Originally this was a poem written by Jimmy Connors and set to a well know tune. I first heard this sung many years ago in Australia and it has remained one of my favourite Australian songs, along with all the others. It is interesting to see how the lyrics, and sometimes the tunes, change over the years and I know and fully admit to being a culprit of this as sometimes you forget the words and substitute another word and this then sticks. I put this down to part of “The Folk Process” as an excuse !! I learned this from the Queensland folk song collectors. Geoff and Nancy Wills and it has remained one of my favourite songs. Mind you every song that I sing is my favourite song !! Martyn
REEDY LAGOON by Jimmy Connors
The sweet scented wattle sheds perfume around,
Enticing the bird and the bee,
And I’m lying full length, on the fern-covered ground
In the shade of a Currajong tree
And far overhead I can hear the sweet strain
Of the butcher bird singing his tune,
For the Spring in her splendour has come once again
To the banks of the Reedy Lagoon.
My swag I have carried for many a mile,
My boots are worn out at the toes,
And my dress of the season is a far different style
To my dress of last season God knows
My cooking utensils, I’m sorry to say,
Consist of a knife fork and spoon;
But there’s bread beef and tea, in the battered Jack Shea
On the banks of the Reedy Lagoon.
There was Jacky the breaker and couldn’t he ride
And Percy the hard working boy
And Henry of late who has taken a bride
Glad Benedict life to endure
And big Jock the stockman I once herd him say
He could wrestle the famous Muldune
But they’re far far away and I’am lonely today
On the banks of the Reedy Lagoon.
Oh where is the young girl whose green eyes shone
I often have kissed and caressed
She’e lying tonight in a far distant home
With her head on another man’s breast
She said she’d be true and my life she would share
It seems she’s forgotten so soon
And it’s hard to keep square when she doesn’t care
On the banks of the Reedy Lagoon.