our music

King Willy

Oh, King Willy, he's gone over the raging foam
He's wooed a wife and he's brought her home
And he has wooed her all for her long gold hair
But his mother's wrought them a mighty care
And a withy spell she's laid on her
And though she has been with child for long and many's the year
And yet no child will she ever bear
And in her power she lies in pain,
And King Willy, he stands all at her bedhead
And down his cheeks the salten tears do run.

So, King Willy he has to his mother run
And he's gone there as a begging son
He says, "Me true love has this wondrous steed,
The likes of which you have never seen.
This goodly gift shall be your own,
If back to me own true love you'll turn again
That she might bear her baby son."

"Ah, this child she shall never lie to be
Nor from sickness will she e'er be free
And she will die, and she will turn to clay
And you will wed with another maid"
So sighing says this weary man
As back to his own true love he's gone again,
"I wish me life was at an end".

So, King Willy he has back to his mother run
And he's gone there as a begging son
He says, "Me true love has this golden girdle,
Deck'd with jewels all around the middle.
This goodly gift shall be your own,
If back to me own true love you'll turn again
That she might bear her baby son."

And then up spake his noble queen
And she has told King Willy of a plan
That she might bear her baby son.
She says now, "You must get you down to the market place
And you must buy you a loaf of wax.
And you must shape it as a child that is to nurse
And you must make two eyes of glass
And ask your mother to the christening day
And you must stand all close by as you can
That you might hear what she do say."

So, King Willy, he's gone down to the market place
And he has bought him a loaf of wax.
And he has shaped it as a child that is to nurse
And he has made two eyes of glass
He's asked his mother to the christening day
And he has stood all close by as he could
That he might hear what she did say."

"And who was it who took out the nine witch knots
Braided in amongst this lady's locks
And who was it who took out the combs of care
Braided in amongst this lady's hair
And who was it the master kid did slay
That ran and slept all beneath this lady's bed
That ran and slept all beneath her bed
And who was it unlaced her left shoe
And who was it who has let her lie to be
That she might bear her baby son?"

And it was Willy who took out the nine witch knots
Braided in amongst this lady's locks
And it was Willy who took out the combs of care
Braided in amongst this lady's hair
And it was Willy the master kid did slay
And it was Willy who unlaced her left shoe
And he has let her lie to be
And she has borne her baby son
And many and great were the blessings them upon
And great were the blessings them upon
And she has borne her baby son
And many and great were the blessings them upon
And great were the blessings them upon

Annan Waters

Traditional (Child #4)

Oh Annan Water's wondrous deep,
A mile of Annan's wondrous valley,
And loathe that she should wet her feet
Because I love her best of any.

Come saddle to me the bonny grey mare,
Come saddle her soon, and make her ready,
For I will must cross that stream tonight,
Or never more I'll see my lady.

Chorus:

And woe betide you, Annan Water
By night you are a gloomy river
And over you I'll build a bridge
That never more, true love may sever.

And he has ridden o'er field and fen,
O'er moor and moss and many's the mire
And the spurs of steel are sore to bite
And from the mare's feet flew the fire

Oh, the mare rode on o'er moor and moss
And when she's gained the Annan Water
She could not ride a furlong more
Though a thousand whips were laid upon her

For the water is deep and the sides are steep
From bank to brae the water's pouring
And the bonny grey mare, she sweats from fear
All for to hear the water's roaring

O boatman, come lay off your boat!
Lay off your boat for gold and money!
For I must cross that stream tonight,
Or never more I'll see my lady."

And he has tried to swim that stream
And he swam on, both strong and steady;
But the river is wide, and strength did fail,
And he never more did see his lady.

Oh woe betide you willow wand
And woe betide you, bush and briar
For it broke, beneath that true-love's hand
When strength did fade, and will did tire.

The Streets of Forbes

Come all you Lachlan men, and a sorrowful tale I'll tell
Concerning of a hero bold who through misfortune fell
His name it was Ben Hall, a man of good renown
Who was hunted from his station, and like a dog shot down.

Three years he roamed the roads, and he showed the traps some fun
A thousand pounds was on his head, with Gilbert and John Dunn
Ben parted from his comrades, the outlaws did agree
To give away bushranging and to cross the briny sea.

