We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.
    Purchasable with gift card

      name your price

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

about

The earliest version of this poem I could find was published in 1902, shortly after Morant’s death, and it has 11 verses, not the usual five. It was introduced as follows : “The following poem was written for the proprietor of this paper by H.H. Morant who is identical with Lieutenant Morant of the Carbineers, recently shot in South Africa after being court martialled for shooting Boers who had surrendered. The sentiment running through the poem will give the reader a pretty good insight into the devil-may-care character of the ill-starred soldier.” (ref. #1)
-----------------------------
According to Wikipedia “: “The Brigalow Belt is a wide band of acacia-wooded grassland that runs between tropical rainforest of the coast and the semi-arid interior of Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia.” (Ref. #2) The Brigalow Brigade are obviously riders from these parts. Morant often mentions this region in his poetry : e.g. There are three mentions in the first two verses of “Who’s Riding Old Harlequin Now”, first published on 1st May, 1897, under the title “Whose Riding The Old Horse Now?” (Ref. #3 ) The full text of “Who’s Riding Old Harlequin Now”, published in the Bulletin on 11th December, 1897, can be read here (Ref. #4 ) But here are the verses anyway :
[V.1] They are mustering cattle on Brigalow Vale
Where the stock-horses whinny and stamp,
And where long Andy Ferguson, you may go bail,
Is yet boss on a cutting-out camp.
Half the duffers I met would not know a fat steer
From a blessed old Alderney cow.
Whilst they're mustering there I am wondering here -
Who is riding brown Harlequin now ?

[V.2] Are the pikers as wild and the scrubs just as dense
In the brigalow country as when
There was never a homestead and never a fence
Between Brigalow Vale and The Glen ?
Do they yard the big micks 'neath the light of the moon ?
Do the yard-wings re-echo the row
Of stockwhips and hoof-beats? And what sort of coon
Is there riding old Harlequin now ?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Morant also wrote a poem called Brigalow Mick (Ref.#5)

[V.1] A dandy old horseman is Brigalow Mick —
Which his name, sir, is Michael O’Dowd—
Whatever he’s riding, when timber is thick,
He is always in front of the crowd.

[V.2] A few tangled locks that are fast turning white
Crown a physog. the colour of brick,
But as keen as a kestrel’s—as bold and as bright —
Is the blue eye of Brigalow Mick.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ref. #1 : trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143029640?searchTerm=title%3AThe%20Brigalow%20Brigade
Ref. #2 : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigalow_Belt
Ref. # 3 : trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/72551716
Ref #4 : www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/moranth/poetry/oldharlequin.html
Ref.#5 : www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/moranth/poetry/brigalowmick.html
========================================

lyrics

The Brigalow Brigade (1902)
by "Breaker" Morant (1864 - 1902)

------------------------- [V.1] ------------------------
There's a band of decent fellows on a cattle-run outback
You'll hear the timber smashing if you follow in their track
Their ways are rough and hearty, and they call a spade a spade;
And a pretty rapid party are the Brigalow Brigade.

------------------------- [V.2] ------------------------
They are mostly short of 'sugar' and their pockets if turned out,
Would scarcely yield the needful for a decent four man 'shout'.
But they'll scramble through a tight place or a big fence unafraid,
And their hearts are in the right place in the Brigalow Brigade.

------------------------- [V.3] ------------------------
They've painted Parkes vermilion and they've coloured Orange blue,
And they've broken lots of top-rails 'twixt the sea and Dandaloo;
They like their grog and palings just as stiff as they are made
These are two little failings of the Brigalow Brigade.

------------------------- [V.4] ------------------------
The Brigalow Brigade are fastidious in their taste
In the matter of a maiden and the inches of her waist;
She must be sweet and tender and her eyes a decent shade
Then her Ma may safely send her to the Brigalow Brigade.

------------------------- [V.5] ------------------------
But women, grog, and horses, with polo in between,
Are mighty potent forces in keeping purses lean
But spurs are never rusty, though they seldom need their aid
For 'the cuddles ain't too dusty' in the Brigalow Brigade.

==================================

credits

from Drovers, Stockmen and Bullockies, track released November 7, 2023
Tune By Graham Jenkin.
Violin by Jessie Morgan.
Cello by Natasha Jaffe. natashajaffe.com
==========================================

license

tags

about

The Queensland Tiger image

The Queensland Tiger

The Queensland Tiger covers traditional Australian ballads mainly from 19C.: e.g. Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson, Breaker Morant, Charles Thatcher, etc…. true to the original works.
website : www.thequeenslandtiger.com or Youtube channel : The Queensland Tiger ... more

contact / help

Contact The Queensland Tiger

Streaming and
Download help

Report this track or account

If you like The Queensland Tiger, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now