| Live
one man's weeds
- another man's flowers
Recorded Live at Wongawilli
Hall over two nights, this CD is a showcase of Us Not Them in concert,
including 11 previously unrecorded songs. A rare collection of gems,
this album displays a strong Australian character exploring aspects
of our history and landscape and their impact on individuals. Some
of the songs are over 100 years old, others written in the past
20 years.
Come to terms with our convict heritage through the awesome ballad
'Exile of Erin' and then look again through the contemporary eyes
of David Beniuk with 'Like Limerick'. Experience the drought and
despair in the bush through 'Dirt of the Mallee' and find a kind
of peace in 'Sweet Necessity' and 'Move Along Baldy'. Join the audience
in the powerful choruses of 'Poison Train' and 'Sing Us a Song Boys'
from Michael O'Rourke. Add to this a few previously recorded Us
not Then songs including the evocative Salvation Jane and 'The Wanderers'
to complete a quality packed 60 minutes of music.
The CD also features fabulous
Jim McWhinnie on Bodhran.
Track list and Lyrics
1. Songs of the Bush
C & J Roweth
Grandad knew stories and songs of this country,
From days before TV, when gold was still found;
And the tunes that he played had a style all Australian
Flowing as endless as a spring from the ground.
And there in the gold fields were all kinds of
people,
Many who'd travelled so far from their home,
So Grandad knew Germans and Kooris and Irish,
And shared with them music and stories and poems.
But I never learned how to play concertina,
Happy enough with my foot keeping time.
Somewhere I guess I just took it for granted -
The songs of the bush would still be there next time.
This country was growing, it's character showing
-
We're tough dancing drinkers always good for a laugh,
And the songs we were singing were no longer homesick
Of bushrangers, shearing and this country we love.
But I never…
Strange days indeed when the songs of our history
Need be collected all over again,
But the old people die, taking with them their memories,
And the melodies vanish like they've never been.
And I never…
2. Wanderers
Words: James Hebblethwaite, Music : C &
J Roweth
As I rode in the early dawn while stars were fading
white,
I saw upon a grassy slope a campfire burning bright,
With tent behind and blaze before three loggers in a row,
Sang all together joyously pull up the stakes and go,
Pull up the stakes and go.
As I rode on by Eaglehawke the wide blue deep of
air,
The wind among the glittering leaves, the flowers so sweet and fair,
The thunder of the rude salt waves, the creeks soft overflow,
All joined in chorus to the words pull up the stakes and go,
Pull up the stakes and go.
Nearby the tent on forest's skirt, by odour of
the earth,
By sight and scent of morning smoke, by evening campfire mirth,
By deep sea calls and foaming greens, by new stars gleam and glow,
By summer trails in antique lands, pull up the stakes and go,
Pull up the stakes and go.
The world is wide and we are young and sounding
marches beat,
And passion pipes the sweetest call in lanes and fields and streets,
To rouse the chorus brothers all when something has to show,
When death comes round and strikes our tent, pull up the stakes
and go,
Pull up the stakes and go.
3. When the Roses Bloom
Again
Words: Cobb & Edwards 1901, Music: Jeff
Tweedy 1997
He was roaming in the gloaming where the roses
were in bloom
A soldier, with his sweetheart, brave and true.
And their hearts were filled with sorrow, for their thoughts were
of tomorrow,
As she pinned a rose upon his coat of blue.
"Do not ask me love to linger, for you know not
what to say,
Before duty calls your sweetheart's name again.
But your heart need not be sighing; if I be among the dying
I'll be with you when the roses bloom again."
When the roses bloom again beside the river
And the mocking bird has sung her sweet refrain,
In the days of Auld Lang Syne, I'll be with you sweetheart mine,
I'll be with you when the roses bloom again.
In the rattle of the battle came a whisper soft
and low
From a soldier who had fallen in the fray,
"I am dying, I am dying and I know that I must go,
But I want to tell you before I pass away -
There's a far and distant river where the roses
are in bloom,
And a sweetheart who is waiting there for me.
