John Schumann’s(Formerly Redgum) Vagabond Crew at Woodford 2010, performing Scots Of The Riverina, from the Henry Lawson poem, complete with blistering solos from Hugh McDonald on guitar and Alex (Alexander Stuart) Black on violin. Scots of the Riverina is a 1917 Australian bush poem by Henry Lawson. It relates the story of a boy who left his home in Riverina and is shunned by his family … .. The above Featured Imaged is of the Paddle-steamer EmmyLou on the Murray River, at Port Echuca, north Victoria.
John Schumann and The Vagabond Crew – Scots of the Riverina Lyrics
The boy ran away to the city from his home at harvest time
They were Scots of the Riverina, and to run from home was a crime
The old man burned his letter, the first and last he burned
And he scratched his name from the Bible when the old girl’s back was turned
A year went past and another, and the fruit went down the line
They heard the boy had enlisted, but the old man made no sign
His name must never be mentioned on the farm by Gundagai –
They were Scots of the Riverina with ever the kirk hard by
The boy came home on his “final” and the township bonfire burned
His mother’s arms were about him, but the old man’s back was turned
The daughters begged for pardon till the old man raised his hand
A Scot of the Riverina who was hard to understand
The boy was killed in Flanders, where the bravest heroes die
There were tears at the Grahame homestead and grief in Gundagai
But the old man ploughed at daybreak and the old man ploughed till the mirk –
There were furrows of pain in the orchard while his housefolk went to the kirk
The hurricane lamp in the rafters dimly and dimly burned
And the old man died at the table when the old girl’s back was turned
Face down with his bare arms folded he sank with his wild grey hair
Outspread o’er the family Bible was a name re-written there.
Good morning dear readers, I’m getting ready for work, Ivor’s a busy plumber again. I’m listening to this incredible song, “Gladstone Pier” by an iconic Australian band, Redgum. I’ve looped the song, so I’m now listening to the music continuously for about the sixth time, and I hope you enjoy this song and the fabulous lyrics, as much as I am, on this pleasant Friday morning. My featured image above is of the Port Campbell Pier, on south-west coast, down here in Victoria.
Gladstone Pier, Lyrics by Redgum
Peter was a sailor
Swarthy lean and proud
He could take a schooner through a big sea swell
Aloof in the mainland crowd
She loved his quiet laughter
Like a boy he’d shrug and grin
The beach stretched wide at Port Mackay
With dreams upon the wind
He wore her name in a rose tattoo
Long weekends of gins and lime
She lived in Cairns, made plans to move
Checkout girl part-time
And rumour said, “There’s a boom ahead,
You can make your future here
By the Gladstone Pier”
A two-roomed fibro shelter
Empty hopes, the damp, the flies
Prices hiked, her face grew tight
And conversation died
And the foreman at the smelter said “You’re much too old
Try the canefields furthers north”
And the clerk at the market said “We don’t buy trouble
There’s a strike down at the port”
Then a six-day shift in a filthy pit
The drag lines gouging coal
The black dust gnaws at your lungs and pores
And the anger rots your soul
And the queue round the block waits for you to drop
Can you take it for another year?
By the Gladstone Pier
Every Sunday he’d walk alone
Casting pebbles at the passing waves
Plunge in brine, cleanse his pride
And a stronger man remains
The crunch of shale and distant sails
Ached within his bones
Seeing ships upon the tide
Bound for ports unknown
Soon he drank for comfort
She grew bitter in the weeks between
The nights of beer and hollow cheer
When love became routine
They fought, she left him crying
Angry words in a last café
In desperation on a lonely night
She took the bus to Cairns next day
Gladstone couples break that way
Mutual blame and no regrets
Boomtown blues just fade to grey
And all that’s left are debts –
He cried, “I’ve got to leave this dirty old town
and the rattle of broken men
Break these chains, wash the pain
And put to sea again
I drained all my passion, my anger and my fears
And sank them in a flagon
under Gladstone Pier”
She saw him through the Greyhound window
As the dawn glowed on the chrome
Standing by the pier under sullen skies
Sea winds calling home
From Surfers up to Townsville
Past the high-rise colonies
Fast food, cheap motels
And two more boomtown refugees
Good morning dear readers, today’s poem is one I wrote on my phone while I was lying in bed early this morning, half asleep or half awake, answering a few of my readers comments. I would like to sincerely thank Kate of Calmkate – aroused, for inspiring me to write this piece, despite me being in a state of dreamy slumber.
