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Bush Music Club Friday Night Session - Jacking up! Going on strike for a living wage
8-10pm, Friday 1st October, 2010

By Sandra Nixon
Posted Saturday, July 10, 2010

Jacking up! Going on strike for a living wage … sorting out the bosses odd views on conditions – refusing to do the wrong thing. Maybe we can explore what makes us the Aussies we are – through the songs we sang.

(All right: quite a number of August’s “The Continuing Tradition” ... and a lot of September's “Politics of the Past & Present” items all seem to be quite relevant to “Jacking Up” ... What does that say about us ... or about Industrial Relations?)

 

Folk Songs of Australia, volume 1, John Meredith & Hugh Anderson


Australia’s on the Wallaby p. 199
Back in the 1890s this looked at how a land of gold drifted into a struggle for industrial ... and provided a model for Henry Lawson’s rhyme ‘Freedom on the Wallaby’ – shocking enough for some of the Queensland State parliament to call for his imprisonment!

Battle Cry of Freedom p.34 (1890s) Shearers’ Strike song ... drawing on US Civil war models ...

Bushman’s Song (Travelling Down the Castlereagh) p.210
We often think of Banjo Paterson as representing the Right Wing ... when maybe he was just reporting the other side of the argument ...

Workers of the World (Plus “The River Fraser”) p.104
“... rallying cry o f the “Wobblies’or Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W).

 

My Shout!, Songs and Poems by John Dengate


A.M.W. and S.U. Song p.31 “So I put my faith in the old union card,”

Bill From Erskineville p.12
“I’m saving the deposit on a block of land,” Is economics not a part of politics ... ?

No Political Songs p. 17 ... including the economics of running an event for the council ...

Take Your Bulldozers Away p.35 Development ... politics ... Economics ...?

 

Singabout Selected Reprints, compiled by Bob Bolton


Australia’s on the Wallaby p.16 As above: FSA 1

Cornpicker’s Lament, The p.12 Hard work up at Atherton ...

It’s Lovely Down the Pit My Lad p. 8
From back when we worried about the welfare of coalminers ... not their customers ... and environment!

Norman Brown, Ballad of p.35 ... or the authorities were prepared to shoot a few ... to keep them digging that coal ...

Sandy Hollow Line p.88 ‘Duke’ Tritton’s view on the politics of the depression-era relief works.

The Union Boy p.23 The Shearer’s Strike era view of politics ... and relationships

 

Penguin Australian Song Book - vol 1 (Compiled: John Manifold)


The Commissioner p.152
Mid-19th century ... ‘Jacking up’ about the politics of administrative power and privilege!

Freedom on the Wallaby p.153 – shocking enough – in 1891 - for some of the Queensland
State parliament to call for Henry Lawson’s s imprisonment!

Travelling Down the Castlereagh p.158 As above (FSA 1)

 

The Songs of Henry Lawson - edition 1 or [2] (Compiled: Chris Kempster)


Song of the Republic p.18 1887 ... and we are still waiting!

Freedom on the Wallaby p.72 1891 ... and the Queensland Parliament wanted Lawson gaoled for sedition!

The Old Rebel Flag in the Rear p.92 Seems to be an unchanging prop to politics ...

 

The Bushwackers Australian Song Book


The Band played Waltzing Matilda p.48
Once again we are seeing the problem of political handling of military involvement “Plus ça change ...”

Poor Ned Kelly p.32 Historic material ... or political persuasion ... ?

 

The Second Bushwackers Australian Song Book


Ballad of 1891 p.74 Modern view of 1890s ... continuing tradition ... ?

Come & Join the Union p.94 Almost a reprise of the Ballad of 1891 ...

Freedom on the Wallaby p.68 As above (Penguin book 1)

(Poor Bugger Me) Gurindji Blues p.100
A Ted Egan song ... English wealth and industry versus land, spirit and possession

When Britannia Ruled The Waves p.12
Roger Corbett’s view of “Settlement” ... and questions about what (and who) has changed ... ?

 

Joy Durst Memorial Song Collection


Basic Wage Dream p.85 Don Henderson’s ‘dream’ wage case

It’s On! p.100 Don Henderson’s comment on Australian conflict resolution

 

A Quiet Century. 100 Songs & Poems of Don Henderson


Basic Wage Dream p.20 As above (Joy Durst ...)

It’s On! p.30 As above (Joy Durst ...)

I Can Whisper p.50 ... and I can sing!

Mt Isa p.52 Fighting big minerals

One of the Has-beens p.184
“... a folk song I mean” ... A song ‘jacking up’ at being collected and written down!

Picket Line p.172 Then ... and again ...

Plastic p.48 At least questioning the products ...

The Prosecution p.107 The politics of jacking up ... against Joh’s Queensland ...?

Wonder Why I’m Poor p.10 The economics of profit ... ?

Who Wrote the Ballads? p.2 The politics of a folk culture ... ?

 

Songs of a Bronzewing – Phyl Lobl, 1991


Dark-Eyed Daughter p.2 Long before the whites felt “Sorry”

Seasons of War p.6 The inexorable calendar of conflict

Timeless Land p.40
The politics of taking possesion / Development / Ownership / Sharing ... ?

Jimmy Blacktown p.44
The politics of unemployment ... and suburbs ... and family needs ...

Ronald McDonald p.50 ... and Luigi’s hamburger shop ...

Back in the bad old days, we would have said: "Ladies bring a plate - Gents bring a bottle" ... but we know better these days. Just for starters - we want something edible on the plate ... and a decent drop in the bottle!

Cost: $5


Venue - Tritton Hall, Hut 44, Addison Road Centre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville

Enquiries: Bob 9569 7244

 
 
Bush Music Club Friday Night Session - Jacking up! Going on strike for a living wage