext is "no longer supported by Mudcat" ... for obvious reasons.

If you have a good ABC format processor, you could just grab out the ABC component generated in the (19)98 program and handle it as ABC ... which is, apparently, quite capable of all the things you need. I must get hold of a good ABC program, myself, and see what it does for me.

BTW: I could not get your link to open ... so I can't comment on the problems with the file.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:28 PM

G'day again Haruo,

I just noticed your reference to "orana" and "brolgas". Orana is discussed way up in this thread, but it is an Australian Aboriginal language word for "dawn" or "welcome".

The Brolga is an (eastern & northern) Australian crane, grus rubicundus ... grey with red features, and noted for the formal "dance" of its courtship behaviour.

I can't help you with the Esperanto versions ... we did have some keen Esperantists about the Bush Music Club in decades past ... but not currently!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:49 PM

Try the link again.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 11:06 PM

G'day again Haruo,

This time I got to the "screwed up" MIDI of Carol of the Birds ... and the file is missing most of its data. My MIDI player says the length of the file is 00.01 (< one second ... ?) and I get no sound at all. Notepad shows a bit more text that I've been getting when I try to decode MIDItext with the old application .... but not enough for a valid MIDI.

Do you work from real music (dots ...) ? I can e-mail to you a music page with the tune written out in standard format - if that helps. I don't have any ABC application that can code / decode for you - currently. If you PM to me a suitable e-mail address, I can send off the music page - and a MIDI saved directly off my music program.

BTW: The version of The Carol of the Birds that Alan of Australia posted in 1998 is in the DT ... and appears to have a MIDI available - except that my browser reports, after I click on "Play MIDI", that it is unable to open "media.mudcat.org". Perhaps that is just temporarily off-line ... or perhaps, like MIDItext, it is 'no longer supported'.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Cats
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 12:47 PM

I have a really good book of Carols sung in the mining towns in Oz whivh were taken out from Cornwall by the Cornish miners who went out there. I'll unpack it and try to have a look for something really amazing.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 06:21 PM

G'day Cats,

You raise a good point about "Australian" carols: apart from consciously composed modern carols that set out to place the biblical nativity story into an Australian landscape, rather than a northern European / northern American landscape, liberally littered with the hastily buried remnants of older, pre-christian beliefs and rites - there must be several bodies of "carols from the old country".

Your Cornish miners would be a fine example of the sort of tight-knit group that preserved their old customs in a new country. Another that immediately comes to mind is the "Barossa Deutsch" - the descendants of (~) 1830s religious refugees from the area that is now modern Germany. Within their own community (much of it around that fine wine-growing area of South Australia, the Barossa Valley) I understand that they maintain a large body of old music - mostly religious.

I would assume that includes "carols" - or analogous Christmas songs. I have seen a short video of film coverage of their religious songs by the late Australian folklorist John Meredith. I must ask younger collectors of the Australian "Germanic" traditions, such as Mark Schuster and Maria Zann, whether they have explored that area (in between chasing their real interest in the dance music!).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 06:58 PM

G'day Haruo,

I don't remember ever chasing up the prize-winning tune for Santa Claus in the Bush from the Bush Music Club records. I'll put it up on the noticeboard and see what I can find. (Maybe I should dig it out and pop it into the December issue of Mulga Wire, on which I am presently working.)

I have dug out the music sheet for Carol of the Birds (in PDF format - although I can save it to any image format you prefer) and a simple, melody-line, MIDI that definitely works, at my end. If you PM to me a suitable e-mail address, I will send those on to you.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 08:36 PM

G'day and thanks for the various comments, Bob. I now have a working MIDI of "Carol of the Birds" (melody line only, made from the miditext at the "Carol of the Birds" thread — turns out it was only the miditext at the Australian Christmas Carols thread that was defective, i.e. the one in this thread). When I open the defective MIDI in NoteWorthy Composer I find that the tune is intact up through "Faint in the..."; followed by one cacophonously dissonant chord. The reason it's inaudible and lasts less than a second is that the tempo is given as "909090" instead of what I presume ought to be "100" or maybe "90". Obviously anything with a crotchet equal to 909,090 is going to be faster than sound.

I would be very grateful if you'd email me the PDF ([e-mail]).

Haruo (= the quondam Liland)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 09:29 PM

G'day Haruo,

I'm afraid I'm not surprised if the MIDItext posted by Alison, along with the words to Carol of the Birds, had some internal errors. I never got Alan of Australia's program to reliably work for me - perhaps because it was written on older operating systems.

Anyway, I'll send off the PDF image ... this is the text and tune straight from the book ... set in D (I'm not sure what is is in the book - but I notice that Alison's MIDItext had it in C). I'll include my MIDI file ... it's practically microscopic, compared to the sorts of things we cheerfully send by e-mail these days!.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 10:44 PM

Got the files, thanks! Will definitely sing it this Advent. If you have PDFs of any of the other AuXmas carols posted here I'll surely not be saddened to receive them. (And I'm still looking for the tune to "Christmas in the Alice".) I put a MIDI to the text in my hymnal; does it sound right? (It's just the melody; I'll add chords someday.)

Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing

I'll add authorship info etc. soon.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JennieG
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 01:42 AM

I have always liked these songs - we had them drummed into us at school. When I joined the Bush Music Club it was lovely to hear them again!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 06:56 AM

G'day all,

Does anyone heve the words for The Workers carol?

Would appreciate this hel.,


Mark

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From:
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 09:14 PM

To Haruo, Happy Xmas dude. I had a listen to that single line of Carol of the birds. I have added guitar, pad, lagerphone and didgeridoo. Then I tripled it's length and finished it off with a lingering didge note. I even added the lyrics for those of you with Cakewalk or something similar. I just can't figure out how to attach it to this message, so just email me if you want a copy.
Dave

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 11:52 PM

Thanks, Dave. I've sent you email (twice; the first one was an accidental brushing of the "enter" key before I'd written the text). Or you can click on the link to my email about six messages up in this thread...

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 07:46 AM

I LOVE THE OZZIE JINGLE BELLS (very Funny but true)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 11:49 PM

Well, Dave Ferguson has supplied two MIDIs (with and without didgeridoo) which are now accessible through my hymnal:

Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing

Enjoy!

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From:
Date: 18 Dec 04 - 08:41 PM

Merry Christmas all,
Can anybody help me with the lyrics to "Merry Christmas"from the australian Christmas carols? Thanks Lesley

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
From: PennyBlack
Date: 19 Dec 04 - 06:50 AM

Roaring Jellies:- (DtG)

CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA.

Spoken:-
Forget your snow and reindeer and all that there malarky
'Cause down here Father Christmas wears a pair of shorts.---- Khaki.


