“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

  1. Manifold-PASB, pp. 34-35, "Billy Barlow in Australia" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Paterson/Fahey/Seal, pp. 149-155, "Billy Barlow in Australia" (1 text plus an excerpt)
  3. Roud #8397
  4. BI, PASB034

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1843 (Maitland Mercury and Hunger River General Advertiser; see Patterson/Fahey/Seal)
Found in: Australia