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From the Lambing to the Wool

from The Wishing Well by The Maggie Darlings

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The only non original on the album, this song was written by the esteemed Judy Small.

Again sung from the perspective of a woman, and touching on darker themes of poverty, war, loneliness and death, this song is comparatively cheerful, speaking of contentment with her lot, satisfaction with a life led well. Our protagonist lives a long life and has grown children.

It is set in Australia, and uses the old term for sheep farmer- Cocky- making the sound very distinctive.

Connell first recorded this song as part of a project run by Marina Hurley- "Festival Folk Sing the Songs of (Judy Small)".

Limited copies of that album are available. Further recordings from Mandy Connell are available here:

mandyconnell.com

lyrics

From the Lambing to the Wool - Judy Small

my father was a cocky, as his father was before him
and I married me a cocky, over fifty years ago
and i've lived here on this station, and i watched the seasons changing
from drought to flood, from the lambing to the wool

there's been times when I've wondered if it all was worth the doin
there's been times when I've thought this was the finest place there is
though the work here's never easy, and the hours long and heavy
i'm quite contended nowadays, I joined my life to his.

together through the thirties, while other's lives were broken
we worked from dawn to twilight to hold on to what was ours
and at night we'd sit exhausted, and i'd stroke his dusty forhead
with him too tired to talk to me and me too tired to care

children came unbidden bringing laughter to the homestead
and i thanked the lord my sons were young- too young for battle then
I counted myself lucky to lose no one close to family
the neighbours lost their only son, sold up and moved to town

there's been times when I've wondered if it all was worth the doin
there's been times when I've thought this was the finest place there is
though the work here's never easy, and the hours long and heavy
i'm quite contended nowadays, I joined my life to his.

the children grew and left me, for career in town and city
and i'm proud of them but sadly, for none chose station life
and i smile to hear them talking, of the hard slog in the city
when I think of working hard i see a cocky and his wife.

credits

from The Wishing Well, released August 9, 2017
rom Wishing Well, track released August 11, 2017
Traditional song, arranged by Mandy Connell
Mandy Connell- arranger, lead vocals and Acoustic Guitar
Layla Jean Fibbins- BV's and Banjo

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Thirty Mill Studios
Album Artwork by Tracey Roberts 2017

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Mandy Connell Music Melbourne, Australia

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