Christmas in Australia, is Christmas in paradise,
Christmas in Australia is basically, 'Bloody Nice',
Bruce goes steady with Sheila, and Sheila goes steady with Bruce,
And if you don't have a Christmas suntan, you're a 'Pommie' and you ain't no use

It's ninety in the shade at Christmas, the sun's a blazing 'phew',
So grab a tube of Foster's and a slice of cold kangaroo.
Bruce is waxing his surf board, and waxing his Shiela too,
It's a great Australian Christmas, ya-hoo.

Chorus.

It was a lovely sunny Christmas, we had a party on the beach,
Sang Australian carols, you should have heard us screech.
Our 'Silent Night' was a burst of light and the likes are heard only seldom,
Of 'Once In Royal Bruce's City', in a little town called Melbourne.

Chorus.

Bruce and Sheila disappeared round the far side of the truck,
They were gone for quite some time, we shouted, "Are you stuck?"
Then I had a bright idea, said, "I know what I'll do,
I'll play 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' on Bruce's didgeridoo.

Chorus.

As the afternoon wore on everyone got paralytic,
A drunken brawl developed from a friendly game of cricket.
Rolph Harris turned up finally to distract us from our combat,
By painting a lovely picture of Rudolf the Red Nosed Wombat.

Chorus.


we recorded it as a Early Christmas special in '99 for Radio Lancashire! and it was released as a single and on an album (Now deleted!!) - sadly we had to change the chorus from "Bloody" to "Blooming" to suit the BeB, due to the time of day etc. Not quite the same!!

we'll be doing it on Tues at the Christmas Session/Party.

PB

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Irene
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 06:50 AM

DOes anyone know where to get the midi file for Australian chrismtas songs?
Irene

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 06:04 PM

G'day ... and Merry (impemding) Christmas,

GUEST,[e-mail]: If that "Merry Christmas" is the one from the "Wheeler & James" Australian Christmas Carols (mentioned by me above ... 07 Dec 98 - 05.43 PM) I would have the words and tune done up as "sheet music" for use by various groups I occasionally exhort to sing carols about Christmas ... instead of northern European Saturnalia / pagan forest rites / etcetera syncretised into Christmas songs. (They are probably good fun and topical in a freezing northern hemisphere festival ... but bear as little relation to Australia as they do to biblical Palestine!)

I'll check what I have on file, when I get home, and I can probably give you a GIFF image of the words and music plus a simple MIDI file of the tune.

GUEST,Irene: See above ... if you are after the "Wheeler & James" Australian Christmas Carols, I do have the books ... and actively promote about half of them ... the rest are less popular (the five in their first book are generally considered the best!).

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From:
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 07:16 PM

Hey guys

Im looking for as many christmas songs as i can because I have a Belgium student staying with me until June and I wanted to make a cd for him to take home to his family and friends.
i tryed downloading this MIDI thing you all keep talking about but it just doesn't go any where - it says it can't find the site. so i was wondering if any of you could email me some mp3 files or another sort that i can play on Windows XP and i also run MUSICMATCH Jukebox.
I am asking everyone here, especially Bob, he seems to be in the know-how of it all. The two main songs I have are 6 White boomers and Australian Jingle Bells. I do have their lyrics to.
Any help with this is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Christine

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 10:06 PM

G'day again,

Lesley / GUEST,[e-mail]: I just refreshed my memory by searching for an ad for the Wheeler & James Australian Christmas Carols (The Australian Music Centre has a single volume, which is presumably an amalgamation of the 3 booklets I have had for decades ... piano arrangements & up to 4 parts: $27 Australian ... about US$20 ... plus post/pack) and I see that their Merry Christmas is in the "Third Set", whis is my third booklet.

I'll send off a GIFF of the song simply arranged in more accessible key (for folkies ... not pianists!) and just the main melody ... if you want more ... well, it's all back in print, from the Australian Music Centre! I'll also include the simple MIDI of the basic tune - generated off my music program.


GUEST,Christine @ [e-mail]: I'm not sure what MIDI you mean ... I have MIDIs of simple tune transcriptions from my music program ... done when I rearrange the Aussie Carols for people at my Workshops. The songs you want are more "Christmas songs" than real Christmas Carols ... but I'll check a few books - and I should be able to scan in the words. (Actually, I would be very surprised not to find the words somewhere in a Mudcat thread ... if not yet on the Digital Tradition (DT) database.)

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: MERRY CHRISTMAS (Wheeler/James)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 04:06 AM

G'day even again,

Now I'm at home ...

GUEST,[e-mail]: Here are the words for Merry Christmas, by John Wheeler & William G James - from their books of Australian Christmas Carols:

Merry Christmas

Sun gleams bright, hearts are light, Merry, merry Christmas.
Bells ring out, children shout, Merry, merry, merry Christmas.
Sheep in fold, shine like gold, as the day is dawning,
Riding by, stockmen cry, "Welcome Christmas morning".

Golden day, when we say, "Merry, merry Christmas".
In the street, when we meet, Merry, merry, merry Christmas.
And with pride, far and wide, all our homes adorning:
Earth and sky, sound the cry, "Welcome Christmas morning".

So with joy, man and boy, sing with us together;
On this morn, Christ was born; Merry, merry, merry Christmas.
Raise the song, loud and strong, in the shining weather,
Joy bells ring, Christ is King, Merry, merry, merry Christmas.

I have six of the most popular Wheeler & James carols set into easy to play keys:
Carol of the Birds (D)
Christmas Bush for His Adorning (D)
Christmas Day (C)
Merry Christmas (D)
Sing Gloria (G)
The Silver Stars are in the Sky (D)
The Three Drovers (D)

and I will e-mail the sheets to you ... in TIFF format (slightly more compact than GIFF ... ?

Christine:

I'm a bit busy, with the last music session of the year / Christmas Party of Backblocks ... but I get back to see if I have the words you need ... maybe ...

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,bill
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 07:48 AM

hi all

I love the ongoing discussion. I conduct several choirs and we will be singing this and other carols shortly.

HAs any one an alternative to the words of the 1st line "Blythe and Gay" in the 3 Drovers?

Maybe "3 drovers ridng on their horse and dray"

Cheers

Subject: Lyr Add: UPSIDE DOWN CHRISTMAS (Shirley Murray)
From: webfolk
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 08:20 AM

This hymn was written by Shirley Erera Murray, who is in fact a New Zealander, and goes under the title 'upside down Christmas'and will fit to many tnes found in standard hymn books (11,10,11,10)

Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas;
Snow is not falling the trees are not bare.
Carol the summer, and welcome the Christ Child,
Warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air.

Sing of the gold and the green and the sparkle,
Water and river and lure of the beach.
Sing in the happiness of open spaces,
Sing a nativity summer can reach!

Shepherds and musterers move over the hillsides,
Finding, not angels, but sheep to be shorn;
Wise one's make journeys whatever the season
Searching for signs of the truth to be born.

