Bronzewing Songbook
The songbook 'Songs of A Bronzewing' was published in 1991. You will find the lyrics and a recording of the majority of the songs already on the website under the various collections listed as albums. The songs not as yet recorded are given here with lyrics and notation. The poems listed in the contents page (the titles with an asterisk) will eventually be added to the site in a section for poetry.
'Blackbird' has been recorded by international artist Jean Redpath on her CD 'Summer of My Dreams'. Greentrax.
Bronzewing is a term that means the opposite of Silvertail and it seems to be an apt analogy to partially answer an old question that still rages. 'What is a Folksong?'.
If I was asked to state the difference between commercial and folk songwriters it would be this – a commercial writer casts bread upon the waters and hopes to get back dough! A folk writer casts bread upon the water and hopes that someone else will digest it, with all the implications of the digestive process.
If Australia is to keep being as egalitarian as its National Anthem implies, the songs of Bronzewings will need to be heard louder and clearer throughout Oz. This is difficult as the Bronzewing Pigeon does not fly high, but it does have its feet and ear close to the ground so its up to others on the ground to keep the songs growing.
View Bronzewing CD here!
Songs and Poems
The songs have been selected from those written between 1966 and 1989 and are in chronological order as far as can be remembered. The poem titles with an asterisk (*) are put in order to suit the publication. The numbers refer to the original pagination in the book.
