Cheers,
Alan

Aka WIDGEEGOWEERA JOE aka THE BACKBLOCK SHEARER

I'm only a backblocks shearer, as easily can be seen,
I've shore in almost every shed in the plains of the Riverine.
I've shore in most of the famous sheds, I've seen big tallies done,
But somehow or other, I don't know why, I never became a gun.

Chorus
Hurrah, my boys, my shears are set, I feel both fit and well;
Tomorrow will find me at my pen, when the gaffer rings the bell,
With Haydon's patent thumb-guards fixed and both my blades pulled back,
Tomorrow I go with my siding blow for a century or the sack.

I've opened up the windpipe straight, I've opened behind the ear;
I've practised every possible style in which a man can shear;
I've studied all the cuts and drives of the famous men I've met.
But I've never succeeded in plastering up those three little figures yet.

As the boss walked down this morning, I saw him stare at me,
For I'd mastered Moran's great shoulder-cut, as he could plainly see,
But I've another surprise for him that'll give his nerves a shock-
Tomorrow he'll find that I have mastered Pierce's rang-tang block.

If I succeed as I hope to do, then I intend to shear
At the Wagga demonstration which is held there every year.
And there I'll lower the colours. the colours of Mitchell & Co.
Instead of Deeming, you will hear of Widgegoara Joe!

'Moran's great shoulder-cut' and Pierce's rang-tang block' refer to styles of shearing. 'Gun' means an expert, or best shearer in a shed. Three little figures refers to the fact that the aim of any shearer is to shear 100 in a day.

Shearers say "shore" when the rest of us would say "shorn".

There is a sheep station in Western Queensland called Widgeegoara.

Cheers,
Alan

Cheers,
Alan

MIDI file: WIDGJOE.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: Widgegoara Joe
TimeSig: 6/8 24 4
Key: G
Tempo: 160 (375000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
1200 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 76 127 0238 0 76 127 0002 1 76 127 0238 0 76 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 71 127 0478 0 71 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 72 127 0478 0 72 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 69 127 1198 0 69 127 0002 1 69 127 0238 0 69 127 0002 1 62 127 0478 0 62 127 0002 1 62 127 0238 0 62 127 0002 1 66 127 0478 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0238 0 67 127 0002 1 69 127 0478 0 69 127 0002 1 69 127 0238 0 69 127 0002 1 78 127 0478 0 78 127 0002 1 76 127 0118 0 76 127 0002 1 76 127 0118 0 76 127 0002 1 76 127 0238 0 76 127 0002 1 76 127 0238 0 76 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 72 127 0238 0 72 127 0002 1 71 127 1198 0 71 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 76 127 0478 0 76 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 72 127 0478 0 72 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 69 127 1198 0 69 127 0002 1 69 127 0238 0 69 127 0002 1 62 127 0238 0 62 127 0002 1 62 127 0238 0 62 127 0002 1 66 127 0238 0 66 127 0002 1 69 127 0238 0 69 127 0002 1 69 127 0238 0 69 127 0002 1 71 127 0238 0 71 127 0002 1 72 127 0478 0 72 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 78 127 0478 0 78 127 0002 1 76 127 0238 0 76 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0238 0 74 127 0002 1 72 127 0478 0 72 127 0002 1 66 127 0238 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0958 0 67 127
End

To download the October 30 MIDItext 97 software click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Widgegoara Joe
M:6/8
Q:1/4=160
K:G
d2|e2e2d2B4d2|G4B2d4d2|d2d2d2c4B2|A10A2|D4D2F4G2|
A4A2f4ee|e2e2d2d4c2|B10d2|e4d2B2B2d2|G4B2d4d2|
d4d2c4B2|A10A2|D2D2F2A2A2B2|c4d2f4e2|d2d2d2c4F2|G8||

Cheers,
Alan