Right side up Christmas belongs to the universe
Made in the moment a woman gives birth;
Hope is the Jesus gift, love is the offering,
Everywhere, anywhere, here on the earth.

webfolk - part of "bit on the side"

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JohnB
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 10:29 AM

So Guest Bill, what is the actual problem with the words as written?
JohnB

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,bill
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 11:45 AM

unfortunately, John, there are people in our catholic community who object to certain standard English words, due to contemporary colloquial usage.

Bill

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From:
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 02:21 AM

Does anyone have the words to the song 'Christmas Day' by Wheeler & James. I can only remember the first verse which began, 'The north wind is tossing the leaves' and I would really like to be able to sing the rest of the song. It would be much appreciated it if you could email the words to me. Thankyou. Jackie.

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS DAY (Wheeler/James)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 04:54 AM

G'day GUEST,[e-mail] / Jackie,

These are the words you request:

CHRISTMAS DAY

Words John Wheeler                 Music William G James

The north wind is tossing the leaves.
The red dust is over the town;
The sparrows are under the eaves,
And the grass in the paddock is brown;
As we lift up our voices and sing,
To the Christ-child the heavenly King.

The tree ferns in green gullies sway;
The cool stream flows silently by;
The joy bells are greeting the day,
And the chimes are adrift in the sky,
As we lift up our voices and sing,
To the Christ-child the heavenly King.

Regards (& have a Merry Christmas),

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Bill Egan
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 02:07 AM

When I was in Australia in December 1987 aboard USS Missouri, I heard a wonderful song called "Christmas in Australia" by The Irish Drovers. For nearly 20 years I've been looking for that recording. When I ask for it the usual reply is, "You mean The Irish Rovers." No, it's The Irish Drovers.

Our ship's choir toured schools and hospitals and we sang a Wheeler & James carol called "Christmas Night." We nicknamed it The Boobook Song because one of the lines goes, "All the boobooks were silent in willow tree glade, And the night herons listens in star-spangled shade."

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: John O'L
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 07:38 AM

Christmas in Australia

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Scrump
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 08:12 AM

Don't know if it helps, but "Christmas in Australia" (the original version by Roaring Jelly) is available on a compilation CD "Nowt So Funny As Folk" which is still available AFAIK.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,sue-from twickenham
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 04:31 PM

I am looking for the lyrics & music to a carol I learnt when i was at school in the 60's. we are hold a carol concert at our school of carols from around the world & i thought it would be good to include this. I remember some of the words, The crow is in the field & pasture, in woods ?????. The robin with his feathered ??? goes hopping everywhere.
Can anyone help!
many thanks

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA (Irish Drovers)
From: GUEST,Bill Egan
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 05:50 PM

Here are the words I wrote down from the version I heard by The Irish Drovers. It was played on Sydney radio stations in Dec. 1987.

CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA

There was no snow in the Outback,
When Baby Jesus was born that night.
Just a mother singing dreamtime,
Saw the shining star so bright.
Now the children in the cities,
Are hanging lights upon the trees,
When it's Christmas in Australia,
Bringing joy to you and me.

When it's Christmas in Australia,
The So'thren Cross shines bright,
From Darwin to Tasmania,
On a joyful Christmas night.

They'll be ringing bells in Adelaide,
And Perth will shine her lights,
Singing carols all through Queensland,
On that warm December night.
On Melbourne streets, at Sydney-town,
The jacaranda blossoms lie,
A purple mantle across Australia,
Beneath our so'thren sky.

When it's Christmas in Australia,
The So'thren Cross shines bright,
From Darwin to Tasmania,
On a joyful Christmas night.

The farmer and the cityfolk,
All bow their heads and pray,
To Little Baby Jesus,
Born long ago and far away.
Just an infant in a manger,
Who'll fill the world with love and joy,
When it's Christmas in Australia,
Peace to every girl and boy.

When it's Christmas in Australia,
The So'thren Cross shines bright,
From Darwin to Tasmania,
On a joyful Christmas night.

Ringing bells across Australia
On a joyful Christmas night.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 12:31 AM

Haven't seen John Denver's "Christmas Like A Lullaby" listed here yet

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 04:07 AM

probably cos John Denver who wrote the song was not an Australian!

I found the lyrics on a site that had nasty popups & set so many advertising cookies I won't make a clicky.

sandra

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Wendy
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 03:55 AM

I have just joined a choir in Liverpool (England) and they want to sing some Australian Christmas carols. I have three but can anyone tell me the name of the one that had the lines "...The boobook calls across the night, the ???? is flying high. Oh sleep my little one, sleep." Remember the melody and these few words but could do with the rest. I am also searching for the Australian Carols by Wheeler and James in this country. No luck so far. If anyone has a copy I would be grateful.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 04:57 PM

G'day again,

Bill Egan: Is that the "Irish Drovers" group I seem to remember from Sydney ... somewhat earlier than 1987 - included Irish fiddler Sean Gilroy ... ? I think I have one or two LPs of theirs ... somewhere ... but I don't remember this one.

GUEST,Wendy: That's one of the Wheeler & James set of Australian carols mentioned above. I can post the words (and an "ABC" notation of the tune, if helpful) when I get home. If you want an image of the "sheet music", I'll need an email address, since I can't post attachments to the Mudcat Café.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SILVER STARS ARE IN THE SKY
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 07:14 AM

G'day again Wendy,

Here are the words:

THE SILVER STARS ARE IN THE SKY

Words John Wheeler                 Music William G James

The silver stars are in the sky,
The red-gold moon goes riding high,
O, sleep my little one sleep!
Once long ago, against her breast,
A mother rocked her child to rest,
Who was the Prince of Heav'n above,
The Lord of happiness and love.
        O, sleep, my little one sleep!

The boobook calls across the night,
The brown moths flutter in the light,
O, sleep, my little one sleep!
In Bethlehem long, long ago,
When roads and paddocks gleam'd with snow;
On this same night, that mother mild,
Lull'd into dreams her royal child.
        So, sleep, my little one, sleep!
                      Sleep ...

You say you remember the melody ... so perhaps the words are sufficient. If you need the 'dots', I can post an ABC version to this thread, which can be reconstituted to 'dots' on various sites, such as concertina.com.

I would need an email address to send you de facto 'sheet music'.

I can't help you with a distributor of the Wheeler & James books in Britain.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 07:40 AM

Wendy, if you don't want to post your email address here, join Mudcat & send Bob a PM (Personal Message)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JennyO
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 09:02 AM

You know, I thought I had one of those books in my piano stool, but when I went to have a look, it wasn't there. I did use to have one. Now I have to think about where else it might be, and hope I haven't lost it.

When I was a kid I was in a few choirs and I remember singing those songs leading up to Christmas on many occasions. I remember the tunes very clearly, as if there was a tape in my head. They bring back fond memories of growing up with those hot summer Christmasses in Australia.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:52 PM

G'day JennyO,

In theory, I have three sets ... the little, words-only, booklet - the three folio-sized books 1 to 3 with piano arrangements and a single volume set arranged for organ...

