ForumGarden

Maj !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G'day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome back girl and

G'day.

I Am Australian by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton

I came from the dream-time, from the dusty red soil plains,

I am the ancient heart the keeper of the flame,

I stood upon the rocky shore I watched the tall ships come,

For forty thousand years I'd been the first Australian.

I came upon the prison ship bound down by iron chains

I cleared the land, endured the lash and waited for the rains.

I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run

A convict then a free man, I became Australian.

I'm the daughter of a digger who sought the mother lode

The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road

I'm a child of the depression, I saw the good times come

I'm a bushy, I'm a battler, I am Australian.

Chorus: We are one but we are many,

and from all the lands on earth we come,

We share a dream, and sing with one voice,

I am, you are, we are Australian.

I'm a teller of stories, I'm a singer of songs

I am Albert Namatjira, and I paint the ghostly gums

I am Clancy on his horse, I'm Ned Kelly on the run

I'm the one who waltzed Matilda, I am Australian.

I'm the hot wind from the desert, I'm the black soil of the plains

I'm the mountains and the valleys, I'm the drought and flooding rains

I am the rock, I am the sky, the rivers when they run

The spirit of this great land, I am Australian.

And one more old favourite!

Home Among The Gum Trees

I've been around the world a couple

of times or maybe more

I've seen the sights, I've had delights

On every foreign shore

But when my friends all ask me the place

that I adore I tell them right away

(Chorus)

Give me a home among the gum trees

With lots of plum trees

A sheep or two, a kangaroo

A clothes-line out the back

Verandah out the front

And an old rocking chair

You can see me in the kitchen

Cookin' up a roast

Or Vegemite on toast

Just you and me, a cup of tea

Later on we'll settle down

And mull up on the porch

And watch the possums play

(Chorus)

Some people like their houses

With fences all around

Others live in mansions

And some beneath the ground

But me, I like the bush, you know

With rabbits running 'round

And a pumpkin vine out the back

(Chorus Twice)

And one more for the raod God Im gettign home sick! :-1

I Still Call Australia Home by Peter Allen

I've been to cities that never close down,

from New York to Rio and old London town,

but no matter how far or how wide I roam

I still call Australia home.

I'm always trav'lin, I love being free,

And so I keep leaving the sun and the sea,

But my heart lies waiting over the foam

I still call Australia home.

All the sons and daughters, spinning 'round the world,

Away from their family and friends,

But as the world gets older and colder,

It's good to know where your journey ends.

But someday we'll all be together once more

when all of the ships came back to the shore,

I realise something I've always known

I still call Australia home.

But no matter how far or how wide I roam,

I still call Australia, I still call Australia,

I still call Australia Home

This isn't "iconic", but I was rather pleased with myself for picking up on it :

CBC Radio runs a half hour drama each week called "Afghanada". It follows a fictionalised Canadian army unit as they tour the Afghani countryside in search of Taliban.

Last week, they entered a post manned by the Australian army. In one scene, you could hear The Easybeats "Friday On My Mind" being played in the background by an off duty soldier.

I recognised it as an Aussie pop hit from circa 1966 .

What a great song ! Still sounds fresh and vital, forty years later.

Try :-

THE BAND PLAYED WALTZING MATILDA

(Eric Bogle)

Now when I was a young man I carried me pack

And I lived the free life of the rover.

From the Murry's green basin to the dusty outback,

Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.

Then in 1915 my country said, "Son,

It's time you stop rambling, there's work to be done."

So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun

And they marched me away to the war.

And the band played Waltzing Matilda,

As the ship pulled away from the quay

And midst all the cheers, flag waving and tears,

We sailed off for Gallipoli

And how well I remember that terrible day,

How our blood stained the sand and the water

And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay

We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.

Johnny Turk, he was ready, he primed himself well.

He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shells,

And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,

Nearly blew us back home to Australia.

(But) And the band played Waltzing Matilda,

As we stopped to bury our slain,

We buried ours, the Turks buried theirs,

Then we started all over again.

And those that were left, well we tried to survive

In that mad world of blood, death and fire.

And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive

Though around me the corpses piled higher.

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me ass over head

And when I awoke in me hospital bed

And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead.

Never knew there were worse things than dying.

For I'll go no more Waltzing Matilda,

All around the green bush far and free

To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs,

No more waltzing Matilda for me.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, and maimed,

And they shipped us back home to Australia.

The legless, the armless, the blind and insane,

Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.

And when our ship pulled into Circular Quay

I looked at the place where me legs used to be

And I thank Christ there was no body waiting for me

To grieve, to mourn and to pity.

