Honouring the victims of Black Saturday - Feb 7 2009

[talaxandra]

~~I AM AUSTRALIAN~~

Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton, 1987

I came from the dream-time, from the dusty red soil plains

I am the ancient heart, the keeper of the flame.

I stood upon the rocky shore, I watched the tall ships come.

For forty thousand years I've been the first Australian.

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice:

I am, you are, we are Australian

I came upon the prison ship, bowed down by iron chains.

I cleared the land, endured the lash and waited for the rains.

I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run

A convict then a free man, I became Australian.

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice:

I am, you are, we are Australian

I'm the daughter of a digger who sought the mother lode

The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road

I'm a child of the depression, I saw the good times come

I'm a bushy, I'm a battler, I am Australian

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice:

I am, you are, we are Australian

I'm a teller of stories, I'm a singer of songs

I am Albert Namatjira, I paint the ghostly gums

I am Clancy on his horse, I'm Ned Kelly on the run

I'm the one who waltzed Matilda, I am Australian

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice:

I am, you are, we are Australian

I'm the hot wind from the desert, I'm the black soil of the plains

I'm the mountains and the valleys, I'm the drought and flooding rains

I am the rock, I am the sky, the rivers when they run

The spirit of this great land, I am Australian

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice:

I am, you are, we are Australian

I am, you are, we are Australian.

New verses - Bruce Woodley, to commemorate Black Saturday, 2009

There are no words of comfort that can hope to ease the pain,

of losing homes and loved ones, the memories will remain.

With our silent tears we can hope to carry on

you are not alone, we are with you, we are Australian.

We are one but we are many

and from all the lands on earth we come

we share a dream and sing with one voice

I am you are we are Australian.

There are so many heroes whose stories must be told

they fought the raging fires of hell and saved so many souls.

From the ashes of despair our towns will rise again

We mourn your loss, we will rebuild, we are Australian.

We are one but we are many and from all the lands on earth we come,

we share a dream and sing with one voice

I am you are we are Australian.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Talaxandra, is there a link to that with the tune?

And what is Black Saturday? The fires?

[talaxandra]

Hi Sue,

there's a youtube

(I think, but as youtube is blocked at work I'm not certain - the google search link is here) from yesterday's day of mourning service. Though the fires are still burning (and the CFA predict renewed ferocity over the next couple of days), the most devastating effects were on Saturday the 7th, which is now know here as Black Saturday. At the latest count there are 309 people confirmed dead, millions of native animals, five towns razed (fewer than 10% of building left) and more than 7,500 people homeless. There's more detail at the Wikipedia site.

[JanisM]

I've always loved this song, and the added lyrics are touching. It's been heartbreaking hearing all the news reports. Thanks, Talaxandra - I didn't know about them until now. Are you from Vic? If so I hope you and your family are all safe.

[talaxandra]

I don't think the new verses are as strong as the originals, but they more than make up for it with the emotional power or the lyrics

Thanks, Janis - fortunately my family members who live in the country aren't anywhere near affected or threatened areas, but friends have lost holiday homes. No loss of life, which is fantastic

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

My thoughts are with you all, talaxandra.