It is there I pray you take me. I've been faithful, don't forsake
me -
I'll be with her when the roses bloom again."
When the roses bloom again ….
4. Where is My Wandering
Boy
Robert Lowry 1877
Where is my wandering boy tonight, the boy of my
tender years
The boy that was once so dear to me, and none was so sweet as he?
Oh where is my boy tonight, oh where is my boy tonight?
My heart oer'flows, for I love him he knows
Oh where is my boy tonight?
Go for my wandering boy tonight, go search for him where you will,
And bring him to me in all his plight, tell him I love him still
Oh Where is my boy…
5. Like Limerick
David Beniuk
I've resigned myself, yes I'm resigned.
A godforsaken life is God's design.
I'm dreaming of a ship that's bound for home,
But dreams are more like nightmares on their own -
Like Limerick, like Limerick.
We found a road in 1822,
From County Limerick to Jamberoo.
We died and stank and rotted in our chains,
And wondered if we'd see our ones again -
Like Limerick, like Limerick.
This ground I trod felt different underfoot,
A s here upon eternity I stood,
The sun was hot, the sun was burning gold,
But blood was like the winter icy cold -
Like Limerick, like Limerick.
Then after seven years they gave to me,
A farm of hills that rolled down to the sea.
Oh, so reminiscent of my home;
So bittersweet to build a wall of stone -
Like Limerick, like Limerick.
So motherly the curving of the hills,
A mother's green dress that has no frills,
The music of the running Stoney Creek,
The music of the Koori's of their dreams -
Like Limerick, like Limerick.
This place tries so hard to compensate,
Sympathising with my ancient state,
Each sunset turns another dream to stone,
But I can see the ocean from my home -
Like Limerick, like Limerick.
6. The Drifting Smoke of
the Mountains
Words: Unknown, Music: Traditional
He took his gun and rode his horse, he rode right
to The Hollow,
And oh, dear God I do declare I wish that I could follow.
Jack Donohue is on the road, no chains could ever hold him,
The soldiers might as well have chased the drifting smoke of the
mountains.
The Hollow is a dreadful place and Johnny would
not bide there,
But all the world's against him now and so he needs must hide there.
But he'll ride out along the road and they will never take him -
A pistol ball could never strike the drifting smoke of the mountains.
They send him out from Dublin town, for life he
was transported.
His crime was that he loved his land and tyrants never courted.
When tyranny he faced again, he broke the chains that bound him,
And now no shackles can restrain the drifting smoke of the mountain.
The Hollow is poor Johnny's home, the outlaws his
companions,
There's Underwood and Walmsley too, and the boy they call O'Bannion.
He rides the hills with gun in hand, a splendid horse beneath him,
Across the streams and peak and glen like the drifting smoke of
the mountain.
Now blood is red and anger black, and both shall
stain the field now,
For Johnny Donahue's abroad and he will never yield now.
If Johnny dies, I will not grieve, for death is but a sleeping;
I know he'll ride the hills again in the drifting smoke of the mountains.
7. The Exile Of Erin
Traditional
O, farewell my country, my kindred, my lover,
Each morning and evening is sacred to you,
While I toil the long day without shelter or cover,
And fell the tall gums, the black-butted and blue.
Full often I think of and talk of thee Erin,
Thy heath-covered mountains still fresh in my view,
Thy glens, lakes and rivers, Loch-Con and Kilkerran,
While chained to the soil on the Plains of Emu.
The ironbark, wattle, and gum trees extending,
Their shades under which rests the shy kangaroo,
May be felled by the blessed who have hope o'er them bending,
To cheer their rude toil, though far exiled from you.
But alas, without hope, peace or honour to grace me,
Each feeling was crushed in the bud as it grew
Whilst "never" is stamped on the chains that embrace me,
And endless my thrall on the Plains of Emu.
