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Book: Old Bush Songs

  • The Wild Colonial Boy
    'Tis of a wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doolan was his name,
    Of poor but honest parents he was born in Castlemaine.
    33 lines
  • On the road to Gundagai
    Oh, we started down from Roto when the sheds had all cut out.
    We'd whips and whips of Rhino as we meant to push about,
    24 lines
  • John Gilbert ( Bushranger)
    John Gilbert was a bushranger
    Of terrible renown
    64 lines
  • Bold Jack Donahoe (1)
    'Twas of a valiant highwayman and outlaw of disdain
    Who'd scorn to live in slavery or wear a convicts chain;
    40 lines
  • Bold Jack Donahoe (2)
    In Dublin town I was brought up, in that city of great fame.
    My decent friends and parents, they will tell to you the same.
    33 lines, 1 comment
  • The Old Bark Hut
    In an old bark hut on a mountainside
    In a spot that was lone and drear
    160 lines, 2 comments
  • The Dying Stockman
    A strapping young stockman lay dying,
    His saddle supporting his head;
    28 lines, 1 comment
  • Bold Jack Donohue (3)
    Come all you gallant bushrangers who gallop o'er the plains
    Refuse to live in slavery, or wear the convict chains.
    32 lines
  • Brave Donahue
    A life that is free as the bandit's of old,
    When Rome was the prey of the warriers bold
    24 lines
  • Goorianawa
    Now I'm getting broken mouthed,
    My shearing's at an end,
    13 lines
  • Ben Hall
    My name is Ben Hall from Urunga I came,
    The cause of my turn out you all know the same;
    20 lines
  • Our Jack
    D'ye ken our Jack with his note so gay,
    D'ye ken our Jack at the break of day,
    24 lines
  • Death of Ben Hall
    Come all Australia's sons to me --
    A hero has been slain
    40 lines
  • Tomahawking Fred
    Now some shearing I have done, and some prizes I have won,
    Through my knuckling down so close on the skin,
    21 lines
  • Billy Barlow in Australia
    When I was at home I was down on my luck,
    And I earned a poor living by drawing a truck;
    96 lines
  • Bourke's Dream
    Lonely and sadly one night in November
    I laid down my weary head in search of repose
    44 lines
  • My Religion
    Let Romanists all at Confessional kneel,
    Let the Jew with disgust turn from it,
    24 lines, 1 comment
  • The Wallaby Brigade
    You often have been told of regiments brave and bold,
    But we are the bravest in the land;
    29 lines
  • The Freehold on the Plain
    I'm a broken-down old squatter, my cash it is all gone,
    Of troubles and bad seasons I complain;
    24 lines
  • A Thousand Miles Away
    Hurrah for the Roma railway! Hurrah for Cobb and Co.,
    And oh! for a good fat horse or two to carry me Westward Ho --
    17 lines
  • The Overlander
    There's a trade you all know well —
          It's bringing cattle over:
    69 lines
  • The Shepherd
    He wore an old blue shirt the night that first we met,
    An old and tattered cabbage-tree concealed his locks of jet;
    19 lines
  • The Australian Stockman
    The sun peers o'er yon wooded ridge and thro' the forest dense,
    Its golden edge o'er the mountain ledge looks down on the stockyard fence,
    20 lines
  • Mustering Song
    The boss last night in the hut did say --
    "We start to muster at break of day;
    57 lines
  • The Stockman's Last Bed
    Be ye stockmen or no, to my story give ear.
    Alas! for poor Jack, no more shall we hear
    19 lines
  • The Squatter of the Olden Time
    I'll sing to you a fine new song, made by my blessed mate,
    Of a fine Australian squatter who had a fine estate,
    25 lines
  • Wallabi Joe
    The saddle was hung on the stockyard rail,
    And the poor old horse stood whisking his tail,
    38 lines
  • River Bend
    At River Bend, in New South Wales,
    All alone among the whales,
    25 lines
  • The Maranoa Drovers
    The night is dark and stormy, and the sky is clouded o'er;
    Our horses we will mount and ride away,
    25 lines
  • The Stockman
    A bright sun and a loosened rein,
    A whip whose pealing sound
    32 lines
  • The Swagman
    Kind friends, pray give attention
         To this, my little song.
    48 lines
  • The Murrumbidgee Shearer
    Come, all you jolly natives, and I'll relate to you
    Some of my observations -- adventures, too, a few.
    30 lines
  • The Old Keg of Rum
    My name is old Jack Palmer,
    I'm a man of olden days,
    84 lines
  • The Loafers' Club
    A club there is established here, whose name they say is Legion;
    From Melbourne to the Billabong they're known in every region.
    28 lines
  • The Stockmen of Australia
    The stockmen of Australia, what rowdy boys are they,
    They will curse and swear a hurricane if you come in their way.