But the Band played Waltzing Matilda

As they carried us down the gangway,

But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,

Then they turned all their faces away.

So now every April I sit on me porch

And I watch the parade pass before me.

And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march

Reviving old dreams and past glory,

And the old men march slowly, all bone stiff and sore

They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war

And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"

And I ask myself the same question.

But the band plays Waltzing Matilda,

And the old men still answer the call,

But as year follows year, more old men disappear

Someday, no one will march there at all.



Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda.

Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?

And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billibong

Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?

Bryn Mawr;555415 wrote: Try :-

THE BAND PLAYED WALTZING MATILDA

(Eric Bogle)


I was just about to post about that one.

I have The Pogues version, and I play it every Remembrance Day. A very moving song.

http://www.pogues.com/Releases/Lyrics/L ... tzing.html

Richard Bell;555442 wrote: I was just about to post about that one.

I have The Pogues version, and I play it every Remembrance Day. A very moving song.

http://www.pogues.com/Releases/Lyrics/L ... tzing.html




magenta flame;555475 wrote: OH good one brynny! now I've got tears runing down my cheeks:o

Yes I'd forgotten about that one, that is a waltz.


Apart from Eric Bogle himself, my favourate version is by June Tabor - it gets to me every time.

That guy either get me crying like a baby or pi$$ing myself laughing - a magnificent songwriter

magenta flame;556722 wrote: Here's one that I'm sure every Australian on this board knows (even Ozboy way over there)

Don't know how many of you overseas people would though, so here's a bit of an education


Thanks Mag.

magenta flame;556722 wrote: Here's one that I'm sure every Australian on this board knows (even Ozboy way over there)

Don't know how many of you overseas people would though, so here's a bit of an education






Thanks MF, one of the best! *Oz waving Aussie flag at work desk *

Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport

by Rolf Harris

Lyrics:

There's an old Australian stockman, lying, dying

And he gets himself up on one elbow

And he turns to his mates, who are all gathered 'round him

And he says

Watch me wallaby's feed, mate

Watch me wallaby's feed

They're a dangerous breed, mate

So watch me wallaby's feed

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl

Keep me cockatoo cool

Don't go acting the fool, Curl

Just keep me cockatoo cool

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Take me koala back, Jack

Take me koala back

He lives somewhere out on the track, Mac

So take me koala back

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Let me abos go loose, Lou

Let me abos go loose

They're of no further use, Lou

So let me abos go loose

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Mind me platypus duck, Bill

Mind me platypus duck

Don't let him go running amok, Bill

Just mind me platypus duck

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Play your didgeridoo, Blue

Play your didgeridoo

Uh, like, keep playing while I shoot through, Blue

Play your didgeridoo

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred

Tan me hide when I'm dead

So we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde

And that's it hanging on the shed

All together now

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down

Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Tie me kangaroo down



Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport is the fifth (5th) song on the Dementia 2000 - Dr. Demento's 30th Anniversary album. It is an original song by Rolf Harris.

magenta flame;557528 wrote: Yes he does DI, it's the verse about



...turn all me aboes loose bruce, turn all me aboe's loose, they're of no further use bruce, so turn me aboe's loose......or something of that nature.:-3


i have nothing to say cept..............hi mags!!!!!!

True Blue

This is some guy lip syncing to John Williamson's True Blue, but i liked the sentiments in his video...



Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone

Say you've knocked off for a smoko

And you'll be back later on

Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue

Give it to me straight

Face to face

Are you really disappearing,

Just another dying race,

Hey True Blue.

True Blue, is it me and you?

Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?

Is it standing by your mate

When he's in a fight?

Or will she be right?

True Blue, I'm asking you...



Hey True Blue, can you bear the load?

Will you tie it up with wire,

Just to keep the show on the road?

Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue, now be Fair Dinkum

Is your heart still there?

If they sell us out like sponge cake

Do you really care?

Hey True Blue.



True Blue, is it me and you?

Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?

Is it standing by your mate

When she's in a fight?

Or will she be right?

True Blue, I'm asking you...

True Blue, is it me and you?

Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?

Is it standing by your mate

When he's in a fight?

Or will she be right?

True Blue ... True Blue.

Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning

Out where the river broke

The bloodwood and the desert oak

Holden wrecks and boiling diesels

Steam in forty five degrees

The time has come

To say fairs fair

To pay the rent

To pay our share

The time has come

A facts a fact

It belongs to them

Lets give it back

How can we dance when our earth is turning

How do we sleep when our beds are burning

Four wheels scare the cockatoos

From kintore east to yuendemu

The western desert lives and breathes

In forty five degrees

(live - on scream in blue

The time has come

A facts a fact

It belongs to us all

Lets give it back)

Icehouse - Great Southern Land

Standing at the limit of an endless ocean

stranded like a runaway, lost at sea

city on a rainy day down in the harbour

watching as the grey clouds shadow the bay

looking everywhere 'cause I had to find you

this is not the way that i remember it here

anyone will tell you its a prisoner island

hidden in the summer for a million years

Great Southern Land, burned you black

so you look into the land and it will tell you a story

story 'bout a journey ended long ago

if you listen to the motion of the wind in the mountains

maybe you can hear them talking like I do

". . they're gonna betray, they're gonna forget you

are you gonna let them take you over this way . .



Great Southern Land, Great Southern Land

you walk alone like a primitive man

and they make it work with sticks and bones

see their hungry eyes, its a hungry home

I hear the sound of the stranger's voices

I see their hungry eyes, their hungry eyes

Great Southern Land, Great Southern Land

they burned you black, black against the ground

Great Southern Land, in the sleeping sun

you walk alone with the ghost of time

they burned you black, black against the ground

and they make it work with rocks and sand

I hear the sound of the stanger's voices

I see their hungry eyes, their hungry eyes

Great Southern Land, Great Southern Land

you walk alone, like a primitive man

you walk alone with the ghost of time

and they burned you black

yeah, they burned you black

Great Southern Land

Tenterfield Saddler

Marie5656;557074 wrote: Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport is the fifth (5th) song on the Dementia 2000 - Dr. Demento's 30th Anniversary album. It is an original song by Rolf Harris.Hmm. Is it really?

I reckon Rolfy might have borrowed his idea a bit from the Dying Stockman, written around 1885 by a Queensland station owner called Horace Flower who in turn maybe based his ballad on an older traditional Irish one called Rosin the Bow. That's how these ballads are meant to evolve so it's not as though either of them wasn't supposed to.

A strapping young stockman lay dying

His saddle supporting his head

His two mates around him were crying

As he rose on his pillow and saidWrap me up with my stockwhip and blanket

And bury me deep down below

Where the dingoes and crows can't molest me

In the shade where the coolibahs growOh had I the flight of the bronzewing

Far over the plains would I fly

Straight to the land of my childhood

And there I would lay down and die

Then cut down a couple of saplings

Place one at my head and my toe

Carve on them cross stockwhip and saddle

To show there's a stockman below

Hark there's the wail of a dingo

Watchful and weird--I must go

For it tolls the death-knell of the stockman

From the gloom of the scrub down below

There's tea in the battered old billy

Place the pannikins out in a row

And we'll drink to the next merry meeting

In the place where all good fellows go

And oft in the shades of the twilight

When the soft winds are whispering low

And the darkening shadows are falling

Sometimes think of the stockman below

Here's the Irish one, for comparison...

I've traveled all over this world

And now to another I go

And I know that good quarters are waiting

To welcome old Rosin the Bow(repeat lines 4, 4, 3 and 4 as a chorus)When I'm dead and laid out on the counter

A voice you will hear from below

Saying "Send down a hogshead of whiskey

To drink with old Rosin the Bow"

Then get a half dozen stout fellows

And stack them all up in a row

Let them drink out of half gallon bottles

To the memory of Rosin the Bow

Then get this half dozen stout fellows

And let them all stagger and go

And dig a great hole in the meadow

And in it put Rosin the Bow

Then get ye a couple of bottles

Put one at me head and me toe

With a diamond ring scratch upon them

The name of old Rosin the Bow

I've only this one consolation

As out of this world I go

I know that the next generation

Will resemble old Rosin the Bow

I fear that old tyrant approaching

That cruel remorseless old foe

And I lift up me glass in his honor

Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow

I was just going on content, that's all. I've heard several stockman songs but that one struck me as a potential ancestor, as did the Irish one. The link between the two I posted seems fairly apparent. The link with Rolf's song seems quite possible, I'd have thought, but of course I may be mistaken.

magenta flame;560573 wrote: Paul Kelly, You read this like a story. It's the story of land rights in Australia and how it begun and how the Whitlam government gave them back their land. There's a powerful song about the 1949 Australian coal strike by Alistair Hulett at his website: http://www.alistairhulett.com/music/In% ... 0%2749.mp3

I'm not sure whether you'd call that an Iconic Australian song though it's been in my mind as one since I bought the CD at one of his concerts, but for a Scot who spent so long in Australia he does seem to have retained his original distinctive accent.