1344. Red Ribbon Rebels (Original) -- Live at Newport Open Stage

This song is on my CD, "Who Needs Reality?", available from CD Baby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/raymondcrooke

In 1851, the discovery of shallow alluvial gold near the small town of Chewton in Victoria led to the world's largest migration of the century. In an incident that predated the "Red Ribbon Rebellion" of 1853 in Bendigo and the famous Eureka Stockade in Ballarat in 1854, between 12,000 and 20,000 miners attended a "Monster Meeting" to protest the government's plan to double the licence fees for gold mining from 30 shillings to 3 pounds per month. It took place on 15th December, 1851 at 4 pm at the nearby Shepherd's Hut. The diggers flew their own flag and wore red ribbons to symbolise their solidarity. The Government did change their mind about the licence fee increase, thus preventing a worsening of the rebellion.

This early protest was a forerunner of the better known rebellions that followed, in particular the Eureka Stockade, in which a large number of miners were massacred by government forces, eventually leading to democracy in Australia. There are obvious parallels with events taking place in the Middle East today.

A plaque was erected near the original site to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Monster Meeting, quoting the miners' determination "to unite for strength" and "to act and not talk". As part of the celebrations in 2010, a songwriting competition was held, with the finalists performing in Chewton on 12th December. Fourteen songs were shortlisted and the competition was won by Martin McKenna for a song called "Thirty Shillings a Month". My own song did not make the shortlist.

There are different opinions about the meaning of "monster meeting". Some say it merely refers to the size of the meeting; others argue that "monster" is a verb meaning to exert pressure on the authorities. It is the second of these meanings that I have assumed in my song about the incident.

I have performed the song live at a couple of venues at the National Folk Festival in Canberra and at the Victorian Folk Club in Ringwood, and, in this video, at the Newport Open Stage,

You can hear a playlist of my original songs (in alphabetical order) here:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B9F8E3B7A8822951

You can see a playlist of my Australian songs here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0DE11C284435E7A2

For lyrics and chords of all my songs please go to my website: http://www.raymondcrooke.com

Lyrics:

I spent all my money to come to this land.
'Twas a venture both foolish and bold.
And to Chewton I came for to try out my hand
At making my fortune in gold.
But Mr LaTrobe, we are slaving away.
Our eyes and our lungs are clouded with dust.
We are "mere grievance-mongers" -- well, that's what you say.
And you threaten to aim your big cannons at us.

... You're living at ease at the people's expense.
... You should know that we diggers can't pay any more.
... We'll monster your government until you see sense;
... You'll hear how the red ribbon rebels can roar.

Our tents are endangered, we have to keep arms;
On the goldfields ex-convicts abound.
The government's job is to keep us from harm
But there's never much help to be found.
Harassed and arrested by licence police
Who are driven by malice and unbridled greed.
Their duty is surely to help keep the peace.
It's they who should give us the safety we need.

There are no more forests of ironbark trees,
Not a blade of grass on the ground.
The dust in our mouths makes us choke with our thirst
But no water to drink can be found,
For the creeks they are muddy from washing for gold
As tin dishes give way to the puddlers' machine.
The sly grog will kill us before we get old
For there's nought else to drink when the water's not clean.

Look how America threw off the yoke
And the burden of English taxation.
The rebels made clear it had gone past a joke,
And so there was born a new nation.
Did the Queen pay one shilling for the colonies here?
The wealth of the land is the people's instead.
Such taxes in England cost the government dear
And King Charles the First had to forfeit his head.

Do you understand what a government is?
Or what a government should be?
Nothing more than the chosen servants
Of a people born to be free.
In union is strength; that's the rule we're applying.
At the Shepherd's hut we are meeting tonight.
And the flag of the diggers of Chewton is flying.
For freedom and justice we'll fight the good fight.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• chewton
• australia
• gold
• miner
• rebellion
• eureka
• government
• democracy
• newport
• open
• stage

[Tony2581]

Great performance, Raymond, and a fine song too!

[raymondcrooke]

@Tony2581 Thanks, Tony. I haven't been doing much live music lately, but I do enjoy it when I have the chance.

[1952banjo]

soo very interesting! like it!!

[raymondcrooke]

@1952banjo Thanks, Virginia.

[lewdite]

I am partial to "live" events… nicely done.

[raymondcrooke]

@lewdite Not many these days unfortunately. I do enjoy live performance.

[raymondcrooke]

@cariboubill Thanks, Bill. Australia Day is on 26 January, so I'm putting up a few songs about our history.

[cariboubill]

It didn't make the shortlist, Ray, but it sounds like a winner to me.

...Bill