... now, if I could just remember where that really neat spot to store them was (among several thousand books) ... Fortunately, I had a music file of The Silver Stars Are In The Sky, which Wendy needed, as I reset it in a more congenial key for folkies (and modern voices ... we tend to sing a tone or two lower than when these were published!). If Wendy needs that and I have an email, I can send an image of the sheet.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JennyO
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 08:43 PM

G'day Bob.

Mine was folio size, and had 5 Christmas carols: The Three Drovers, The Silver Stars are in the Sky, Christmas Day, Carol of The Birds and Christmas Bush for his Adorning. It had piano arrangements as I remember and I also remember the cover being white or cream with red and green colours on the front. If I have lost it, it's a shame, because I really like those songs.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 12:13 AM

G'day JennyO,

That's Book 1 ... those 5 are definitely the most popular carols out of the full set of 15. Each of the three folios had, essentially, the same cover design (mutatis mutandis), but printed in differing colours.

If you should need the sheet music for any of these, I have my re-arrangements into keys in which folkies are more likely play (let alone sing!) - so I could email you copies. (Come to think of it, they are all in my booklet: Carols - Fair Dinkum and Feral, which I use when trying to promote some appropriate carol singing in our mid-summer Christmas. I added in a small selection of the snowy Christmas favourites - and one unusual carol collected from Sally Sloane. I could run off a copy for you, if you are interested.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Gail
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 01:02 AM

I am looking for the lyrics of "Christmas Night", "Our Lady of December", "The Little Town where Christ was Born", "Noel Time", "The Christmas Tree", "The day that Christ was born on", "Country Carol", and "Golden Day". I have the lyrics for the other 7 songs from William James' 15 Australian Christmas Carols but I don't have these, I did have the song book, but it has been misplaced, I have the music and my family would love to have the words so that they can practice for Christmas, if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 05:25 AM

G'day Gail,

You must have the words for exactly the same seven Wheeler & James carols that are in my booklet mentioned above! I know that I have the books, in several versions, but they are clearly packed away in some really smart location ... and I haven't found them.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Val in NZ
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 09:19 PM

Hi, I would like to obtain copies of the melody and chords (or piano accompaniment) to "Carol of the Birds" and "Christmas Day" please. I learned these fifty years ago and love them. Thanks very much if someone can help.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 11:32 PM

G'day Val in NZ,

If you are a 'Catter (and just not finding where your 'cookie' went) PM me a suitable email and I can, at least, send you my simplified words / melody / chords pages. (Unless/until I find my set of the books) I don't have the piano arrangements ... Go and keep nagging the bookshops ... maybe we can nag the publishers into bring out a fresh edition!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JennyO
Date: 15 Nov 06 - 08:26 AM

G'day Bob,

I had a post all ready to send earlier today saying "yes please, I would like copies of the sheet music!" and had even previewed my post - when the 'cat went down and has only just come back. So yes please!!!

BTW, are you coming to Yarri at the Cornucopia this Sunday? Great show with good photo opportunities ;-)

Jenny

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 06 - 04:03 AM

G'day JennyO,

I have sent off the A5 booklet ... as well as the individual 'music sheet' pages ... to your home email.

Enjoy!

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,real australian
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 04:36 AM

My old school version of 6 white boomers

6 brown roo's
brown, feral roo's
jumping through the paddocks on a scorcthing moree day
6 brown roo's
brown feral roo's
on the moree run

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,GUEST - Tooki in New Zealand
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 12:45 AM

Hi Bob, I have been trying to find music or guitar chords to the Wheeler & James carols. We had an album when we were kids (still do, somewhere!) from which we learnt them and I would dearly love to sing them again and teach the next generation. I would much appreciate if you could email me a PDF or GIFF of the sheet music (we have Merry Merry Christmas) to proctor at xtra dot co dot nz. Many thanks

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS TIME ALREADY
From: GUEST,Christmas Time Already
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 08:24 AM

I can't resist lowering the tone, although this is a very interesting and enduring thread, so if you're easily offended don't read on.

here is a cynical but funny Christmas song from aussie folk-rock band weddings parties Anything. I will then follow this post with a more sober contribution. The bits in parentheses are refrains to be sung by the audience. It is on their farewell live double CD ( name escapes me).

CHRISTMAS TIME ALREADY


Well I can't get a cab for money or threats
(It's christmas time already)
This is as bad as it f***ing gets
(It's jolly old Christmas time)
The pubs are shut and the shops are 2
(It's christmas time already)
It's pissing down rain and it's 32
(It's jolly old Christmas time)

A howling host of girls and boys
(It's christmas time already)
Survey the wreckage of the toys
(It's jolly old Christmas time)
I'm eating nuts and nectarines
(It's christmas time already)
With opposable action figurines
(It's jolly old Christmas time)

I'm shit-faced on sherry and passionfruit-flavoured wine
So let us be merry, it's very nearly jolly old Christmas time

I stagger from the kitchen to the comfy chair
(It's christmas time already)
Watching a show about a magical bear
(It's jolly old Christmas time)
I'm personally sick of this Christmas farce
(It's christmas time already)
Happiest time of the year my arse
(It's jolly old Christmas time
It's jolly old Christmas time
It's jolly old Christmas time)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Muttley
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 07:28 PM

Dear Genie

It's gaLAH - emphasis on the second syllable.
A Galah is a native parrot - pink and grey in colour and quite 'chatty' in flocks (noisy would be closer)

We used to get flocks fly over the house up home in the country that were so big, they'd act like a cloud passing across the sun. And at days' end, they'd roost in the gum trees along the creek at the bottom of a paddock across the road and at certain times of the year there would be so many that the pink on breast and head made it appear that the trees were bleeding.

We got huge flocks of sulphur-crested Cockatoo's as well and when THEY congregated in the trees along the creek, you'd swear it had been snowing!

BTW - there are a few versions of the Aussie 12 Days of Christmas - I prefer the one that ends with "And an emu up a gum tree"

Probably because emu's can neither fly nor climb - so getting one up a gum tree would be interesting to say the least.

Muttley

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Kajikit
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 02:31 PM

I grew up in Australia and we sang those Australian carols every year at school, so I grew up with them ingrained on my memory. The first time I ever saw the 'Three Drovers' and 'Out on the plains' I was six and learning to play recorder, and my teacher gave me a bunch of what you'd call 'carols of the world' to learn :) Thanks for helping to keep them alive!

