Comments on: Maid of Australia

By: Diana

Diana — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 07:45:20 +0000

I think this would have gone down well in the Music Hall shows of yesteryear – a rather cheeky little ditty. Jon seemed to enjoy singing it as well. I enjoyed listening to him.

By: Jane Ramsden

Jane Ramsden — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:08:13 +0000

Very nice to hear ’sporting in play’ sung about without the angst of a blacksmith courting or the terrible consequences of a cruel mother, Lucy Wan, a blood-y gardener or banks of red roses! Though generally, I have to admit to a fondness for the supposedly ‘grim’. I think my July vote is going to go to A Blacksmith because it’s sung to the tune of Pil-grim – hahahaha!
And I still don’t know how people put their little photos on this site! Could one of the clever ones please tell us how it’s done?

By: muzza

muzza — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:31:23 +0000

the girls were “handsome and gay”………………..Ummmm….how long would you have to be marooned in the outback before you actually found them attractive?
How language and the meanings of words change over the years……..but it’s still a great little song.

By: edith lewis

edith lewis — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:03:20 +0000

excellent

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:20:08 +0000

Ugh - delete my previous comment, somebody. (Bad HTML. No biscuit!) I was convinced that the reference to the bush of Australia (oo-er) was a Revival addition, but no - that line is there in the copy in the Bodleian collection, which dates from some time between 1863 and 1885. Smutty Victorians! (Mind you, looked at another way that line of thinking goes back to John Donne - O my America! My New-Found-Land!)

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:28:39 +0000

I was there too, and still giggle to myself every now and then when it pops into my mind. Thank you for putting this one on.

By: muzza

muzza — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:52:19 +0000

Loved it……………..I could listen to this performance again and again just for the exhuberance of hearing Jon throwing his head back in the middle of the woods and hitting those high notes in the second to last line of each verse..Auuuusttraaaalia!

By: Nick Hallam

Nick Hallam — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:47:37 +0000

More about Maid of Australia from the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library at the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

There are 15 records of Maid of Australia, 14 from Norfolk sources, including the great Harry Cox and 1 from Canada.

http://tinyurl.com/maidaustralia1

We used the Roud number to cross reference against different titles for the song. When searched on Roud No. there are 21 records, still predominantly from Norfolk and only 1 from Australia where it is known as The Maids of Australia. Other versions are recorded as The Bush of Australia.

http://tinyurl.com/maidaustralia2

If you wish to see more detail on each record, change the ‘output’ to ‘record’ and press ‘submit query’.

There are no records of the song in the Take 6 Archive

We use the Roud index and the Take 6 online collections in the search for information on Jon’s selections.

For more information, or to carry out your own search for songs, please visit http://www.efdss.org/front/access-the-library-online/access-the-library-online/115
If you need any help accessing the library online or have any questions, please contact the VWML on 020 7485 2206 or library@efdss.org.

By: Hilary

Hilary — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:26:32 +0000

Ah yes! A Dirty Weekend recollected in tranquility … I too was there, and giggling my head off. I hope no-one describes this one as grim!

By: SRD

SRD — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:54:19 +0000

That provoked a chuckle, I do love a good bawdy ballad.