“Another Fall of Rain (Waiting for the Rain)”
Description
"The weather had been sultry for a fortnight's time or more; The shearers had been driving might and main...." After so much work the shearers are tired and desperate for a break. At last the rain came, allowing them to relax and rest up
Notes
The original Shaw-Neilson poem, "Waiting for the Rain" (the probable but not quite certain original) was rather long and involved, and even the version printed by Paterson has generally been severely shortened by tradition. The basic plot, however, survives. That the song is relatively recent is shown by the fact that the shearers were paid during the rain. Shearers were paid by the piece, and until the Shearers' Union gained the concession that they be paid when they could not shear, rain meant only hardship. - RBW
References
- Meredith/Anderson, pp. 154-155, "Another Fall of Rain" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Fahey-Eureka, pp. 134-135, "Another Fall of Rain" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Paterson/Fahey/Seal, pp. 174-177, "Another Fall of Rain" (1 text)
- DT, FALLRAIN*
- BI, MA154