The Rabbit Trapper

[Steve Wilson]

Here's a little song that gives a glimpse into the life of a rabbit trapper during the rabbit plague in Australia.  There's nothing very special about my edeophone concertina accompaniment, pretty straight forward really, but there's a little bit of history if anyone is interested.

 

[Steve Wilson]

I've just taken this video down in order to do a little editing. Hope to have it back up soon.

[Steve Wilson]

The video is back online, there you go.

 

 

[jggunn]

Great as always. I would be interested in the bit of history about the accompaniment you mentioned 

[Roger Hare]

3 hours ago, jggunn said:

Great as always. I would be interested in the bit of history about the accompaniment you mentioned 

A little information about when and where collected in the following ABC:

Quote

X:166
T:Rabbit Trapper, The
%A lightly edited tune from 'Old and not so old Bush songs'. David Johnson: http://www.bushtraditions.org/music/songs.htm
C:Collected from Basil Cosgrove of Armidale NSW, by Wendy Lowenstein and Dave de Hugard c1970
%P:ABCACBACAC
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:reel
Q:100
K:C
P:(A)
K:C
G2 | "C" AG GE/D/ | CE- EE | "F" DC C>B, | "C" A,G,- G,E/F/ | GG GG | AG GE/D/ | CC B,C | "G7" D4- | D2 G2 |
"C" AG GE/D/ | CE- EE | "F" DC C>B, | "C" A,G,- G,E/F/ | GG GG | AG- GE | "G7" FD CD | "C" C4- | C2 |
P:(B)
B,C | "G7" DD DD | B,G, A,B, | "C" EE EE | DC- CG/G/ | "F" AF FA | "C" GG E>E | "D7" DD ^FF | "G7" G4- | G2 G2 |
"C" AG GE/D/ | CE- EE | "F" DC C>B, | "C" A,G,- G,E/F/ | GG GG | AG- GE | "G7" FD CB, | "C" C4- | C2 |
P:(C)
B,C | "G7" DD DD | B,G, A,B, | "C" EE EE | DC- CG | "F" AF FA | "C" GE E>G | "G7" GG F>E | D4- | D2- GG |
"C" AG GE/D/ | CE- EE | "F" DC C>B, | "C" A,G,- G,E/F/ | GG GG | AG- GE | "G7" FD CB, | "C" C4- | C2 |
W:
W:(A) Me traps are all a-jangle, in an easy swingin' tangle
W:I'm settin' in a circle, keepin' round the fringe of trees.
W:I'm mud and gory spattered and me clothes are torn and tattered.
W:I'm trampin' through the bushland, wet grass up to the knees.
W:
W:(B) And I'm under no man's orders and I recognise no borders
W:But there's a welcome everywhere for me in my old dungarees.
W:I am the rabbit trapper that canny bunny snapper
W:I'm as happy as the bunnies till they fall for one of these.
W:
W:(C) And it's a fairly fresh ol' mornin' I can hear the cuckoos callin'
W:As I jingle through the bushland in my old dungarees.
W:And these bunnies that I'm stoppin' they fairly keep me hoppin'
W:And I think I'll have a smoko when I get up to those trees.
W:
W:(A) Instrumental
W:
W:(C) While you blokes are courtin'tabbies, I'm out among the rabbies
W:I can hear them buckin squealin' a dozen traps ahead.
W:While you blokes at the pub are flirting, at the last trap I am certain
W:To be baggin' up my bunnies, keepin' tally as I tread.
W:
W:(B) And I'm under no man's orders and I recognise no borders
W:But there's a welcome everywhere for me in my old dungarees.
W:I am the rabbit trapper that canny bunny snapper
W:I'm as happy as the bunnies till they fall for one of these.
W:
W:(A) Instrumental
W:
W:C) Come on Blue, old cobber, I've got to get on decent clobber
W:So it's time we got a move on, there's someone I've got to see.
W:We'll make the railway early, there's a shy and dinkum girly,
W:She'll juggle with the cream cans and write cheques ouut for me.
W:
W:(A+C) Instrumental

There's some good stuff on that Bush Traditions web site.

Edited December 12, 2019 by lachenal74693

[Steve Wilson]

On 12/13/2019 at 1:33 AM, jggunn said:

Great as always. I would be interested in the bit of history about the accompaniment you mentioned 

I'm not sure what you mean jg.  I meant that my accompaniment was nothing special, simply melody with a bit of rhythmic chording, but that the history of the rabbit plague might be of interest.

 

On 12/13/2019 at 4:09 AM, lachenal74693 said:

A little information about when and where collected in the following ABC:

There's some good stuff on that Bush Traditions web site.

Thanks for posting the ABC file Lach.  There is indeed a wealth of material on Dave Johnson's Bush Traditions website.  I should clarify that the version I've sung which pretty much follows the ABC version is not what was recorded from Basil Cosgrove.  It is Dave de Hugard's own version and there is copyright on this version, not held by Dave but by a music company he used to record with.  Dave asked me to clarify the fact that it is not the original Cosgrove version which is why I pulled the video for editing.  For better or worse it is the de Hugard version which is, as far as I know,  the only one sung in Oz these days with the Cosgrove version forgotten about, except by Dave.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Steve Wilson

[Roger Hare]

9 hours ago, Steve Wilson said:

There is indeed a wealth of material on Dave Johnson's Bush Traditions website...there is copyright on this version, not held by Dave but

by a music company he used to record with.  Dave asked me to clarify...it is the de Hugard version which is, as far as I know,  the only one

sung in Oz these days with the Cosgrove version forgotten about, except by Dave.

Silly me! I hadn't registered the fact that you were in Australia, and probably already knew about this web site, which says:

 

"...The online version provides access to the abc files which can be useful for modifying keys to suit other vocal ranges..."

 

I had assumed that this meant that folks could 'edit' the ABC and let other folks see the result. If it's copyright, should I

now remove the ABC from the post?

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by lachenal74693

[Steve Wilson]

4 hours ago, lachenal74693 said:

 

"...The online version provides access to the abc files which can be useful for modifying keys to suit other vocal ranges..."

 

I had assumed that this meant that folks could 'edit' the ABC and let other folks see the result. If it's copyright, should I

now remove the ABC from the post?

 

Not at all.  The music company isn't worried about this sort of usage but only if someone tries to make money from the song.  So don't go putting it on your next CD or Spotify.