Ben went to Goobang Creek, and that was his downfall
For riddled like a sieve was valiant Ben Hall
'Twas early in the morning upon the fifth of May
When seven police surrounded him as fast asleep he lay.

Bill Dargin he was chosen to shoot the outlaw dead
The troopers then fired madly, and filled him full of lead
They rolled him in a blanket and strapped him to his prad
And led him through the streets of Forbes to show the prize they had.

Gypsy

Nicole Murray/Tune - traditional

There's a fine young man and a handsome man,
His life planned out from the age of three
He met with a girl in the glowing candle-light
Beguiled and mesmerised, he loved her instantly

She was dressed in lace and she wore no shoes
Her tangled hair in a chestnut braid
She was only in the city while the festival was pretty
But when he began to sing, she listened and she stayed

She was like a magical breath of air
To him, she smelt of the forest fresh
He breathed her skin and the down upon her neck
So she asked him to stay and she gave him a test,

Chorus:
Who is my one true mother,
Where is the breath of the world
And when love's heat burns in my core,
What shall quench my thirst?

Well, he searched the town for the breath of the world
He sought in vain for her mother true
And he pondered her riddle as he looked into his glass
Eventually, he decided what he had to do

He brought her a gift that was filled with love,
Planted in the one true mother, Earth
Quenched by the rain, opened by the sun
The scent of the rose is the world's sweet breath

Then she kissed him gently and held the rose
And told him what her riddle meant
Earth and wind and fire and water
The cycle of the forest, it was there she went

Chorus,

Well, the city binds this fine young man
He cannot see for his heart is chilled
Though he longs to be with his own sweet love,
She's gone to the forest, climbing into the hills.

Earth and wind and fire and water
Earth and wind and fire
Earth and wind and fire and water
Earth, wind, water, fire.

Parramatta Gaol

Verity Truman & Michael Atkinson

In the mornings they unbolt the doors
And beat the cold out of our bones
But the frozen sun can't warm the stones
Of the prison yard

Transported here for being poor
From the London streets
To Australia's shore
Our only choice is servant or whore
Or the factories

A hostage of Brittania's rule
Marked to be a soldier's wife
Or condemned to years of convict life
In Parramatta Gaol

The stones etched deep with words of pain
Street-wise women, homeless girls
Hundreds live within these walls,
Exiled for life

Chorus:
Imprisoned tongue, seen but never heard
She's always been the songless bird
The cold wind tugging at her skirt
Unfettered spirit, unyielding thought

With iron collars and shaven heads
We labour hard at loom and mill
If our backs don't hold, our spirits will
In solitary confines

Year after year, the deepening scars
Are carved by the turnkey's tireless arms
If we are the victims, what is our crime
What is the price

One sleepless night, a whispered plan
Is carried on the harbour breeze
A pact of sweet conspiricies and bold escape

Our rations cut, the children starve
The murmerings and anger grow
Together, we will see it through
The fuse is lit.

Chorus,

A flash of light, the air explodes
Staves and fists beat down the gate
Years of bitterness and hate find new release

The crunch of boots and bayonets,
The guards and king's artillery
Fight to quell the mutiny
With musket fire

Flying through the township streets
The storm raged fiercely through the night
And brutally the army's might
Took control

One by one, recaptured now
Thrown in cells, clapped in chains
In unity, our voice remains
A song of hope

Chorus.

Honest Work

Todd Rungren

I'm not afraid to bend my back
I'm not afraid of dirt
But how I fear the things I do
For lack of honest work

My family is lost to me
They could not bear the hurt
To see the state their boy is in
For lack of honest work

I hold no blame for anyone
'Twas I who did arrange
To save my union dues
So I'd not have to learn or change

And when I was replaced,
'Twas I who started down the hill
And drank away my savings
For I could not stop myself

The prophets of a brave new world
Those captains of industry
They have visions, grand and grave designs
But none have room for me

They see a world where everyone
Is rich and smart and young
But if I should live to see such things
Too late for me they'll come

Now I know I'm not the only one
To fall beneath the wheel
But such company does not assuage
The loneliness I feel

Too many are resigned to be
Society's debris
And I will be remembered for
The life, life took from me

I'm not afraid to bend my back
I'm not afraid of dirt
But how I fear the things I do
For lack of honest work

And if I had my time again,
I'd be a union man
For alone, they'll bring us to our knees
But in union, we may stand

Yes, if I have my time again,
I'll be a union man
For alone, they'll bring us to our knees
But in union, we will stand.

