Bush songs or bush ballads are a folk music and poetry tradition in Australia's outback. The rhyming songs, poems and tales often relate to the itinerant and rebellious spirit of Australia, a young country. The lyrical tradition of bush songs was born of settlers and influenced by Aboriginal society in the geographical areas referred to as The Bush. The performers are sometimes referred to as bush bards.
Many of the songs were composed in the 19th century and passed on through the generations. Several collectors have catalogued some of the songs. John Meredith's collection, assembled in the 1950s when he bought himself a very large tape recorder and carted it around to record people who had memories of the old songs, became the basis of the collection in the National Library of Australia. Earlier collections, such as Banjo Paterson's 1905 The Old Bush Songs, include only the lyrics and no musical notation; however, for some of the ballads a particular folk tune is suggested (see image of "The Dying Stockman" next section below).
George Czender LIVE "OLD MAN - CCMA Bush ballad of the Year 2011"
Folk Alley Sessions: Sam Bush - Ballad of Stringbean & Estelle
Boomerang: An Australian Bush Ballad 1908 by King arr. Farrell
Sam Bush- The Ballad of Spider John
Bush Ballad & Hillbilly Guitar Styles
Rex Dallas - I Love The Old Bush Ballad Songs
The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle
Bush Ballad Guitar (Learn To Play) by Virginia Coad
Goodbye to Bush Ballad By Nelson Moe
The Ballad of George W. Bush - Martin Delray & The Tennessee Rockers
Bronte's bush ballad
Sam Bush Band - The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle - Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2010
Bush Ballad Thumb Pick Technique
Waltzing Matilda - Australian Bush Ballad
George Czender LIVE "OLD MAN - CCMA Bush ballad of the Year 2011"
Folk Alley Sessions: Sam Bush - Ballad of Stringbean & Estelle
Boomerang: An Australian Bush Ballad 1908 by King arr. Farrell
Sam Bush- The Ballad of Spider John
Bush Ballad & Hillbilly Guitar Styles
Rex Dallas - I Love The Old Bush Ballad Songs
The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle
Bush Ballad Guitar (Learn To Play) by Virginia Coad
Goodbye to Bush Ballad By Nelson Moe
The Ballad of George W. Bush - Martin Delray & The Tennessee Rockers
Bronte's bush ballad
Sam Bush Band - The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle - Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2010
Bush Ballad Thumb Pick Technique
Waltzing Matilda - Australian Bush Ballad
Ode to the Six Foot Track - bush ballad
Sam Bush, Ballad of Stringbean & Estelle
Jack Bush Ballad
Fishing - A bush ballad by Marc Glasby
Sam Bush,The Ballad of Stringbean & Estelle
The tide - A bush ballad by Marc Glasby
Kate Bush - The Ballad Of Lizzie Wan (Early Demo)
kate bush. The Ballad of Lizie Wan
Ballad For A Soldier
(American Releases Bonus Track)
All the hopes that you've been holding on to for so long
And the fires you've been chasing down now are all gone
I can tell you are a long way from the one you love
Ohh the night it takes so long to fall
Ohh in the night, ohh in the night, ohh in the night
I will hide away my fortunate son
He's soon to fall, if I let him go
But I'll always know on my life he's not the only one,
no no...
Ohh in the night, ohh in the night, ohh in the night
I will hide away my fortunate son
He's soon to fall, if I let him go
But I'll always know on my life he's not the only one,
no no
Smoke and shadows following me
To my heart like a p(?)
Carrying stone(?) I can
Still not believe the words that you sing
So heavy are your own
Ohhhhhhhhhhh no
All my life I've spent out wandering the farthest south
Oh that weathervane is holding out to hold me down
And a heart like yours should never have to go without
But sometimes it takes the night to fall
Ohh in the night, ohh in the night, ohh in the night
I will hide away my fortunate son
He's soon to fall, if I let him go
But I'll always know on my life he's not the only one
No on my life he's not the only one
No you can never have my fortunate son
No no
Outside there's no wind there's no rain just the night is outside
And it's filled up my eyes but I still see
The river runs over the side of my hand
I keep watching the water take over and over again
And again, and again
Then the star came down low and it started to glow
I have never been so afraid
I remember the garden that made yesterday
Such a beautiful thing that I couldn't escape
And it kept me awake so long
I went alone and you found me
Here with my ghost all around me
Hoping to call you my own again
La da da da da da da da da da da da da
La da da da da da da da da da da da da
Now we know after all this time
Your heart and your mind they are mine and they're lovely
I've held on to my green disguise
But you were the one who still wanted to find me
Just to tell me the words have flowed over the waters
And hover around as we stare at each other and smile
When I whisper the wavering answer oh I'll close my eyes you know
I've been awake for so long
I went alone and you found me
Here with my ghost all around me
Hoping to call you my own again
La da da da da da da da da da da da da
Little one you wanted a sound
You wanted to hold onto another
Soon, before you can tell
You will be swallowed up into
Cause I'm aware we've been waiting here, where we've been for years
You will wander around
Alone in the house we both abandoned
To measure our hopes with our hearts
Hearts with our hands we've taught them language
Yeah, we've been waiting here where we've been for years
I know you'll be back again
But i am alone till then
No one can understand, I've done a foolish thing
And carry a need to remind you of the terrible state I'm in
Till you come home
Little one you wanted a sound
You wanted to hold onto another
Soon, before you can tell
You will be singing aloud and you'll reach for the wall
And I know you'll be back again
But I am alone till then
No one can understand, I've done a foolish thing
And carry a need to remind you of the terrible state I'm in
Till you come home
If I ever found the cause of this sadness, I know it would be
Impossible to keep the vision against all of me
When I took myself far and away from everyone that I knew
If you're looking for the moon, is it ever when it's new?
When the iron is cold and the binding holds fast on to you
When I listen for the footsteps that nearly knock me
Down in the room
"The tower is gone." you say, but how well can you really
see?
Oh you'll find it by and by
In a heartbeat you'll be free and you will
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Keep running back to me.
Over both of our heads you've been searching
To find a way soon
But there's nothing that I want more than a reason
To be following you
When you bring out the matches just remember that
I own them all too
If a lie won't go too deep, in a heartbeat you'll be free
And you will
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Keep running back to me.
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Keep running back to me.