I’m presenting you another of my fav’ singer/songwriters in Sean Rowe, his glorious song here “To Leave Something Behind”, is typical of his style of music and thought provoking lyrics, please enjoy, I’m going to work/plumbing soon, damn it’s only 1’C !!, I’ll be wearing my new beanie, (Thanks to Soulgifts xx)
Sean Rowe – To Leave Something Behind lyrics
I cannot say that I know you well
But you can’t lie to me with all these books that you sell
I’m not trying to follow you to the end of the world
I’m just trying to leave something behind
Words have come from men and mouse
But I can’t help thinking that I’ve heard the wrong crowd
When all the water is gone my job will be too
And I’m trying to leave something behind
Oh money is free but love costs more than our bread
And the ceiling is hard to reach
Oh the future ahead is broken and red
But I’m trying to leave something behind
This whole world is a foreign land
We swallow the moon but we don’t know our own hand
We’re running with the case but we ain’t got the gold
Yet we’re trying to leave something behind
My friends I believe we are at the wrong fight
And I cannot read what I did not write
I’ve been to His house, but the master is gone
But I’d like to leave something behind
[Lyrics from: https:/lyrics.az/sean-rowe/to-leave-something-behind/to-leave-something-behind.html]
There is a beast who has taken my blame
You can put me to bed but you can’t feel my pain
When the machine has taken the soul from the man
It’s time to leave something behind
Oh money is free but love costs more than our bread
And the ceiling is hard to reach
Oh the future ahead is already dead
So I’m trying to leave something behind
I got this feeling that I’m still at the shore
And pockets don’t know what it means to be poor
I can get through the wall if you give me a door
So I can leave something behind
Oh wisdom is lost in the trees somewhere
You’re not going to find it in some mental gray hair
It’s locked up from those who hurry ahead
And it’s time to leave something behind
Oh money is free but love costs more than our bread
And the ceiling is hard to reach
When my son is a man he will know what I meant
I was just trying to leave something behind
I was just trying to leave something behind
I’ve been watching and listening to this video/song by Xavier Rudd, and the words and his music have touched me deeply. The song is a little known piece, and I thought I’d post it here for my dear readers to enjoy and to soak up the genuine emotions that Xavier imparts into his music…..
Xavier Rudd Lyrics
“Solace”
“Farewell to the west now
And welcome to the east
Farewell to the one who raked
The sand beneath my feet
Well thank you for the space we shared
And the heart and soul my friend
I will see you through the colors
Between the mountains as the sun descends
We twisted and we reflected upon a grin
Common ground we walked upon
With common feelings of common things
Yes it is a cruel world
But there is solace amongst the sin
Peace to you for now
We will share again
We will share again
Farewell to the west now
My mind is open to the east
To all the new faces, new minds
And things to see
Well, I am alone here
And my heart at times, it weeps
You will see me through the colors
As the sun sinks in the sea
We twisted and we reflected upon a grin
Common ground we walked upon
With common feelings of common things
Yes it is a cruel world
But there is solace amongst the sin
Peace to you for now
We will share again
We will share again
We twisted and we reflected upon a grin
Common ground we walked upon
With common feelings of common things
Yes it is a cruel world
But there is solace amongst the sin
Peace to you for now
We will share again
We will share again
We will share again
We will share again
My, my friend
We will share again
Season on the fight” By: Xavier Rudd
My new book is live on Amazon. As with all my other books, all the profits from it will go to help get dogs out of kill shelters. I’m grateful for all the support my books have received. To everyone who has or plans to purchase a book and additionally take the time to write a review, thank you. Each purchase and review is given attention by Amazon in ranking a book and that means promotion. A lot of dogs will benefit.
Links to purchase my new book in the U.S. and it will also be available on other Amazon sites around the world.
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by real events chronicled by journalist for The World News, Elizabeth Cochrane (pen name, Nellie Bly), in 1887.
Klara Gelfman’s life in Kiev was serene until she turned nineteen. That’s when Russia’s Tsar Alexander II was assassinated, and a vicious propaganda campaign spread that…
During the last six years, I’ve attended numerous music festivals within the Geelong area and I was fortunate enough to also go to the world famous Port Fairy Folk Music Festival, in 2013, featuring, David Francey(with his band, Go Jane Go), Xavier Rudd, and Geoffrey Gurrumul, a music vidoe of his glorious singing below, you won’t believe how beautiful his voice is !! The featured image above is from the Geelong Jazz Festival on streets in the CBD.
Above, From The Top, David Francey,(left side of stage) at Port Fairy Folk Music Festival 2013. Next: Enjoying the festival, Ivor with Lyn, one of those dear friends of Carole, who were there with us throughout the whole journey. (we swapped hats for this pic)
Above are pictures from the Geelong Motor City Music Festival, 2014 and 2015. From the Top, Lloyd Spiegel, Claude Hay, my friends enjoying the show, Martin, Terry and Jacqui, and The Chris Wilson Blues Band .
Above two pictures are from our local Pako Festa, a multi-cultural festival held annually here in Geelong, a street parade, street stalls and displays and outdoor concerts. Left, pic Ivor with Niamh, My Irish friend’s Martin and Jacqui, daughter, 2013, she’s 18 months old, and the same little Niamh in 2016, yep she’s Ivor’s special little girl.
Here below a poem I wrote about my time at the Port Fairy Folk Music Festival, in March 2013, and the four day Festival was an event I shall always remember.
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 