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Banks of the Condamine 
Banks of the Condamine 
"Oh hark! The dogs are barking, I can no longer stay The men have all gone mustering, I heard the publican say And I must be off in the morning, love, before the sun does shine To meet the contract shearers on the banks of the Condamine." 
"Oh Willie, dearest Willie, don't leave me here to mourn Don't make me curse and rue the day that ever I was born For parting with you Willie is like parting with me life So stay and be a selector, love, and I will be your wife." 
"Oh Nancy, dearest Nancy, you know that I must go Old Hallerand is expecting me, his shearing for to do But while I'm on the bogs, me love, I'll think of you with pride And our shears they will go freely when I'm on the whippin' side." 
"Oh I'll cut off my yellow hair and go along with you I'll dress myself in men's attire and be a shearer too I'll cook and count your tally, love while, ringer, you will shine? And I'll wash your greasy moleskins on the banks of the Condamine." 
"Oh Nancy, dearest Nancy, you know that can't be so The boss has given order, love, no woman shall do so And your delicate constitution's not equal unto mine To eat the ramstack mutton on the banks of the Condamine. 
But when the shearing's over, love, I'll make you me wife I'll take up a selection and I'll settle down for life And when the day's work's over, love, and the evening's clear and fine I'll tell of them sandy cobblers on the banks of the Condamine." 
sung by Trevor Lucas on A.L.Lloyd's "The Great Australian Legend" (1971) 
Note: This is a 19th century Australian parody of "The Banks Of The Nile", sung to the same tune."Ringer" in verse 4 refers to the fastest shearer on the shearing team. MJ, LN First published as "The Banks of the Riverine" in The Queenslander in 1894. A widely distributed bush song, with many variants. RG 
MJ