David Gordon "Slim Dusty " Kirkpatrick AO, MBE (13 June 1927—19 September 2… Read Full Bio ↴David Gordon "Slim Dusty " Kirkpatrick AO, MBE (13 June 1927—19 September 2003) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter and producer, with a career spanning nearly eight decades. He was known to record songs in the legacy of Australian poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson that represented the Australian Bush Lifestyle, and also for his many trucking songs. Dusty was the first Australian to have a No. 1 Hit song with Gordon Parsons (Pub With No Beer). He received an unequaled 37 Golden Guitar and two ARIA awards and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and the Country Music Roll of Renown. At the time of his death at the age of 76, Dusty had been working on his 106th album for EMI Records. In 2007 his domestic record sales in Australia surpassed seven million.

Over the course of his career, he collected more gold and platinum albums than any other Australian artist.
Dusty not only recorded songs written by himself and other fellow Australian performers, but also recorded classic Australian poems by Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson with new tunes, to call attention to the old 'Bush Ballads.' An example is The Man from Snowy River by Paterson.

In 1970, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to music. In 1971 he won Best Single at the Australian Country Music Awards at the Tamworth Country Music Festival (Slim's wife Joy McKean won Song of the Year as writer of the song for which he won best single). In all, he won a record 35 "Golden Guitars" over the years.

He died at home in St Ives, New South Wales on 19 September 2003 after a protracted battle with cancer, at age 76.

The Slim Dusty Story started back in the 1940s on a remote dairy farm in the hills behind Kempsey, NSW, when a 10-year-old boy dreamed of being a country music singer. His name was David Gordon Kirkpatrick... he called himself "Slim Dusty" and began to live that dream.

But even the most optimistic farm boy would never have imagined the life that was to unfold... a life that would establish Slim as the voice of the nation, the chronicler of Australian history in song.

Slim managed to hold on to those early visions of writing and singing about the bush because during his lengthy career, he always stayed in touch with his audience. And he did this in a very real and meaningful way, so much so that his fans would feel that Slim was one of their mates and his songs "just a good yarn you might hear from a mate at the pub, around a campfire in the bush or at a back yard barbie".

He described his music as "songs about real Australians... "I have to be fair dinkum with my audience. I can't see any other way of doing it," he said. "You have to believe in what you are singing about."

Slim Dusty was the first Australian to have a number one hit record and the only Australian to ever receive a 78rpm Gold Record (for A Pub With No Beer in 1958)...

He was the first Australian to have an international record hit and the first singer in the world to have his voice beamed to earth from space (astronauts Bob Crippen and John Young played Slim's recording of Waltzing Matilda from the space shuttle "Columbia" as it passed over Australia back in 1983).

During an amazingly successful career spanning over six decades, Slims' continued popularity saw him rewarded with more Gold and Platinum Awards for sales of his singles, eight-tracks, cassettes, CD's, videos and DVDs... more than any other Australian artist!

He received an unequaled 37 Golden Guitar Awards, two ARIA's (Australian Recording Industry Association awards), inductions into the ARIA Hall of Fame and the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown.

Slim was recognized for his long time services to Australian entertainment with an MBE and an Order of Australia. In 1999, Prime Minister John Howard named Slim Dusty Australia's Father of the Year and Senior Australian of the Year. There were many other awards and honors... too many to name here!

Dusty died at his home in St Ives, New South Wales on 19 September 2003 at the age of 76, after a protracted battle with cancer.

Eumerella Shore
Slim Dusty Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a happy little valley on the Eumerella Shore,
Where I lingered many happy hours away,
On my little preselection I have acres by the score,
Where I unyoked the bullocks from the dray.

To my bullocks then I say no matter where you stray,
You will never be impounded anymore,
For you're running, running, running on the duffers piece of land,

Pre-selected on the Eumerella Shore.

When the moon has climbed the mountain and the stars are very bright,
We will saddle up our horses and away,
And we'll yard the squatter's cattle in the darkness of the night,
And we'll have the mob all branded by the day.

To his cattle then we'll say, no matter where you strayed,
You will never be impounded anymore,
For you're running, running, running on the duffers piece of land,
Pre-selected on the Eumerella Shore.

If we find a mob of horses when the paddock rails are down,
Though before they were never known to stray,
We will yard them up and drive them to some distant inland town,
And we'll sell them into slavery far away.

To Jack Robertson we'll say, "We are on a better lay,
And we'll never go a farmin' anymore,

For it's easier duffin' cattle on that little piece of land,
Pre-selected on the Eumerella Shore.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Slim Dusty's "Eumerella Shore" tell the story of a man who has found happiness and freedom on his small-selected patch of land in a valley along Eumerella Shore. He spends his days tending to his bullocks and enjoying the peaceful surroundings. The song is a tribute to the lifestyle that existed in Australia during the mid to late 1800s where small landholders battled against squatters to gain ownership of their own land. The lyrics describe a sense of ownership and belonging, as the man claims the land and its livestock as his own. He is free from being impounded or harassed by the authorities, as he has claimed ownership of this piece of land.

The song also talks about the illegal practices of cattle duffing, where men would steal cattle from squatters and sell them far away. The singer and his friends take part in this practice, feeling as though they are "on a better lay" and that it is easier than farming. The lyrics describe a sense of camaraderie between the singer and his fellow "duffers" as they work together to achieve their goals.

Overall, "Eumerella Shore" is a song about freedom and the desire to own land and live life on one's own terms, even if it means engaging in illegal activities.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a happy little valley on the Eumerella Shore,
Describing a cheerful valley in Eumerella Shore

Where I lingered many happy hours away,
Reminiscing about spending many joyful hours in the valley

On my little preselection I have acres by the score,
Proudly owning a large piece of land in the area

Where I unyoked the bullocks from the dray.
Recalling a moment when he unhitched the bullocks from the dray on his land

To my bullocks then I say no matter where you stray,
Addressing the bullocks and assuring them that they won't be captured no matter where they roam

You will never be impounded anymore,
Promising the bullocks to never be held captive again

For you're running, running, running on the duffers piece of land,
Explaining that the bullocks are now free to roam on his unclaimed land

Pre-selected on the Eumerella Shore.
Reiterating the name of his claimed land

When the moon has climbed the mountain and the stars are very bright,
Describing a serene, quiet night

We will saddle up our horses and away,
Preparing to leave on horseback

And we'll yard the squatter's cattle in the darkness of the night,
Intending to capture the cattle of the wealthy landowner during the night

And we'll have the mob all branded by the day.
Planned branding of the newly captured cattle before the day breaks

To his cattle then we'll say, no matter where you strayed,
Addressing the captive cattle and promising them freedom where ever they go

You will never be impounded anymore,
Ensuring them they will never be captured again

For you're running, running, running on the duffers piece of land,
Explaining the newly captured cattle can escape captivity by running on his unclaimed land

Pre-selected on the Eumerella Shore.
Mentioning the name of his own claimed land again

If we find a mob of horses when the paddock rails are down,
Planning to capture any escaped horses

Though before they were never known to stray,
Although the horses are not known to have gone astray before

We will yard them up and drive them to some distant inland town,
Deciding to sell the newly captured horses far away

And we'll sell them into slavery far away.
Describing the selling of the horses away into servitude

To Jack Robertson we'll say, "We are on a better lay,
Addressing Jack Robertson and letting him know they have a better plan now

And we'll never go a farmin' anymore,
Stating that they will no longer farm again

For it's easier duffin' cattle on that little piece of land,
Explaining that its easier and more profitable to capture cattle on his unclaimed land in Eumerella Shore.

Contributed by Christian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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