Hard, hard was my fate, far from thee to be driven,
Unstained, unconvicted, as sure was my due,
I loved to dispense of the freedom of Heaven,
But force gained the day, and I suffer for you.
For this land never broke what by promise was plighted,
Deep treason, this tongue to my country never knew,
No base earned coin in my coffer ere lighted,
Yet enchained I remain on the Plains of Emu.
Dear mother, thy love from my bosom shall never
Depart, but shall flourish untainted and true,
Nor grieve that the base in their malice should ever
Upbraid thee, and none to give malice her due.
Spare, spare her the tear, and no charge lay upon her,
And weep not, my Nora, her griefs to renew,
But cherish her age until night closes on her,
And think of the swain who still thinks but of you.
For your names shall live, through like writing
in water,
When confined to the notes of the tame cockatoo,
Each wattle scrub echo repeats to the other,
Your names, and each breeze hears me sighing anew.
For dumb be my tongue, may my heart cease her motion,
If the isle I forget where my first breath I drew,
Each affection is warmed with sincerest devotion,
For the tie is unbroken on the Plains of Emu.
8. Salvation Jane
C & J Roweth
Purple on the hillside, the year turns again,
Bringing honey-sweet memories of Salvation Jane.
Taking me over for better or worse,
My wildest of flowers, my Paterson's Curse.
On my side of the mountains a man can see for miles,
And I looked for a future in the depths of her smiles,
But she was like a season that blew through my heart,
Rolling away from me right from the start.
Now this country it looks different, and it looks
just the same;
In town the roses are blooming again.
And I drive these same roads, two wheels in the dirt,
Safe as I ever was from her kind of hurt.
But do you ever wonder in streets where you walk,
Where artists and poets linger to talk.
Do Jacaranda blossoms ever blur in your eyes,
Turn to hills of wild flowers, and wide evening skies?
Purple on the hillside, the year turns again,
Bringing honey-sweet memories of Salvation Jane.
Taking me over for better or worse,
My wildest of flowers, my Paterson's Curse.
9. Dirt of the Mallee
John Caldwell
The dirt of the Mallee is blood red and raw
It blows on the wind to some far foreign shore.
We've sat and we've waited, and waited some more,
But most have forgotten what we're waiting for.
Rise like the mist, fall like the rain, the dirt
of the mallee is moving again.
The crops are all in, we wait for the rain,
But the sun is so fierce that the heat sears your brain.
The Banker is coming to visit again,
And Dad's poor old ticker is causing him pain.
Rise like the mist…
The land up and moves, you just can't keep it down;
It's gone on vacation to old Melbourne town.
In days long gone by there was lot's to go 'round,
But now there is scarcely a scrap to be found.
Rise like the mist…
They've shuttered the shops, they've closed down
the rail,
Now we have to walk weary miles for the mail.
Old Harry went bad now he's locked up in gaol,
And it seems as though all of our pipe dreams must fail.
Rise like the mist…
The men down the road are not planting this season,
Some say it's the markets, some mutter of treason.
And many's the missus has given up teasing,
She wakes in the morning to find she's not pleasing.
Rise like the mist…
10. Sweet Necessity
Michael O'Rourke
Sweet Necessity I'll take you to some solitary
place,
Where I can hold you by your shoulders small and look you in the
face.
With you beside me I can leave behind the crowds and song and booze,
And all the gambling talk no matter what you lose.
We are the first ones in the quiet land; we are
the pioneers,
We're here to carve out all the figures that lie hidden behind our
fears.
We will not measure up what must be done by what we've won or lost,
But we'll just play our cards and never count the cost.
We will see traces of other lives beneath the earth
and stone,
And we will stand among the ruins remembering things we've never
known.
We will see faces from other times go by in the crowded street,
And we'll go our way not knowing who we'll meet.
Sweet Necessity when you come in and lay down beside
me,
All my foolish worries fade away and I suddenly feel free.