    35 lines
  • Colonial Experience
    When first I came to Sydney Cove
    And up and down the streets did rove,
    44 lines
  • Hawking
    Now, shut your mouths, you loafers all,
    You vex me with your twaddle,
    48 lines
  • The Bushman
    When the merchant lies down, he can scarce go to sleep
    For thinking of his merchandise upon the fatal deep;
    31 lines
  • My Mate Bill
    That's his saddle on the tie-beam,
    And them's his spurs up there
    68 lines
  • Bringing Home the Cows
    Shadows of the twilight falling
    On the mountain's brow,
    32 lines
  • Sunny New South Wales
    We often hear men boast about the land which gave them birth,
    And each one thinks his native land the fairest spot on earth;
    40 lines
  • A National Song for Australia Felix
    Dark over the face of Nature sublime
    Reign'd tyranny, warfare, and every crime;
    38 lines
  • The Free Selector (song of 1861)
    Ye sons of industry, to you I belong,
    And to you I would dedicate a verse or a song.
    20 lines
  • The Sheep-Washers' Lament
    Come now, ye sighing washers all,
    Join in my doleful lay,
    64 lines
  • The Plains of Riverine
    I have come to tell the glorious news you'll all be glad to hear,
    Of the pleasant alterations that are taking place this year.
    40 lines, 1 comment
  • Jimmy Sago, Jackaroo
    If you want a situation, I'll just tell you the plan
    To get on to a station, I am just your very man.
    22 lines, 1 comment
  • The Eumerella Shore
    There's a happy little valley on the Eumerella shore,
    Where I've lingered many happy hours away,
    30 lines
  • The Stringy-Bark Cockatoo
    I'm a broken-hearted miner, who loves his cup to drain,
    Which often-times has caused me to lie in frost and rain.
    38 lines
  • The Squatter's Man
    Come, all ye lads an' list to me,
    That's left your homes an' crossed the sea,
    56 lines
  • Immigration
    Now Jordan's land of promise is the burden of my song,
    Perhaps you've heard him lecture, and blow about it strong;
    20 lines
  • Banks of Riverine
    Hark! Hark! the dogs are barking, I can no longer stay;
    The boys have all gone shearing, so I heard the shepherd say;
    24 lines
  • To-morrow I'm Losing My Darling
    I'm very unhappy, tho' nothing I've done.
    I'll tell you the cause of my sorrow;
    40 lines
  • Shearers Song
    Hurrah for the Lachlan, boys, and join me in a cheer;
    That's the place to go to make a cheque every year.
    24 lines
  • With My Swag All On My Shoulder
    When first I left Old England's shore,
    Such yarns as we were told,
    48 lines
  • The Ramble-eer
    The earth rolls on through empty space, its journey's never done;
    It's entered for a starry race throughout the kingdom come.
    22 lines
  • Hang the Man Who Works
    Come listen to my ditty, come listen to me hum,
    While I relate a verse or two of the professional bum
    29 lines
  • Across the Western Plains I Must Wander
    It's ah ! for my grog, my jolly, jolly grog,
    It's ah ! for my beer and tobacco;
    29 lines, 1 comment
  • The Girls of Tasmania
    The Irishman loves his fair Colleen,
    No doubt she is witty and pretty,
    19 lines
  • New England Cocky
    'Twas a New England Cocky, as of late I've been told,
    Who died, so 'tis said, on account of the cold.
    20 lines
  • Down by the Sydney Side
    Over near a chock-and-log hut,
    Down by the river-side,
    36 lines
  • Then Give Me a Hut in my Own Native Land
    Then give me a hut in my own native land,
    Or a tent in the bush with the mountains so grand;
    19 lines
  • The Death of Morgan
    Throughout Australian History no tongue or pen can tell
    Of such preconcerted treachery -- there is no parallel --
    28 lines
  • Dunn, Gilbert and Ben Hall
    Come! all ye lads of loyalty,
         and listen to my tale;
    61 lines, 3 comments
  • Another Fall of Rain
    THE weather had been sultry for a fortnight's time or more,
    And the shearers had been driving might and main,
    29 lines
  • Flash Jack from Gundagai
    I've shore at Burrabogie, and I've shore at Toganmain,
    I've shore at big Willandra and upon the old Coleraine,
    22 lines, 1 comment
  • Dwell not with Me
    Dwell not with me,
    For you'll never see
    16 lines, 1 comment
  • The Beautiful Land of Australia
    All you on emigration bent,
    With home and England ill-content,
    78 lines
  • The Old Survey
    Our money's all spent, to the deuce it went!
    The landlord, he looks glum;
    28 lines
  • Paddy's Letter, 1857
    I've had all sorts of luck, sometimes bad, sometimes better,
    But now I have somebody's luck and my own,
    45 lines
  • The Old Bullock Dray
    Oh ! the shearing is all over,
    And the wool is coming down,
    73 lines
  • Paddy Malone in Australia
    Och ! my name's Pat Malone, and I'm from Tipperary.
    Sure, I don't know it now, I'm so bothered, Ohone!
    60 lines

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