Ten Long Years

The judge he said of an innocent man,
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"
With a wig on his head and a gavel in his hand
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"

They say come and they say go
One more night and then it's tomorrow
Serving time for another man's crime
Ten long years.

Protected by the arm of the law
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"
The sins of the rich and the trials of the poor
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"

They say come and they say go
One more night and then it's tomorrow
Serving time for another man's crime
Ten long years.

When justice lies in the hands of the fools
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"
It sews the seeds of doubt in us all
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"

They say come and they say go
One more night and then it's tomorrow
Serving time for another man's crime
Ten long years.

The judge he said of an innocent man,
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"
With a wig on his head and a gavel in his hand
"Give him ten long years, ten long years"

They say come and they say go
One more night and then it's tomorrow
Serving time for another man's crime
Ten long years.

Two sisters

Traditional (Child #10)

There were two sisters side by side,
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
There were two sisters side by side,
The boys are bound for me
There were two sisters side by side,
The eldest for young Johnny cried
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring,
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring,
The boys are bound for me
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring,
He never bought the eldest a single thing
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
The boys are bound for me
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
The eldest didn't think much of that
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

The sisters went a-walking by the bonny brim
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
The sisters went a-walking by the bonny brim
The boys are bound for me
The sisters went a-walking by the bonny brim
The eldest pushed the youngest in
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

Sister, oh sister, give me thy hand
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
Sister, oh sister, give me thy hand
The boys are bound for me
Sister, oh sister, give me thy hand
And you can have Johnny and all his land
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

Sister, I'll not give you my hand
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
Sister, I'll not give you my hand
The boys are bound for me
Sister, I'll not give you my hand
And I'll have Johnny and all his land
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

So, away she sank and away she swam
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
Away she sank and away she swam
The boys are bound for me
Away she sank and away she swam
She swam right to the miller's dam
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

The miller he stole her gay gold ring
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
The miller he stole her gay gold ring
The boys are bound for me
The miller he stole her gay gold ring
And then he pushed her in again
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

The miller, he was hanged on the mountain head
Sing i-dum, sing i-day
The miller, he was hanged on the mountain head
The boys are bound for me
The miller, he was hanged on the mountain head
While the elder sister was boiled in lead
I'll be true to my love, if my love will be true to me

The Green Man

John Thompson

The Green Man's a traveller, a reveller, unraveller
Of dreams and of fancies, from first to the last.
Older than all men, living in all things
Son, father and sage,
Long live the Green Man!

First light of first morning saw the Green Man there waiting
He saw the creation and joined in the dance
All creatures grew 'round him, he grew with them singing
The first song of all, sing of the Green Man

Quietly watching and waiting and learning
The storms are his fury, the lightning his laugh
The first leaf of spring, his beauty and glory
His stillness his power, in the trees is his path.

There are fewer trees now, but the man is not sleeping
'Though our ruin brings sorrow to time's oldest heart
In our souls we may find him and remember his wisdom
And rekindle the flame; once again make a start.

Wasn't that a party

Tom Paxton

Could've been the whiskey
Might've been the gin
Could've been the three or four six-packs, I don't know
But look at the mess I'm in
My head is like a football
I think I'm going to die
Tell me, me oh, me oh my
Wasn't that a party

Someone had a grapefruit
They wore it like a hat
I saw someone under my kitchen table
Talking to my old tom cat
They were talking about football
The cat was talking back
Just about then everything went black
Wasn't that a party

It could've been my memory
Playing tricks on me
But I believe I saw my buddy
Sitting up in my neighbour's tree

He was singing a folk song
Sounded pretty good
It would've sounded better if his wife hadn't made such a racket
Chopping up my neighbour's wood
Could've been his woodpile
Might've been his door
Well I reckon she must've got three or four
And wasn't that a party

And Bill and Joe and Tommy
Well they went a little far
They were sitting in the frony yard, blowing on the siren
Of somebody's police car

So you see, Your Honour
It was all in fun
The little bitty track-meet down on main street
Was just to see if the cops could run

Well they run us in to see you
In an alcoholic haze
I sure can use those thirty days
To recover from the party
Wasn't that a party