A rollicking song about droving cattle. Published in The Queenslander in 1894, with lyrics attributed to A. W. Davis.
lyrics
Oh, the night is dark and stormy and the sky is clouded o'er,
Our horses we will mount and ride away,
To watch the squatter's cattle through the darkness of the night
And we'll keep them on the camp till break of day.
Chorus: Cos we're going, going, going to Gunnedah so far,
Soon we'll be in sunny New South Wales.
And we'll bid farewell to Queensland and its swampy coolibah -
Happy drovers from the sandy Maranoa.
With our fires burning bright through the darkness of the night,
And the cattle keeping quiet, well, I'm sure
That I wish for two o'clock, when I call the other watch -
This is droving on the sandy Maranoa.
[CHORUS]
With our beds made on the ground we are sleeping oh so sound,
We're wakened by the distant thunder's roar,
And the lightning's vivid flash followed by an awful crash -
This is droving on the sandy Maranoa.
[CHORUS]
We're up at break of day and we' soon be on our way,
We always have to go ten miles or more.
But it don't do to loaf about for the squatter will come out -
He's rough on drovers from the sandy Maranoa.
[CHORUS]
We'll soon be on the Moonie and we'll cross the Barwon too,
Then out upon the rolling plains once more.
Then we'll shout, “Hurrah for Queensland” and its swampy coolibah,
And the cattle that come off the Maranoa.
credits
from To Lawsons Joy,
released January 26, 2014
Engineered by Bryce Moorhead.
Produced by Bryce Moorhead and Steve Towson.
The Kunkala Station Band are Steve Towson (lead vocals, guitar, drums and more), Les Buschel (guitar, backing vocals), Luke Mysliwy (violin, backing vocals), Kimbeaux Dawson (flute), Mitch Humphrys (double bass, guitar, backing vocals), Ness Glenn (cello, backing vocals).
Profile photo by Staples. Banner art by TB (Mr. T + MC.T + WHO).
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