Australian Ballads: The Early Years

Award-winning folksinger Seona McDowell lends her voice to a collection of traditional Australian ballads on this 1981 recording. Subtitled "The Early Years," the album focuses on the six groups of early settlers to Australia. Many of the songs reflect the English, Irish, and Scottish origins of both settlers and songs, but other selections are home-grown. The best known of them is "Waltzing Matilda," often considered to be Australia’s unofficial national anthem. McDowell is accompanied on the recording by musicians Robbie Brake and Jim Brenner on a variety of stringed instruments. Song origins and lyrics are included in the liner notes.

Track Listing

101	Black Velvet Band	Seona McDowell	03:17
102	Convict Maid	Seona McDowell	02:15
103	Botany Bay	Seona McDowell	02:11
104	Moreton Bay	Seona McDowell	02:42
105	Lady Franklin's Lament	Seona McDowell	02:11
106	With My Swag on My Shoulders	Seona McDowell	01:50
107	Cross of the South	Seona McDowell	02:42
108	The Old Palmer's Song	Seona McDowell	01:48
201	The Wild Colonial Boy	Seona McDowell	03:32
202	Matt Brady	Seona McDowell	03:20
203	Click Go the Shears	Seona McDowell	02:20
204	The Springtime It Brings on the Shearing	Seona McDowell	02:25
205	Bold Tommy Payne	Seona McDowell	01:57
206	Waltzing Matilda	Seona McDowell	02:35