South Australia (song) facts for kids

South Australia is a famous sea shanty, which is a type of work song sung by sailors. It's also known by other names like "Rolling King" or "Bound for South Australia." This song was originally used by sailors working on fast clipper ships. These ships carried wool and wheat between ports in Australia and London, England. Today, "South Australia" is a very popular song among folk music singers and is found in many songbooks.

What is a Sea Shanty?

Sea shanties like "South Australia" were sung by sailors to help them work together. They used the rhythm of the song to coordinate tasks like raising sails or pulling ropes. This made the hard work feel a bit easier and helped everyone pull at the same time.

How Sailors Used the Song

Experts say "South Australia" was often sung as a capstan shanty. A capstan is a large machine on a ship that sailors turned to lift heavy anchors. The repeating line, "Heave away! Heave away!" helped them push the capstan around. Other workers, like stevedores (people who load and unload ships), also used the song. They sang "Haul away, I’m a rollin' king" while moving heavy timber.

The Song's Flexible Lyrics

Like many shanties, "South Australia" had flexible lyrics. Sailors would sing verses they already knew, borrow lines from other shanties, or even make up new verses on the spot. The song could be as long or as short as needed. One sailor would sing a solo verse, and then everyone would join in for a two-part chorus.

Here's an example of how it might have sounded, based on what was written down by Stan Hugill:

(solo) Oh South Australia is me home (chorus) Heave away! Heave away! (solo) South Australia is me home (chorus) An' we're bound for South Australia.

Heave away, heave away

Oh heave away, you rolling king,

We're bound for South Australia

Sailors in the 1800s sang many different solo verses. Here are a few examples:

I see my wife standing on the quay The tears do start as she waves to me. I'll tell you the truth and I'll tell you no lie; If I don't love that girl I hope I may die. And now I'm bound for a foreign strand, With a drink in my hand. I'll drink a glass to the foreign shore And one to the girl that I adore.

"South Australia" Becomes Popular

In the 1940s, "South Australia" became a popular song to sing at camps. By the early 1900s, several college glee clubs (singing groups) had also started performing it.

A slightly different version of the song was published in 1951 by a person named Doerflinger. Later, a famous English folk singer named A.L. Lloyd recorded the song in 1957. He used Doerflinger's tune and a special phrase, "hear me sing," which was unique to that collection.

Famous Recordings of the Song

The Clancy Brothers, a well-known folk group, recorded the song in 1962. Their version was very similar to A.L. Lloyd's. One of the Clancy Brothers, Patrick Clancy, had actually worked on Lloyd's album. The Clancy Brothers' version is now the most common one sung by folk music and shanty performers around the world.

"South Australia" has been recorded many times. Some versions sound very traditional, while others are more modern. There's even a traditional Morris dance (a type of English folk dance) that uses the tune of "South Australia."

Traditional Versions You Can Hear

• A.L. Lloyd on his 1958 Australian album Across the Western Plains and his 1960 UK album Outback Ballads
• A.L. Lloyd and Ewan MacColl on their 1957 album Blow Boys Blow
• The Bushwhackers and Bullockies Bush Band on The Shearer's Dream album, Picture Records, 1974
• The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem on their 1962 album The Boys Won't Leave The Girls Alone
• The Seekers on their 1964 UK album, The Seekers (also known as Roving with the Seekers)
• Trevor Lucas on his 1966 Australian album Overlander
• The Corries on their album Live from Scotland Volume 4 (1977)
• Liam Clancy, Robbie O'Connell, and Donal Clancy on the 1998 collection of shanties and sea songs, Wild and Wasteful Ocean
• The Poxy Boggards on their 2004 album Liver Let Die
• Nathan Carter on his 2013 Irish album Where I Wanna Be

Modern Versions of the Song

• The Clumsy Lovers on their album Live! have a rock version of the song.
• The Pogues on their 1987 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God
• The Wiggles as "Bound for South Australia" on their 1992 album Here Comes A Song
• Churchfitters on their album New Tales for Old
• Chanticleer on their album Wondrous Love - A Folk Song Collection
• Gaelic Storm on their 1999 album Herding Cats
• Cutthroat Shamrock on their 2007 album The Wake
• Seamus Kennedy on his 2008 album Sailing Ships and Sailing Men
• Fisherman's Friends in their 2010 album Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends
• Stan Hugill on the compilation album Classic Maritime Music from Smithsonian Folkways
• Johnny Collins on his Shanties & Songs of the Sea
• Julian Ferraretto on his 2010 album Near
• Traditional Scottish band 'Trail West' recorded a version for their 2016 album 'Rescattermastered'.
• Dust Rhinos as a melody with Drunken Sailor on their 2000 album Got Guiness