Coordinates: 21°15′S 165°18′E / 21.25°S 165.30°E / -21.25; 165.30
New Caledonia (French: Nouvelle-Calédonie) is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) east of Australia and about 20,000 kilometres (12,000 mi) from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of Pines and a few remote islets. The Chesterfield Islands in the Coral Sea are also part of New Caledonia. Locals refer to Grande Terre as "Le Caillou", the rock.
New Caledonia has a land area of 18,576 square kilometres (7,172 sq mi). The population (2011 estimate) is 256,275. The capital of the territory is Nouméa.
The earliest traces of human presence in New Caledonia date back to the Lapita period. The Lapita were highly skilled navigators and agriculturists with influence over a large area of the Pacific.
The British first sighted New Caledonia on September 4, 1774, during the second voyage of Captain James Cook. He named the territory New Caledonia, as the north-east of the island reminded him of Scotland. The west coast of Grande Terre was approached by Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse in 1788, shortly before his disappearance, and the Loyalty Islands were first visited in 1796. From then until 1840, only a few sporadic contacts with the archipelago were recorded. Contacts became more frequent after 1840, because of the interest in sandalwood from New Caledonia.
That's just my cowgirl alter-ego
Riding on her bar room bull
Dripping with the sweat of irony
As the cowboys whoop and drool
Shooting glances at the mirror
To see if her scar is showing
She is truly going nowhere tonight
Lecherous old lady wanna-be
Much too young and shy
Flailing her whole life
Just thinking she can teach herself to fly
Vehement romantic
Frantic for forever right now
But forever's going nowhere tonight
Sick of goading her self-loathing
She thinks, I think I'd better leave
'Course whiskey makes me smarter
And I'm happy as can be
But please excuse me darlin
It's not you
It's me
And there's a dusty old dust storm on mars, they say
So tonight you can't see it too clear
Still I stood in line to look through their telescope
Looked like a distant ship light
As seen from a foggy pier
And I know that I was warned
Still it was not what I hoped
Yes I know that I was warned
Still it was not what I hoped
I think I'm done gunnin to get closer
To some imagined bliss
I gotta knuckle down
And just be ok with this
I'm gonna knuckle down
Just be ok with this
'Course that star struck girl is already someone I miss
I swear some stuff you just see better from further away
And I think I communicate best now, the less I say
And I can't dance if the band can't play
And the vibe is going nowhere tonight
'Cuz somewhere between Hollywood and its pretty happiness
And an anguish so infinite it's anybody's guess
Is a place where people are all teachers
And this just one long class
And that ass will get you nowhere tonight
There's a dusty old dust storm on mars they say
So tonight you can't see it too clear
Still I stood in line to look through their telescope
Looked like a distant ship light
As seen from a foggy pier
And I know that I was warned
Still it was not what I hoped
Yeah I know that I was warned
Still it was not what I hoped
I think I'm done gunnin to get closer
To some imagined bliss
I gotta knuckle down
Just be ok with this
Gotta knuckle down
Just be ok with this
'Course that star struck girl
(Andy Partridge)
Knuckle down,
Love his skin,
It doesn't matter what colour skin he's locked in,
Knuckle down,
Knuckle down and love that skin.
Knuckle down,
Love his race,
It doesn't matter if you win or lose a little face,
Knuckle down and love that race.
One bright morning the world might end with a big bang,
And you'll never get yourself another chance.
Put aside the hoodoo and some of the voodoo,
'Bout people being different,
They're not so different.
Take them by the arm and run to the street,
Take a little drum to supply the beat,
Soon the whole world will be up on it's feet and dancing.
For my sake,
Won't you put your knuckles down, boys?
For my sake,
Won't you put you knuckles down?
Love her skin,
It doesn't matter what colour skin she's locked in,
Knuckle down,
Knuckle down and love that skin.
Knuckle down,
Love her race,
It doesn't matter if you win or lose a little face,
Knuckle down and love that race.
One bright morning you just might wake when the coin drops,
Even though you think that love is such a corny thing.
You can burst the bubble full up with trouble,
Says that people always got to be fighting
(not right!)
Take them by the arm and run to the fields,
Blow on your horn until Jericho yields,
Soon the whole world will lay down swords and shield for singing.
For my sake,
Won't you put your knuckles down, boys?
For my sake,
Won't you put you knuckles down?
I guess it all comes down to whether or not
You're telling me the truth (um hum um hum)
But I can't help but to have my doubts about you
Cause this thing ain't new (um hum um hum)
I been through storms and back
made sacrifices just to be with you (um hum um hum)
Now you wanna come back one more time
But I'm not even hearing you (um hum um hum)
Cause you gave me nothing but a broken heart
I think it's best that we just stay apart
Every time you promise me you'll treat me right
We end up right back where we started out
I'm saying
(no) I don't wanna be yours anymore and
(no) I don't wanna do things like before and
(no) I don't wanna believe what you're saying
(no) I already know this can't be paying
(no) Don't be calling me 5 in the morning
(no) Don't be sending me gifts anymore and
(no) Get up out of the game you ain't scoring
(no) I don't wanna be with you
You tell me things have changed
And know you know how much you threw away (um hum um hum)
You shoulda realised
I'm not about to sit round and wait (um hum um hum)
Getting over you was hard
But now it's done and Im'a be OK (um hum um hum)
You better get used to the way it is
Because it ain't gonn' change (um hum um hum)
Cause you gave me nothing but a broken heart (nothing)
I think it's best that we just stay apart (no oh)
Every time you promise me you'll treat me right (oh yea)
We end up right back where we started out
I'm saying
(no) I don't wanna be yours anymore and
(no) I don't wanna do things like before and
(no) I don't wanna believe what you're saying
(no no no) I already know this can't be paying
(no) Don't be calling me 5 in the morning
(no) Don't be sending me gifts anymore and
(no) Get up out of the game you ain't scoring
(no no no) I don't wanna be with you
I don't wanna know why (no, I don't wanna know why)
No one ain't satisfied (no)
Keep you're apologies (keep your apologies)
Cause you don't even know (no)
I don't need you in my life (I don't)
Seriously this time (time)
This is your ticket to ride (ride)
Better believe it
(no) I don't wanna be yours anymore and
(no) I don't wanna do things like before and
(no) I don't wanna believe what you're saying
(no) I already know this can't be paying
(no) Don't be calling me 5 in the morning
(no) Don't be sending me gifts anymore and
(no) Get up out of the game you ain't scoring
(no) I don't wanna be with you
No (no no)