Between the Lines - Issue One

I Don't Work for a Living

I first heard of this song on the field recordings of Carrie Milliner (nee Bobbin b.1926) of Eden, N.S.W. Carrie could only remember a verse and three lines from the chorus, but she does remember that she learnt it from her dad.

"I used to follow Dad around like a little puppy and every time he sang, it'd go straight into my brain. I'd go away and sing it through 'till I knew I had it right." - Carrie Milliner

Chloe Roweth and Carrie Milliner at the Jamberoo Festival

I enjoyed the song, and the missing line was frustrating. Experience has told me that the line, and possibly missing verses, would turn up quickly, or that a long and frustrating search might never bear fruit. A search on the great folky's tool, the internet, gave me some more information, including the authors - James J Mullan and Edward Leroy Freeman, and the news that the song was not written in Australia, but published in the U.S.A. The missing line remained a mystery.

Rob Willis who was interviewing Carrie Milliner for the field recordings at the time, mentioned on the tape that he had also heard the song form Ebb Wren, of Forbes in central NSW, but in another incomplete version. I contacted Rob and he forwarded the notes on Ebb and there was the missing line….

There's lots of us fighting and striving, for a seat down in the old A.C.T.

Success - and interestingly it appeared to be an Australian verse!

Ebb also sang another verse…. two verses and a chorus - fantastic…I now had a viable song.

It did not take many performances of this song for an audience, to realise that it must have been very popular in Australia during the early twentieth century. We have been told that it was very popular amongst touring football and cricket teams, and that this was often the case with these types of comic "music-hall" style songs.

Geoff Seymour of Braidwood, N.S.W. was in the audience at a performance and mentioned hearing the song on a home-recording he had of a gentleman from Malvern, Victoria by the name of Don Kinder. Geoff made us a copy of the tape and I made the happy discovery of another chorus!
Like Carrie and Ebb's verse referring to the A.C.T., this chorus appeared to have been added in Australia. On a recent visit to these shores, American singer and song collector Faith Petric mentioned that they were new lyrics to her, and that she would be glad to take them back to the States to publish for singers over there…the folk process continues. If anyone has any more verses please let us know. One rumour is that Tex Morton sang this song….?

This is the song as we have it now.



I Don't Work For a Living (Collected Australian Version)
based on a song by James Mullen and Edward Leroy Freeman

Chorus
I don’t work for a living I get along alright without
I don’t toil all day, I suppose it’s because I’m not built that way
Some people work for love and say it’s all sunshine and gain,
But if I can’t get sunshine without any work I think I’ll stay out in the rain!

They say we’re all born for a purpose, they say we’re all born with a gift
Some people like to be famous, I suppose it’s by hard work and thrift.
There's lots of us fighting and striving, for seat down in the old A.C.T.
But if I’ve got a seat in my trousers, and a missus to work for me….

Chorus

Now give me a nail and a hammer, and a picture to hang on the wall
And give me a strong step ladder, you know that I might fall,
And give me a couple of waiters, and a barrel of good old Bass Ale
And I bet you I’ll hang up that picture, if somebody drives the nail.

Last Chorus
I don’t work for a living I get along alright without
I live peacefully, labour disputes never worry me.
I love my family and the missus, o how I adore.
I decided to make them all happy, that's why I never go home anymore!

The Rambling Bachelors

Here's another song from Carrie Milliner and what a beauty it is. Like many or most of the traditional singers that I've listened to, Carrie remarks on the importance of remembering the singer who taught her the song, and singing just as they did.

"...when I sing their songs, I feel they're close...they're there with me as I sing 'em…I try to sing 'em like Grandfather would, I try to take all their voices off as much as I can when I sing their songs...we just naturally followed the way our parents and grandparents sang. If you don't put feeling into a song, what's the point of singing it? You've got to sing it from the heart." - Carrie Milliner

This version of a lesser known traditional English ballad was collected from many of the extended family including cousin Max Walker and Aunt Lil. Carrie associates the song with her cousin Alby Bobbin, who learnt this very big ballad, from his father Leaton, at the age of seven!

Oh, come all you rambling bachelors, and roving boys beware,
Listen to my lamentation, the truth I do declare.

It’s concerning two young lovers, who were both bound down with love;
To taste the joys of wedlock, til fortune proved unkind.

There was James Conroy a farmer’s son, I’ll write his tragedy,
He courted lovely Betsy, the pride of Abigail.

But he was tempted jealously, and bound down in an oath,
That they’d live and love together, ‘til death should part them both.

Then Betsy wrote a letter, and sent it to her love,
She desired him to meet her, one evening in the grove.

But little did she ever think, the thoughts run through his breast
She appeared in men’s apparel, so gaily she was dressed.

Then when he saw her coming, he cried out most severe,
“Here comes my brother Johnny, to meet my true love here.”

Now quickly I’ll deceive him, his butcher I will be,
He never shall enjoy her, nor live to trouble me.

From the ground he rose a pistol, while loaded in his hand,
He fired at his brother, as you may understand.

It was at his love he fired the shot, which caused her downfall,
And in her tender bosom, he lodged a fatal ball.

She cried out, “Cruel Jimmy,” as she lay upon the ground,
“Now come and see your Bet-sy die, it was you that gave the wound.”

Then when he saw her dying, he raved and tore his hair,
Another bullet for him-self, he quickly did prepare.

He shot himself, saying, “Betsy, I die for the love of thee.”
Let all young men take w-ar-ning --- of cursed jealousy

Cocky's Daughter

Some years ago I first heard the field recordings of traditional singer and dance musician, Sally Sloane. Amongst the complete ballads was a haunting fragment that has so far frustrated any attempts at restoring to completion. It was a mystery to the late John Meredith, who collected the fragment from Sally, and to everyone else I've asked. A transcription of the fragment that Sally sang follows….can anyone help with any more of this song?



Note: This fragment and many more hundreds of tapes of collected music are available from the National Library of Australia.
Look for the Carrie Milliner field recordings under: TRC 3042 Rob Willis Collection, and try TRC 4/17 John Meredith Collection for Sally Sloane material, including the fragment of Cocky' Daughter.