BTW, some of these carols (and others) are performed on the CD 'The Australian Christmas Album' released in 1998 and I'm pretty sure still available. I bought it to get them... :) It has the following songs:
Christmas where the gum trees grow
The three Drovers
Six white boomers
Carol of the birds
Boomerang of flowers
Christmas in the scrub
Off we go the Bethlehem
Mary and Joseph's lullaby
The Five days of christmas
Merry christmas (sun gleams bright)
and then 5 'traditional' christmas songs to round out the album.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Kajikit
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 02:49 PM

I signed up... this site looks really cool! I adore folk music... anyway, if anyone wants me to type out any of the lyrics of the songs on the album, just sing out and I'll email them to you - I had a quick look on Google and it seems that the album is no longer available - shame, because it's quite good. I found it very refreshing to have a real AUSTRALIAN christmas CD that wasn't too twee :)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Rowan
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 09:15 PM

Welcome to Mudcat, Kajikit! If you typed them up I'm sure your efforts would be welcomed.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 10:09 PM

G'day Kajikit (and Rowan),

Don't bother typing up the Wheeler & James carol lyrics - they have probably all been posted to past threads on Australian Carols. (Plus, I have them all on my hard drive - so I can email them directly to you, if desired, rather than repeating what has already been done.

However, all the ones that are not 'Wheeler & James carols' would be appreciated by many reading this thread.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Kajikit
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 03:35 PM

Here's a link to Christmas Where the Gum Trees Grow... no need for me to type it out again when a quick google search turned up ten different renditions!
Christmas where the gum trees grow

Subject: Lyr Add: BOOMERANG OF FLOWERS (Philip/Newton)
From: Kajikit
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 03:53 PM

BOOMERANG OF FLOWERS
Music: Leigh Newton Words: Mary Philip © Leigh Newton 1983

A child is lying cradled here
beneath the slender gum
God of might has left his home
and to Australia come.
Kookaburra laughs with glee
shy koala peeps
magpie carols blissfully
as little jesus sleeps

CHORUS
What shall we give our infant king?
a boomerang of flowers
and say come back and stay with us
and be forever ours
What shall we give our infant king?
a boomerang of flowers
and say come back and stay with us
and be forever ours

One day a cross will hold him fast
and lest we should forget
above him in the sapphire sky
a cross of stars has set
but there'll be no pain for today
but peace and joy and love
beneath the slender gums he sleeps
and magpies sing above

Chorus

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Kajikit
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 04:00 PM

After I typed in the last lot of lyrics I tried another google search ( the first was unsuccessful) and this time I hit paydirt. Most of the songs I listed above are actually by Leigh Newton from his album 'Christmas in the Scrub' (1983) And he has all the lyrics on his website - Leigh Newton Lyrics and he also has mp3s of some of them.
It looks like he still has his albums and songbooks for sale as well...

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 07:47 PM

G'day Kajikit,

I was going to comment, on the first link to the words of Christmas Where the Gum Trees Grow, that the tree is correctly spelled "jacaranda" ... and is really a South American import (if, however, very popular!) ... and I think it's related to the tree that produces the traditional 'pernambuco' timber used for violin bows.

Anyway, the new link to Leigh Newton's site does spell if correctly!

Do you need a PM of the lyrics of the Wheeler & James carols ... or have you tracked those down (here ... or on the web)?

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Kajikit
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 08:27 PM

I'm fine with them... I know most of them by heart. I was looking for Silver Stars and it's already posted to this thread. (I'm tossing up what carol to offer to solo for the church candlelight service...)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 09:08 PM

G'day again Kajikit,

Fine! I won't bother posting or PMing what is already available.

(Maybe that will leave me time to check the www before getting the timber species confused (see my previous post).

It isn't pernambuco (caesalpina echinata) that the jacaranda tree (dalbergia negra) is related to, but that other rare and threatened Brazilian music wood: Brazilian Redwood (dalbergia retusa). Oops!

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Lexie
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 10:21 AM

Please find me the words to the Aussie version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer pleeeeeeaaaaassseeeeeeeeeee.   

I'd be forever so grateful.

XX
Merry Christmas

Lexie

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Kajikit
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 10:25 PM

I'm an Aussie and I didn't know there WAS an 'Aussie Rudolph'. I've never heard of it...

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX WHITE BOOMERS
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Dec 06 - 05:56 AM

could it be 'SIX WHITE BOOMERS'?

Rolf Harris songs

(Harrison - Brown) Ardmore & Beechwood Ltd / EMI (P) 1965
Arr. Johnnie Spence - Produced by George Martin

    Early on one Christmas Day, a Joey Kangaroo
    Was far from home and lost in a great big zoo
    Mummy, where's my mummy, they've taken her away
    We'll help you find your mummy son, hop on the sleigh

    [Verse:]
    Up beside the bag of toys, little Joey hopped
    But they had'nt gone far when Santa stopped
    Unharnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why
    Then he heard a far off booming in the sky

    [Chorus:]
    Six white boomers, snow white boomers
    Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun
    Six white boomers, snow white boomers
    .. On his Australian run

    Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat
    Took his fur-lined boots off to cool his feet
    Into one popped Joey, feeling quite OK
    While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh

    Joey said to Santa, Santa, what about the toys
    Aren't you giving some to these girls and boys
    They've all got their presents son, we were here last night
    This trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight

    Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Marble Bar
    Slow down there, cried Santa, it can't be far
    Come up on my lap son, and have a look around
    There she is, that's mummy, bounding up and down

    Well that's the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had
    Curled up in mother's pouch all snug and glad
    The last they saw was Santa headed northward from the sun
    The only year the boomers worked a double run

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Muttley
Date: 14 Dec 06 - 07:32 AM

The only "Aussie Version" of Rudolph I've ever heard was the one we used to sing at carolling time or school concerts (or both) up in the bush where I grew up.

It went something like:

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer       (Reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose                (Like a light globe)
And if you ever saw it                (Saw it)
(You would even say it glows          (Like a light globe)
All of the other Reindeer             (Reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names      (Like Pinocchio)
They never let poor Rudolph;          (Rudoplph)
Join in any Reindeer Games            (Like Monopoly)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came top say                   (Ho, ho, ho)
Rudolph, with your nose so bright: Won't you guide my sleigh tonight

Then all the other Reindeer          (Reindeer)
Laughed and shouted out with glee    (Yipp - ee!)
Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer       (Reindeer)
You'll go down in his-tor-y          (Like Captain Cook)

All the bits in parentheses are "echoes" to the verse lines and are spoken (or called out en masse) with energy - not sung. Almost like each little 'addition' was a sudden inspiration or 'bright idea'

Muttley

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Scrump
Date: 14 Dec 06 - 07:59 AM

Saw UK-based Aussie duo Mundy-Turner last night - they did a few seasonal Aussie songs (great fun!), and they have a CD "Bonzer Aussie Christmas". Here's the track listing:

1. Wayne Wants A Surfboard For Christmas
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. Aussie Jingle Bells
4. Deck The Sheds
5. Christmas Road
6. Gunumeleng
7. Aussie Twelve Days Of Christmas
8. Homefires
9. Peace Is All We Need
10. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Their version of the 12 days was different from the one posted above - there was lots of audience participation!
You can get the CD from them by mail order - details on their website here

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,bid
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 12:06 AM

g'day everyone,
i was wondering if any of you could possibly either send me some lyrics to some aussie songs or the music itself? me email is [e-mail]
thanks

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JennieG
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 12:25 AM

The other day at our local Salvos shop, I was fortunate enough to find Set One of the Wheeler and James carols - couldn't believe my luck! Only $2.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 07:51 PM

bid above is of course just looking for suckers to put themselves on spam lists... a genuine person would have just read the thread.

