Origins: Maid of Australia / Maids of Australia

Subject: RE: Maid of Australia
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 12:19 AM

Sam Larner sang this one evening at the Princess Louise in London (1958). He was the great old traditional singer that contributed so much to MacColl's "Singing the Fishing." I remember the almost Music Hall style of his delivery, with many broad gestures to the audience, a delightfully stagey performance. At the point where he sang "I entered the bush of Australia," the gesture was a hilariously obscene pantomime. His audience loved it!

I'm quite sure I also heard Bert Lloyd sing it, at one time or another, so it apparently had a long and lusty life in England, even before Martyn came home.

Sandy

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF AUSTRALIA
From: Pete M
Date: 15 Mar 99 - 03:12 PM

Hi Bill, better late than never I hope.

Despite Bob's note above, Martyn definitely sings "Oxborough" on the recording I've got. Although Martyn spent many years in Australia, he doesn't give any indication where he learnt the song, so I don't know if it counts as an "Australian collected" version.

THE MAID of AUSTRALIA

As sung by Martyn Wyndham-Read

One day as I walked by them Oxborough Banks
Where the maids of Australia they play their wild pranks,
Down by a green bush I sat down to read
While the birds they sang sweetly in the bushes and trees
In the forests of happy Australia,
In the forests of happy Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

And as I sat viewing this beautiful scene
All the birds they sang sweetly and the trees they were green,
A pretty fair damsel before me appeared
To the banks of the river she swiftly drew near
This daughter of happy Australia,
This daughter of happy Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

Well she stripped stark naked, before me she stood
Just as naked as Venus that rose from the flood,
She blushed with confusion and smiling said she,
"These are the clothing that nature gave me
On the day I was born in Australia."
On the day I was born in Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay

Well she plunged in the stream without fear or dread,
Her delicate limbs she extended and spread,
Her hair hung in ringlets her colour was black,
"Sir, you shall see how I float on me back
In the streams of me native Australia."
In the streams of me happy Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

But growing tired of swimming she drew to the brink,
"Oh assistance kind sir, I'm afraid I shall sink."
I flew to her aid and took hold of her hand,
Her feet they did slip she fell back on the sand,
And I entered the bush of Australia,
And I entered the bush of Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

We kissed and we cuddled in the highest of glee,
The fairest Australia me eyes they did see,
Long time on her bosom me head I did hide,
'Til the sun in the West it began to decline,
Then I left this fair maid of Australia,
Then I left this fair maid of Australia,
Just as the sun went down.

Pete M
^^

Subject: RE: Maid of Australia
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Mar 99 - 01:49 AM

G'day all,

If anyone tries to find the aforementioned Oxborough or Oxberry River they will be in trouble but the Hawkesbury River, some 40 kilometres north of Sydney, is were these inter-racial encounters happened.

I will see if we have an Australian collected version (nothing against the dear old Rev S-B).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: ADD: Maid of Australia
From: Martin Graebe
Date: 14 Mar 99 - 06:41 PM

This version was collected by Sabine Baring-Gould from George Doidge of Chillaton in West Devon on 28th September 1896. The missing line in verse three in other versions has the young woman floating on her back.

This has been transcribed from the unpublished Baring-Gould manuscripts
(see www.btinternet.com/~greenjack/sbghome.html)

MAID OF AUSTRALIA


As I walked out upon Oxberry Banks
Where the fair pretty maidens were playing their pranks
Then beneath the green bushes I sat myself down
To view the sweet damsels that flourished around
    In the forests of happy Australia
    In the forests of happy Australia
    Where the maidens are handsome and gay

Then a beautiful damsel to me did appear
To the banks of the river the light did draw near
Then slipped off her clothes, before me did stand
As fair as did Venus just come from the wood
    In the forests of happy Australia
    In the forests of happy Australia
    Where the maidens are handsome and gay

She plunged in the river without fear or dread
With her hands all extended in swimming outspread
Her long lovely hair hung in ringlets so slack
(line omitted)
    In the forests of happy Australia
    In the forests of happy Australia
    Where the maidens are handsome and gay

Like lightning I hasted and came to the strand
When her feet chanced to slip and she slid on the sand
With my arm round her waist I so closely did twine
Till the Sun in the west had begun to decline
    In the forests of happy Australia
    In the forests of happy Australia
    Where the maidens are handsome and gay

(two lines omitted)
Then I left the fair maid in Australia behind
To pace forth her sighs and to mourn in the wind
    In the forests of happy Australia
    In the forests of happy Australia
    Where the maidens are handsome and gay


Martin

Subject: RE: Maid of Australia
From: bill\sables
Date: 14 Mar 99 - 03:30 PM

thanks pete I don't have Kenedy's book I have been looking for this song for a while

Subject: RE: Maid of Australia
From: Pete M
Date: 14 Mar 99 - 03:05 PM

Bill, I've got a recording of it by Martyn Wyndham-Read somewhere, I'll dig it out if you can't find Kennedy's book.

Pete M

Subject: RE: Maid of Australia
From:
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 06:56 PM

In Peter Kennedy's 'Folksongs of Britain and Ireland', #183, from Harry Cox. I think it's also on a Harry Cox recording.

Subject: Maid of Australia
From: bill\sables
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 06:45 PM

I am looking for the words of the song Maid of Australia I think the first lines went something like this; "One day when I strolled by the Oxborough Banks Where the maids of Australia play their wild pranks." Roy Harris used it sing it in the U.K. around twenty years ago Cheers Bill.