“Garrawilla (The Shearer's Life)”

Description

"I sing of Garrawilla, a station of the glen...." Though the singer says, "A shearer's life is jolly," he also complains of the bad conditions and the demands for fast and accurate work. But he concludes, "Heaven's sheep are shorn by Garrawilla men"

Notes

Meredith and Anderson's informant, Jack Wright, claims that this was made up by a co-worker of his father's at Garrawilla. I find it interesting that only the first and last verses refer to this station. I wonder if the middle is not a generic song about shearing (which should perhaps be titled "The Shearer's Life"), onto which these two verses were tacked. - RBW

References

  1. Meredith/Anderson, pp. 128-129, "Garawilla" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. BI, MA128

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1968
Keywords: Australia sheep work
Found in: Australia