The Fooleish Grinch...

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 08:37 PM

G'day JennieG,

That first collection is definitely the pick of the crop. Roughly half of the 15 Australian carols Wheeler & James published are reasonably well known ... and that includes every one from the first book!

I know that I do own a full set of the three piano arrangement Wheeler & James books - as well as a single book of all 15, arranged for (chord~?) organ - and a few copies of the little booklets of words (which we used for the Bush Music Club's "Carols By Slushlamp" carolling sessions, years ago). Unfortunately ... what I don't know is: "where in the 2 or 3 thousand books on double-height bookshelves (almost up to the 11-foot ceilings) ... or the sundry boxes of overflow ... did I carefully store them!

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: JennieG
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 11:42 PM

Bob,

Your bookshelves sound like my sewing/music room - I know there are things in there, in a Very Safe Place - I just haven't found them yet!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Christmas in Australia (ATTN: BILL EGAN)
From: GUEST,Cam
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 02:38 AM

Hi there

Couldn't help stumbilng accross your request for the Irish Drovers recording of 'Christmas in Australia'. I happen to be a good friend of members of the Drovers and I have that recording so if you want it drop me a line on [e-mail] and I'll send it through.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Malcolm
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 05:05 AM

I've lost my original copy of "Four Australian Carols" by Wheeler & James, containing the piano music for "The Silver Stars are in the Sky". I did send a photocopy to Chappell's Music in London, many years ago, as they didn't have an archive copy. However, I've been unable to get hold of them.
I would be very grateful if you could offer any assitance in helping me to obtain the sheet music for this lovely carol.
Many thanks
Malcolm Vivyan
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,angeline
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 07:40 PM

Hi there,
was looking for a particular Australian Christmas Carol
"Christmas in the Scrub" and I found it at
www.leighnewton.com
Leigh has two Christmas CDs with Australian Christmas Carols on them,
plus he has songbooks so you can play along, cool huh
just thought I'd share what I'd found

also Colin Buchanan has a kids Christmas album with Australian ones on found at
www.colinbuchanan.com.au

Hope next Christmas you can look forward to singing Aussie Christmas carols as well as
the traditional ones from around the world that you love.
God Bless

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,kiri
Date: 08 Nov 07 - 10:39 AM

Hi There,

    Just wondering if anybody has the words to the song Everyone It's Christmas, and It's Christmas time.

         Thanks,

               Kiri

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS TIME FOR EVERYONE
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 08 Nov 07 - 10:52 AM

Honoured, Ms Te Kanawa!
You didn't mean this, perhaps?

I'm leaving for the ferry, that's going to take me home
In just a few more hours now I'll see the light of dawn
And as I cross the water blue and the cold wind seems to say
You're coming home for christmas, you're coming home to stay

Surrounded by the water and the outport along the shore
Home is where my heart is, I'm going home once more
Home to see the waters blue and a old-fashioned christmas tree
Yes home is where my heart is, it's christmas time again

Christmas time for everyone, it's christmas time again
Tree lights flashing everywhere and the welcome at the door
This time of year brings happiness and a ringing in my ear
It's christmas time for everyone, I'm going home this year

In just a few more hours I'll see the window pane
And everyone will look to me as if I'm in a picture frame
The picture of the christmas tree and the flashing light so bright
Yes home is where my heart is, I'm going home tonight

Christmas time for everyone it's christmas time again
Tree lights flashing everywhere and a welcome at my door
This time of year brings happiness and a ringing in my ear
It's christmas time for everyone, I'm going home this year
It's christmas time for everyone, I'm going home this year

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Lyn
Date: 18 Nov 07 - 07:38 PM

Hi all,

I'm after the lyrics for a song that used to play on the radio years ago around Christmas time. You couldn't really call it a Christmas carol but it's definitely connected to Christmas.

It's based on "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and was called "The Twelve Strikes of Christmas." It was written, so far as I know, around the late '70s at a time that NSW was suffering from repeated strikes by transport, post, wharfies, petrol companies, etc. and was quite popular for a while.

I've looked in vain for the lyrics and since there seem to be quite a few knowledgable Aussies here I'm hoping someone will have the answer. Maybe someone also has details on who wrote/sung it and perhaps even a recording of it. I'd love to get hold of a copy but I have no idea who to approach to see if I could buy one.

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Nov 07 - 11:23 PM

probably by Mike Carlton & I have a scribbly list of the strikes, now all I gotta do is find it.

Easy - it was near the top of my very overcrowded 2" Ring Binder collection of songs, poems & other stuff.

Bit of background -
For those who don't know him Mike is a journalist, columnist & humourist & cartoonist too (I have a sticker he made years ago when Joh wanted to run for Prime Minister!) I love his sense of humour/satire - another scrap of paper lists the Advertising agency he (alleged) worked for the liberal party - Batbrain, Wingnut, Dandruff & Mousepoo. Years/decades ago I used to tape his Friday news report(??), I must have a listen to those tapes again one, day - if they have survived, some were very cheap tapes.

some years back I transcribed my scribble for a friend looking for 12 Days songs.

Mike Carlton created & sang it one Christmas in the early 80s. I scribbled down the strikes, but not the connecting words, so you will have to work them out yourself. He played it again the following year, causing great confusion to a senior citizen who was worried about his pension!.

....................

Mike Carlton's 12 Strikes of Christmas - intro might be "The Union gave to me" - but I'm not sure.


12 - Power supplies
11 - Plumbers working
10 - Builders building
9 - Beer for drinking
8 - Trains running
7 - Ships unloading
6 - Airlines
5 - Sewerage work
4 - Telephones
3 - Telex
2 - Pension payments
1 - Mail
....................

anyway, why not contact him - he writes a column for the Weekend Sydney Morning Herald - columns & contact details here

sandra

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Lyn
Date: 09 May 08 - 05:28 AM

Thanks heaps Sandra! Sorry to take so long to say thanks but I've only just figured out where my favourite back to here ended up - must have had a case of the mouse-butter-fingers that night. :D

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 May 08 - 08:16 AM

mouseibutter-fingers! I also have 'em, along with butterfly mind (thoughts flitter away ...)

the Mike Carllton tapes (dated 1988!) are now placed next to the player & I'll soon see (hear) if they work.

sandra

Subject: What treatment is good for psoriasis?
From: GUEST,Swersremo
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 09:05 PM

Hi!
I have psoriasis on my legs and have seen a dermatologist who prescribed two expensive creams. They help a little but it never goes away. I've been tanning for a short time in a tanning bed every other day and have seen a drastic improvement but am a little worried about skin cancer from UVA rays. Any home remedies out there? Any advice?

