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Marching The Milk

from alt​.​callahans reel by Tim Fatchen

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I needed a real effort to get my recorder set back in use. The Drummers (The Three Drummers, Three Little Drummers etc) was one of my favourites, and having also seen Ragbird performing it --and the closely related Swallowtail Jig--I picked it up but...no, I need three months to get up to speed!.

But still, here's The Drummers interleaved with a folkish description of aspects of life in the early-mid '50s in a small country Oz village. It was where I grew older--I was what, six or seven?--and in it you'll find kids at play, close friendships, milk fresh from the cow, village life and customs, and NO vaccines. What could possibly go wrong?

lyrics

MARCHING THE MILK / THREE DRUMMERS
Lyrics Copyright © 2020 TJ Fatchen All Rights Reserved APRA-AMCOS

I marched our billycan down the row
Across the paddock that'd just been mown
To Mister Urgent's I had to go
For milk from Urgent's cow

Me mum and his missus were always at war
But I never did understand, what the hell for
Over some brass on the chapel door?
I don't remember now.

Past the publichouse, place of sin!
A hundred years standing and none gone in
Least none from my family! They feared the gin!
Methodys to a soul.

Past the old church, ruin and wrack
We all used the chapel, wrong side of the tracks
Meant nothing to me as a kid, looking back
Just went with the village and all.

The Urgent's two sons, one my age he'd be,
I didn't like him, he didn't like me
Together, a pair of snakes were we
So much for kids at play.

The elder son didn't speak to us much
The polio had him, on a crutch
And he'd soon be laid under by polio's touch
That's the way it was, those days.

Mister Urgent, th' cream he'd skim
Some milk for me, and the rest for him
From the skimmer into the billycan tin
And I'd march the warm milk away

March past the pub and the church and the mow
Over the paddocks, march to the row
March the new milk into our home
And do it again next day

credits

from alt​.​callahans reel, released January 14, 2023
Performed by Tim Fatchen. Lyrics and music by and Copyright © 2022 TJ Fatchen All Rights Reserved APRA-AMCOS. Samples courtesy Garritan Personal Orchestra, Native Instruments.

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Tim Fatchen Adelaide, Australia

Master pianist, songwriter, creator of music theater catastrophe curves. Australia. More? OK...Occasionally paid musician, long-term unpaid satirist, paid-up internet junkie. In polite company as Tim Fatchen (quiet, serious, good dinner guest); impolite company as Flying Tadpole (loud, rabid, good kennel cleaner...). ... more

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