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The Dying Bushman (New Zealand)

from The Southern Cross and the Northern Star by Ceolskog

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about

This is my rendition of "The Dying Bushman", a New Zealand folk song. I believe the first version was written around the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th century, and was quite popular among South Island bushmen during the 1930s. I first found out about it from Phil Garland's book, "Faces in the Firelight". After I read this, I then sought out his songbook, "The Singing Kiwi Song Book", where I was presented with three different versions. I took elements of all three.

lyrics

I've knocked around the logging camps since early boyhood days,
I've seen the famous axe-men come and go.
But now my time has come and I know that I am done,
Please don't take me from the only home I know.

The tramways in the valley I shall never tread again,
No more I'll hear the hauler's whistle blow.
My chopping days are over, I shall swing that axe no more,
On the hillsides where the native timbers grow.
The hillsides where the native timbers grow.

Chorus: For my slasher is all rusty, my axe-handle is broke
I have hung them up behind the whare door.
For the Rimu and the Rata have got so mighty tough,
That I just can't seem to chop them any more.
No, I just can't seem to chop them any more.

In all the West Coast forest, there was none could chop like me,
I long again to hear the felling's roar.
Down the valley of the shadow I'll soon be on the track,
Where oft-times I've seen bushmen go before.

And when I sleep my last long sleep, I pray that it may be,
With the Miro and the Matai and the Pine,
And the Ngaio and the Hinau and the Koromiko tree,
Grow forever by the lonely grave of mine.
Grow forever by the lonely grave of mine.

Chorus: For my slasher is all rusty, my axe-handle is broke
I have hung them up behind the whare door.
For the Rimu and the Rata have got so mighty tough,
That I just can't seem to chop them any more.
No, I just can't seem to chop them any more.

credits

from The Southern Cross and the Northern Star, released March 19, 2017

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Ceolskog Hamilton, New Zealand

Ceolskog is the folk metal project of Adam Helliwell, a singer and guitarist from New Zealand. Ceolskog's style is a cross between traditional folk music, particularly Celtic and Nordic, and heavy metal.

Ceol means music in Irish, and skog means forest in Norwegian. Although a solo project for now, it will hopefully become an entire band in the future. ... more

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