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Heidi
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 03:18 PM

I live in the U.S. and have found it very hard to find sheet music for Wheeler's Australian Christmas Carols (Vol.1). Luckily a local organist is from Australia and helped me out. I like Six White Drovers and want to know, what are drovers (cowboys?)?

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Heidi
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 03:21 PM

Sorry, goofed in the title in previous message; I mean't Three Drovers (listened to Six White Boomers and mixed the titles up!)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Tangledwood
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 07:50 PM

G'day Heidi, traditionally drovers herded stock in search of fertile grazing plains, water, or to take the fattened cattle or sheep to sale yards.
The journey to a stock yard could be many hundreds of miles, even over a thousand. I'm not sure if that equates to your cowboys.

Even today, in periods of drought when the grazing on farms is depleted, in some areas stock will be herded along roadsides to feed on whatever remains there. That's known as "the long paddock" and I think the stockmen are still referred to as drovers in this situation.

You might find something interesting here Folklore

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Rowan
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 10:29 PM

Even today, in periods of drought when the grazing on farms is depleted, in some areas stock will be herded along roadsides to feed on whatever remains there. That's known as "the long paddock" and I think the stockmen are still referred to as drovers in this situation.

They are indeed. The "roadsides" are usually part of the system of "Travelling Stock Reserves" (TSRs) that connect as a network across much of the three easternmost states. In the western areas of these states the width of the TSR "road" (ie, the distance between the fences) can be up to 1/2 mile but in the more densely settled areas the term TSR usually refers to a fenced paddock, up to a few acres in area, alongside the road and in which the stock are to be kept overnight so that they don't interfere with traffic in the dark.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Tangledwood
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 03:21 AM

Thanks for the confirmation and additional detail Rowan, it's a long while since I've spent time in farming communities.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Alicia
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 09:02 PM

The three Wheeler & James collections of Christmas carols are some of the best carols full stop. With Australian themes, they capture the joys of Christmas in Australia. Though the best known is the 'Carol of the Birds', my personal favourites are 'Christmas Day' and 'Christmas Night', with their wonderful imagery and tunes.
Does ANYONE know of a recording? I have the music sheets, but cannot do justice to the gorgeous piano accompaniment for 'Christmas Day'.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Tangledwood
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 09:28 PM

PM sent Alicia, don't know if where the link takes you is at all similar to the version you're looking for.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Annique
Date: 30 Dec 09 - 03:51 AM

Hi Alicia,
I have a CD recording of the Australian Christmas songs you were looking for. It's called 'An Australian Christmas' and is published by the ABC Classics (Under Capricorn?). It is by the Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir, Antony Walker conductor. The number on the back is ABC 446 975-2. It has 15 William James/John Wheeler songs grouped in three sets, and also has Five Carols from Quem Quaeritis (?) Then there are 5 more Christmas songs, possibly by Aus. composers as one is Peter Sculthorpe; then it ends with twelve 'Wassails and Lullabies' by Andrew Ford (b. 1957). The booklet has comprehensive notes on the origin of the songs, the director, and the choir, as well as all the lyrics. It was produced in early 1995 but I think I only found it a few years ago, probably in an ABC shop in Melbourne. You may find a copy by contacting the ABC shops. Good luck!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Haggis
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 08:24 AM

Um I have midi files for all of the "Five Australian Christmas Carols" by Wheeler & James - all classics, in 4 part harmony - "Carol of the birds", "Christmas Bush For His Adorning", "The Silver Stars are in the Sky", "Christmas Day", and "The Three Drovers".

They should be widely available but I don't have a website. Can anyone put 'em up? leave a message here with an email address and I'll send them over.

cheers!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 09:59 AM

gidday, Haggis, you can send midis to [e-mail] with subject - Midis for Australian Christmas Carols

Joe receives a lot of email & might delete yours unless the subject is clear.

sandra

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Haggis
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 06:21 PM

No worries Sandra, it's done.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Artful Codger
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 08:38 PM

He'd probably appreciate it if you include the thread link, too. Less searching for him to do. (I send him the message link, when applicable--you can copy it from any of the blue clickies for your post in the message history list at the top of the page.)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 09:27 PM

I forgot to ask Haggis not to have spaces in the titles of his MIDI files, but I got it fixed. Four of the five files are actually Karaoke files, but they should play on MIDI players. Let me know if there's a problem. Here's the message from Haggis:

Hi Joe,

I've attached some midi files of these wonderful tunes.

.Kar files are just midi files with words, which I'm sure you've come across before.
Van Basco's excellent player from http://www.vanbasco.com/ works well and you can turn tracks on/off etc

The midis are a straight copy of the sheet music, excepting Carol of the birds which has the W/J stuff on top of a catchy arrangement I found somewhere on the net, and there's a tiny clarinet line added in one verse of "Silver Stars".

cheers mate

---

Click to play (Carol of the Birds (Orana!))

Click to play (Christmas Day (The North Wind)

Click to play (Christmas Bush for His Adorning)

Click to play (The Silver Stars Are In The Sky)

Click to play (The Three Drovers)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Haggis
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 12:00 AM

Excellent, thanks Joe.

I forgot to mention the van Basco player is free, and you can do other great stuff with it like transposing (if you want it played higher or lower), and speeding up or slowing down (if you prefer a different tempo) just by moving a slider.

There are other excellent free midi tools about too, one of my favourites is synthfont (www.synthfont.com) with which you can do even more stuff - change soundfonts and instruments, change the mix (bring up some instruments, make others quieter), and most importantly output the tracks to separate .WAV files. Then if you want you can load it all into the excellent, free multi-track "recording studio" audacity (www.audacity.sourceforge.net/) , add voice (however many tracks you desire - do your own harmonies!), add effects, remix if desired, and output to stereo mp3.

If you want to edit the actual midis other free tools are better suited e.g. Quartz Audiomaster, Anvil Studio (refer google).

So you can do high-quality multi-track recording now for the cost of a decent microphone, or for free if you've already got a mic. Incredible!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 04:36 AM

Thanks, Haggis and Joe! I've had simple midis of a couple of these in my online hymnal for a number of years, but it's nice to have slightly better ones, and to have the words play along with the music.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Haggis
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 05:57 AM

Actually Haruo, I have a funny feeling that Carol of the Birds midi might have originally come from your site...if so, thanks! It was so long ago I can't remember for sure, and now I can't find your site - where is it please? Anyway it's a really excellent arrangement - great work whoever did it! (maybe Dave Ferguson,down the page, in 2004?) - which I hardly changed, just added the 3 extra voice parts from the sheet music so people wanting to add vocals can use those as guide tracks. Unfortunately the voice parts come out well down in the mix in van basco's player; you can hear them by using the blue "solo" buttons, or use a different player such as synthfont where you can set up the levels just how you want them.

