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.

Recycled Ringer
Slim Dusty Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Got pretty big load on a bitumen road and the needle's on 110
Got a big mob of wheels and a whole lot of steers rollin' across the Top End

Rollin' across the Top End in a computerized supercharged Benz
I used to ride over this track as a drover but
I'm not gonna do it again
No i'm not gonna do it again

Got the cool air a'blowin' and the CD a'goin'
And the cooler full of Lemonade too
Not like it was when we walked the big mobs
way to hell down the Barcoo

Way to hell down the Barcoo
And the rot and the sandy blight too
Weevils in the flour and the cook gettin' sour
Way to hell down the Barcoo
Heya way to hell down the Barcoo that's right

Now my old ringer mates were shown the bush gate and choppers and bikes came along
The hobbles and bells rung out the death knell
An old way of life dead and gone

Oh an old way of life dead and gone
But a man's gotta keep movin' on
So they recycled me made a truckie out of me
Now i gotta keep movin' on
Hey i gotta keep this rig rollin' on

Got pretty big load on a bitumen road and the needle's on 110

Got a big mob of wheels and a whole lot of steers rollin' across the Top End
Hey rollin' across the Top End yeah

Overall Meaning

In Slim Dusty's song Recycled Ringer, the lyrics revolve around the changes sweeping the Australian outback brought about by modernization and technological advancements. Through the perspective of a former drover-turned-truck driver, the song depicts his transition from walking big mobs of cattle across the harsh and rugged terrain to driving a "computerized supercharged Benz" on a bitumen road. The song captures the contrast between the old way of life, steeped in hardship and toil, and the new reality of comfortable and efficient transport of livestock.

The lyrics also highlight the significance of music and technology in making long-distance driving a more enjoyable and relaxing experience. The driver listens to music from a CD, feels the cool breeze blowing, and sips lemonade from his cooler as he drives across the Top End. The song illustrates the impact of technology on the Australian outback, transforming the way of life for drovers and cattle drivers, and raising the level of comfort and convenience in the transportation of goods and materials.

Overall, Slim Dusty's Recycled Ringer is a commentary on the changes affecting rural Australia, particularly the impact of modern technology on the traditional ways of farming and livestock transport. The song presents a snapshot of the Australian outback's cultural heritage and history while urging listeners to embrace the new era of progress and change.

Line by Line Meaning

Got pretty big load on a bitumen road and the needle's on 110
Carrying a heavy load while driving at high speed on a paved road

Got a big mob of wheels and a whole lot of steers rollin' across the Top End
Transporting a large quantity of wheels and cattle through the Northern Territory

Rollin' across the Top End in a computerized supercharged Benz
Driving a powerful, modern truck through the outback

I used to ride over this track as a drover but
In the past, I travelled this same route as a drover on horseback

I'm not gonna do it again
I won't go back to the old, difficult way of life

Got the cool air a'blowin' and the CD a'goin'
Enjoying the comfort of air conditioning and listening to music

And the cooler full of Lemonade too
Keeping cold drinks on hand for refreshment

Not like it was when we walked the big mobs
This is a much easier way to transport cattle compared to the traditional method of herding on foot

Way to hell down the Barcoo
Describing a difficult journey through a harsh, unforgiving environment

And the rot and the sandy blight too
Dealing with the challenges of food spoilage and harsh environmental conditions

Weevils in the flour and the cook gettin' sour
Suffering from the realities of living and working in remote, unforgiving conditions

Now my old ringer mates were shown the bush gate and choppers and bikes came along
The old ways of herding and droving have been replaced by modern technology such as helicopters and motorcycles

The hobbles and bells rung out the death knell
The traditional equipment used for herding is no longer needed and is a sign of a dying way of life

An old way of life dead and gone
The traditional way of life is no longer sustainable or practical

But a man's gotta keep movin' on
You have to adapt and move on with the times, even if it means leaving behind old traditions

So they recycled me made a truckie out of me
Having to learn a new profession to survive in the changing world

Now i gotta keep movin' on
Continuing to adapt and change in order to survive

Hey i gotta keep this rig rollin' on
It's my job to keep this truck moving, no matter what obstacles come my way

Hey rollin' across the Top End yeah
Emphasizing the journey and the progress made despite the changes in the world

Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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