Born in the bush, Corryong, Victoria, in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains high country is where Lee's life began. The son of a truck driver and later multi-platinum recording artist Ray Kernaghan, Lee spent his formative years growing up in the Riverina country of Southern NSW. Lee's Grandfather was a third generation drover of sheep and cattle and his experiences on the road with his Pop ran deep, producing a string of hits that began with the release of his first album the ARIA award winning " Outback Club" in 1992. His first number one hit "Boys from the Bush" became an anthem, a celebration of a way of life that would change the face of Australian country music forever.
Lee Kernaghan has dominated the charts with successive hit albums including "Three Chain Road", "1959", "Hat Town" and "Electric Rodeo" making him Hit Maker of the Decade and creating a new musical landscape along the way. He has done to country music in Australia what Garth Brooks did in the USA..... he blurred the line and took country music out of the box that it had existed in for decades.... He added a spectacular live show and along the way has sold over one million albums, won 24 Golden Guitars, 3 Aria Awards, 21 number 1 hits, 8 hit albums and now with the release of his 9th album 'Spirit of the Bush' he's done it again, his stellar career continues
A Handful of Dust
Lee Kernaghan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The line scorched and grey
The stock is lean and rough
It's another long and breathless day
And the rain wont come
And you just keep
Holding on to hope
And all that's left is pride
To work this restless land
Takes the kind of man
Who'll give it one more try
Backing your faith and trust
In a handful of dust
A drum beats slow and eerie 'cross the plain
The heat haze dancing in the sun
When giving in goes against the grain
So you don't give in
And you just keep
Holding on to hope
Your spirit's bent and broke
And all that's left is pride
To work this restless land
Takes the kind of man
Who'll give it one more try
Backing your faith and trust
In a handful of dust
You've done all you can do
So how'll you see it through
You're holding on to hope
And your spirit's broke
And all that's left is pride
To work this restless land
Takes the kind of man
Who'll give it one more try
You're holding on to hope
Your spirit's bent and broke
And all that's left is pride
To work this restless land
Takes the kind of man
Who'll give it one more try
You're packing your faith and trust
In a handful of dust
Just a handful of dust
Just a handful of dust
Handful of dust
Just a handful of dust
The lyrics of Lee Kernaghan's "A Handful of Dust" depict the life of a farmer living in the harsh Australian outback. The first stanza portrays the dry and arid conditions of the land, where the stock is lean and rough, and the rain won't come. The farmer, despite the difficult circumstances, holds onto hope and continues to work the land with pride and determination, even when his spirit is bent and broken. The second stanza describes the eerie and haunting sound of a drum beating slowly across the plain, reflecting the isolation and loneliness of life in the outback. Nevertheless, the farmer persists and refuses to give in, driven by his strong faith and trust in the land, represented in the song as a handful of dust.
The chorus repeats the theme of holding onto hope, broken spirits, and pride - essential components in the never-ending battle to work this restless land. The bridge suggests that the farmer has done all he possibly can, and now he must rely on hope to see him through. The final chorus repeats the idea that he is packing his faith and trust in the land within the handful of dust that he clings to so tightly.
Overall, "A Handful of Dust" is a powerful tribute to the tenacity and determination of Australia's farmers, who continue to work the land despite seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
The black soil plains
Describing the barren landscape where the story is set.
The line scorched and grey
The heat has taken a toll on the land, leaving it dry and lifeless.
The stock is lean and rough
The animals on the land are struggling with the harsh conditions.
It's another long and breathless day
The days are repetitive and unchanging, with no respite from the heat.
And the rain wont come
Despite the need and the hope, there is no sign of relief from the drought.
And you just keep holding on to hope
In the face of adversity, clinging to hope is the only thing that keeps the characters going.
Your spirit's bent and broke
Despite the desire to remain hopeful, the characters are worn down and broken.
And all that's left is pride
But even in the face of defeat, there is still a sense of pride in the work they do and the land they call home.
To work this restless land takes the kind of man who'll give it one more try
It takes a person with great perseverance and determination to make a living from such difficult and unforgiving land.
Backing your faith and trust in a handful of dust
Despite the odds, the characters believe in the potential of their land.
A drum beats slow and eerie 'cross the plain
The landscape is vast and empty, with only the sound of the drum echoing in the distance.
The heat haze dancing in the sun
The scorching sun creates a hazy atmosphere that seems to dance on the horizon.
When giving in goes against the grain, so you don't give in
Although giving up may seem like an easy option, it is not in the nature of the characters to give up on their land and their way of life.
You've done all you can do, so how'll you see it through?
Although they have exhausted all options, the characters must find a way to keep going and keep believing.
Just a handful of dust
Despite the bleakness of the landscape, there is still a muted beauty in the land and the dust that covers it.
Contributed by Caroline W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Iain B
on Hat Town
Intro
I was born in a hat town
Raised on the Warrego
It’s hot out here but you tough it out
Like an old Brigalow
From the back of the Channel country
Across the western plains
The roads are straight and dusty
And the folks are much the same
Chorus:
Roots run strong deep out here in a hat town
And we'll carry on down through the years in a hat town
Well it might be Thargominda; Might be Barky Downs
Theres a pub and a store and not much more, you’re living in an old hat town
Stocking out in the heat haze, half mile 60 zone
Just a rag tag bunch of buildings made of wood and tin and stone
Theres a swag with stories, most of them are true
How the locals pass the hat around and pull each other through
Chorus
Instrumental
Well we're roustabouts and drovers; we're bushies tried and true
And we're out here for the long haul; not just blowin' through
Roots run strong and deep out here in a hat town
And we'll carry on down through the years in a hat town
From the back of the Channel Country, and across the Dusty Downs
There's a pub and a store and not much more, you’re living in an old hat town
Yeah
Todelay heeeee
Livin in a hat town
Livin in an old hat town
Yodelay heeeee
Livin in a hat town
Livin in an old hat town
Please delete earlier comment which misspelt Thargominda
Iain B
on Hat Town
Intro
I was born in a hat town
Raised on the Warrego
It’s hot out here but you tough it out
Like an old Brigalow
From the back of the Channel country
Across the western plains
The roads are straight and dusty
And the folks are much the same
Chorus:
Roots run strong deep out here in a hat town
And we'll carry on down through the years in a hat town
Well it might be Thargomind; Might be Barky Downs
Theres a pub and a store and not much more, you’re living in an old hat town
Stocking out in the heat haze, half mile 60 zone
Just a rag tag bunch of buildings made of wood and tin and stone
Theres a swag with stories, most of them are true
How the locals pass the hat around and pull each other through
Chorus
Instrumental
Well we're roustabouts and drovers; we're bushies tried and true
And we're out here for the long haul; not just blowin' through
Roots run strong and deep out here in a hat town
And we'll carry on down through the years in a hat town
From the back of the Channel Country, and across the Dusty Downs
There's a pub and a store and not much more, you’re living in an old hat town
Yeah
Todelay heeeee
Livin in a hat town
Livin in an old hat town
Yodelay heeeee
Livin in a hat town
Livin in an old hat town