The Shearer's Song
J.R. (Schofields).--This reader has very kindly supplied ALL the verses of "The Shearer's
Song" (which, he says, is sung to the tune of "Ring the Bell. Watchman"):
Down by the catching pen the old shearer stands
Grasping his shears in his thin bony hands.
Fixed is his gaze on a bare-bellied ewe
Saying if I can only get her won't I make the ringer go
Chorus.
Click goes his shears, boys, click, click, click.
Wide are his blows and his hand moves quick
The "ringer" looks around, he's lost it by a blow.
And he curses that old shearer with the bare-bellied ewe
In the middle of the floor in his cane-bottomed chair
Is the boss of the board, with his eyes every where;
Notes well each fleece as it comes to the screen.
Pays strict attention, too, if taken off clean.
Chorus.
Click goes his shears, boys, click, click, click.
Wide are his blows and his hand moves quick.
The old shearer's on with another old ewe.
If he hits the "ringer" this time, Lord, won't he blow!
The colonial experience man, he is there, of course.
Silver-buckled leggings, Just got off his horse.
Casting his eye like a real connoisseur.
Whistling the old melody "I am the Perfect Lure."
Chorus.
Now Mister "Newchum," Just to begin,
Muster No. 7 run and bring the sheep all in.
Leave none behind you, whatever you may do,
And then we may consider you a jackeroo
The tar-boy is there, waiting in demand.
With his black tarry pot and his black tarry hands.
Sees one old sheep with a cut on the back.
Hears what he is waiting for: "Tar here. Jack!"
Chorus.
Tar here! Tar-boy! Tar is heard
Right from one end to the other of the board.
Jack looks around, he has no time to sleep.
So he tars the shearer's pantaloons as well as the sheep.
Down by the bar he old shearer stands.
Grasping his glass in his thin bony hands.
Fixed is his gaze on a green painted keg, saying,
"I'll lower its contents ere I stir a peg."
Chorus.
Come along, landlord! Come along; come!
I'm shouting for all hands with some good old miners' run.
He chucks down his cheque, which is collared in a crack.
The landlord takes his pen and writes "No mercy" on the back.
There we leave him standing, shouting for all hands.
Whilst all around him every ragged "shooler" stands.
His eyes are on the cask, which now is lowering fast
He works hard! He drinks hard! And he goes to hell at last!
Chorus of first verse.
Notes
From the Sydney newspaper the World's News 9 September 1939.
The newspaper was responding to a readers request:
SHEARER'S SONG
J.S.K.H. (Austinmer, N.S.W.): This reader has sent along his version of "The Shearer's Song."
"Or at least as much of it as I can remember," he writes, "I have not heard
it since the early 80's, and I have never seen the book of words."
Here it is:--
"Up near the catching-pen the old shearer stands
Grasping his shears with his thin, bony, hands;
Fixed is his gaze on a bare bellied ewe.
Saying if I only get her won't I make the ringer go
Click, go the shears, click, click, click;
Wide are the blows and quick, quick, quick.
The ringer looks around, finds he has lost it by a blow.
And he curses that old shearer with the bare bellied ewe."
By the way, are you a descendant of the missionary of the same name who went to Tahiti on the Duff?
This song is clearly an earlier published version than the 1946 Click go the Shears, and is much more like the 1891 version titled The Bare Belled Ewe which is also in this collection