I know your eye is dark and straight and I know that you heart is
true,
And that you'll stay beside me all of the seasons through.
11. Poison Train
Michael O'Rourke
This old town has had it's day, all the people
moved away,
The houses standing empty in the dry and dusty day.
No one cares for this old town now the money's not around,
The railway line is rusty and the station's falling down
When the railway opened here all the gutters flowed
with beer,
And the people stood beside the line to watch and wave and cheer.
Oh the speeches that were made when the bosses smiled and said,
"Good times beginning - follow us and you'll go ahead."
There's a light down the line, let it shine lord
let it shine,
There's a camp down the way, all the fettlers will be coming home
today.
Well they built the streets so wide it'd be a
thing of pride
To walk across it drunk or throw a stone to the other side,
And the buildings grew so tall you would tremble at their fall,
Now they all fall down and you'd never know there was anyone there
at all.
There's a light down the line...
You can hear the tall man say to the children at
their play,
Now you'd better go home early and you'd better stay away.
Stay away from the line can't you hear the tracks are humming,
The grass has grown too tall and the poison train is coming.
There's a light ....
You feel sorry for the grass all it did was grow
too fast,
An with the weapons ranged against it, it was never meant last.
And the man and his offsider, well they're all dressed in black,
As the poison train goes through the town and blisters all the track.
But there's a light…
Well it never lasted long half the town was dead
and gone;
They were all just too afraid to be left there all alone.
And the people moved away - there was no celebration,
No-one made a speech the day they closed down the station.
There's a light down the line...
12. Move Along Baldy
Tex Morton
Here in the ranges I feel I'm at home,
With my old pony I live all alone.
I ride the boundaries the busy day long,
I ain't no Caruso but I sing my song.
Move along Baldy there's work to be done.
We want to be home by the setting of sun.
We're both feeling hungry and looking for tea;
Clover for you boy and damper for me.
I don't want riches. I don't want wealth.
I'd be contented if I had good health.
But I've got two true friends who never see fault -
One's name is Baldy, the other's his colt.
Move along Baldy there's work to be done.
We want to be home by the setting of sun.
Nobody's waiting to welcome us back -
Just an old cow and a broken down shack.
I've never wanted to live in the town,
I've never been passed Alexandria Downs.
When I feel lonesome I tell myself lies,
And sing with my mouth shut to keep out the flies.
Move along Baldy there's work to be done.
We want to be home by the setting of sun.
We're both feeling hungry and looking for tea;
Clover for you boy and damper for me.
13. Maiden's Prayer
Traditional
A father came home late one night, to find his
house without a light.
He went upstairs into her room, and found her hanging in the gloom.
And on her breast was pinned a note, and these
the very words she wrote,
"Oh Father, I can't face the shame, to bear this child without a
name."
"And when my apron string hung low, he chased me
through the ice and snow,
But now my apron strings don't meet, he passes by me in the street."
"Oh dig my grave and dig it deep and plant white
roses at my feet,
Yes, plant white roses up above, to signify I died of love."
14. Sing Us Song Boys
Michael O'Rourke
Come all decent people who suffer no shame,
You can let the blame lie where it will.
For they've taken all from me except for my name
And they've turned that from good into ill.
Sing us a song boys and we'll be away,
It's a long dry road we're travelling today.
Let the bottle go 'round, take it easy and free,
No man is a stranger when he's drinking, with me.
If you ask where I'm going my errand's my own,
It's for me to know where to and when.
And drinking might stop me from thinking too long,
To live though my memories again
Sing us a song…
God knows what kind of a country we made,
There were men raised it up on their backs.
But the fellows who handle the shears and the spade,
Are still out on the wallaby track.
Sing us a song…
Where is the flag of the digger's brigade?
Where are the riders out in the night?
And where is the wild dog who's never afraid
And will never let go when he bites?
Sing us a song … |
