“Billy Barlow in Australia”
Description
"When I was at home I was down on my luck And I earned a poor living by driving a truck." Billy inherits a thousand pounds, but a merchant sells him a station and he is cheated of the whole inheritance. He returns to Sydney to beg a job
Notes
Obviously not to be confused with the American "Billy Barlow."
I'm far from sure it's a folk song, either. Banjo Paterson published it in "Old Bush Songs," but Paterson is no reliable source -- how many folk songs are there about truck drivers? The tune is also of suspect origin. - RBW
References
- Manifold-PASB, pp. 34-35, "Billy Barlow in Australia" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Paterson/Fahey/Seal, pp. 149-155, "Billy Barlow in Australia" (1 text plus an excerpt)
- Roud #8397
- BI, PASB034