Info
This is an Australian folksong and is one of many adaptations of Spanish Ladies (a traditional English naval song, describing a voyage from Spain to the Downs from the viewpoint of ratings of the British Royal Navy). The lyric dates back to at least the 1880s and is credited to a jackaroo turned shopkeeper, named Saul Mendelsohn, who lived near Nanango. (source)
Lyrics
(Australian folk tune, Lyrics by Saul Mendelsohn, 1880s)
1. Farewell and adieu to you, Brisbane ladies,
Farewell and adieu, you maids of Toowong.
We’ve sold all our cattle and we have to get moving’,
But we hope we shall see you again before long.
2. We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true Queensland drovers
We’ll rant and we’ll roar as onward we push
Until we return to the Augathella station
Oh, it’s flamin’ dry goin’ through the old Queensland bush.
YouTube
- Song with chords (PDF)
- MIDI file
- Listen to the song