Actually if you go all the way to Audacity there's even a very cool "envelopes" feature which allows you to vary the volume of each track exactly as you want through the song, so you can, say, bring up different parts of the voices or accompaniment in each verse.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,bautism
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 03:22 PM

Does anybody know then name of this song and who wrote it? The only lyrics I know from the song are:

Little wendy wombat hung her head
Little Wendy wombat sighed and said
I know im rather chubby
And my legs are rather stubby
And I know that there are animals prettier than me
But I want to be the fairy
Light and airy
I want to be the fairy on the christmas tree!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 10:07 PM

I don't have any idea, but it's cute, "cuter'n a little wombat girl" as they say.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 10:29 PM

What fun to sing along with them. Thanks!!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols "Voici Noel"
From: GUEST,Evette, London
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 05:17 PM

Hi Sue. This is 5 years later, don't know if you are still involved with organising the concerts.

I too remember this carol from primary school in the sixties. It was called "Voici Noel", although the lyrics were in English:

The crow is in the field and pasture
In woods, or else in furrows bare
The robin red, with feathered gesture
Goes hopping everywhere, biri bi biri bi ban ban!
I hear the village bell is (bells are?) ringing, ringing
'Tis Christmas time, 'tis Christmas time
'Tis Christmas, little children mine!

I remember the melody and harmony well, and can write it out on manuscript paper and email it to you if requested. My email address is [e-mail]
Best wishes, Evette      18 October 2011

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Catherine, Nowra NSW
Date: 04 Dec 11 - 07:39 PM

Hi
I'd love a PDF file of Wheeler/James 5 Australian christmas carols if anyone (Bob?) is able to send me them. Not sure how to do this as don't particularly want to post my email address for general viewing.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 03:12 AM

Gidday, Catherine

Are you referring to posts by Bob Bolton?

If you join Mudcat you can then send a PM (Personal Message) to Bob with your details

sandra

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 03:15 AM

to continue - see the Membership link at the top of the page or click here you can join as Catherine, Nowra or something similar

welcome to Mudcat!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Artful Codger
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 07:03 AM

Or, if you just need the musical notation, copy the ABC transcriptions Bob posted into the folkinfo.org ABC Converter. I've noticed, however, that some of the generated ABCs Bob has posted are notated as if the pickup notes occur on the downbeat of the first measure, rather than preceding it, which similarly affects all measure divisions thereafter. The hazards of using automation tools without checking the generated results.

Incidentally, there are clips on YouTube of all fifteen Wheeler and James carols, from the recording "An Australian Christmas". I doubt the poster sought permission to put them up, so you might want to give them a listen before they get tagged by YouTube's haphazard patrol bots.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: andrew e
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 07:11 AM

I have most of them.

Andrew

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Artful Codger
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 08:35 PM

You can also find the lyrics to all fifteen carols on this blog page:
http://heathhill.blogspot.com/2008/12/australian-christmas-carols.html

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 09:32 PM

G'day "GUEST,Catherine, Nowra NSW -",

As Sandra wrote, if you were to join Mudcat ... you could send a 'secure' PM (Personal Message) direct to me with an email address to which I could send my PDF (printing file).

However, if you wish, you can email me directly at: [e-mail] ... and I can send the PDF directly to whatever address you give me!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 06 Dec 11 - 07:21 PM

Oops!

That should have read: [e-mail] ...

Mea Culpa!

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 06 Dec 11 - 07:51 PM

Erk!

Some thing is waring my addresses: I had my home & work addresses in two separate lines ... I'll try again:

[e-mail]

[e-mail] ...


If this doesn't work ... I'll have to exorcise the 'ghost in the machine!!!

Regardfully,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 07:38 AM

does anyone know where l can find these Christmas albums?

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Vic Smith
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 08:08 AM

Those of you who - like me - think that Christmas In Australia by Roaring Jelly is the most truly tender evocation of the original Antipodean nativity celebrations, will be delighted to hear that this masterpiece of spitituality has been updated by The Omega Three which includes Derek and Clive from the original group.

Enjoy this sublime act of festive celebration by clicking here

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Shirley Mundt
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 10:53 PM

The Senior Citizens Chior that I accompany sang all of the 1st and 3rd sets of the 15 Australian Christmas Carols at a Christmas function in Toowoomba, the city we live in. This gave me the idea to make a CD of all 15 of these carols with just the piano accompaniment to which I added another 6 Christmas pieces. My email is [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 12 - 07:45 AM

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 16 Dec 12 - 08:00 AM

I have music only for 'Carol of Australia'. Would love to know exactly what it is meant to sound like, does anyone have a recording they could upload?

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 13 - 07:22 AM

Little Wendy Wombat Please share!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 13 - 06:38 AM

I used to teach this song to my Primary School students! My name is Wendy so they thought it was a great song! I can't rememebr all the words but I know at the end she didnt' like being the fairyon that Christmas tree 'cos she "couldn't even clamber down to get a cup of tea!"

I had the sheet music to it too but can't find it now. I know where I got that music and I'd say it was about 1984-ish.

The title was 'Litte Wendy Wombat'

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Andrez
Date: 25 Oct 16 - 07:25 AM

Hi Mud Elves, the post above seems like trollwork with no relevance to the thread title at all. Can we get rid of it please?

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: arpie
Date: 26 Nov 17 - 05:58 AM

Hi guys

I found this thread when googling 'Australian Xmas Carols' and am keen to get the sheet music to The NorthWind is Tossing the Leaves

I lead a local ukulele group & am keen to include this Aussie Xmas Carol when we perform at Old Folks Homes this Xmas.

If anyone could help me with a copy of the lyrics AND chords (or better still, a copy of the sheet music) I would really appreciate it!

thanks

arpie

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Bill S from Adelaide
Date: 26 Nov 17 - 10:45 PM

Have a read of Henry Lawson - The Fire at Ross's Farm for a Christmas Day tale

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,andrew e
Date: 27 Nov 17 - 10:53 PM

Hi Arpie,

Email me. andrewjemmetatgmail.com

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/andrew-j-emmet-sheet-music/3005594?Ns=salesRank%7C1&isPLP=1

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 17 - 02:57 AM

Many thanks, Andrew e- I really appreciate having your own arrangement of The North Wind/Christmas Day ... and the 'original' of Across the Plains as well!! I managed to find an arrangement by Lieut Peter Dalziel - so nice to have the original!   :)