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.
The Battle With the Roan
Slim Dusty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strapped across the bony framework of a long backed chestnut nag
I was headin' for a station on the stockroute west of Bourke
To tangle with an outlaw horse well known in campfire talk
When I rode down to the stockyard where they said I′d find the boss
Standing just inside I saw the big roan outlaw horse
He was just the kind of horseflesh a ringer dreams about
I said now boss is that the horse the ringers rave about
I've heard of him at Camooweal and even further out
Yes he's been tried by desert men and riders from the gulf
He said I′d give my station to the man that calls his bluff
And as I strapped the bridle on that proud and shapely head
I pictured me as owner of his big merino spread
I threw my Snyder poley on and tightened up the girth
And as I stepped astride him the big horse left this earth
He left the ground in one tight ball as solid as a stone
And all that I could see around was one big blur of roan
I hit him with my goosenecks around the shoulder points
He twisted like a reptile that had a million joints
He dropped his shoulders way down low and chopped out to the right
He started striking at the bit each time the spurs did bite
I thought I felt him weaken so I voiced a victory yell
What happened then I only know for those who saw it tell
So I rode way from the station with my saddle and my swag
Strapped across the bony framework of the same old chestnut nag
And just as I was leaving he whinnied loud and shrill
And even after all these years I fancy I hear him still
They still tell yarns about him around the campfire blaze
Of the noted riders that he′s thrown so many different ways
And while I'm taking night watch on a cattle camp alone
I try to figure how I lost the battle with the roan.
The lyrics of Slim Dusty's song "The Battle With the Roan" describe the singer's attempt to ride a well-known and highly respected outlaw horse in the Australian outback. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer's journey to the station, his expectations of the horse, and the intense battle that ensues between them. The singer successfully straps on the bridle and saddle, but as soon as he attempts to ride the horse, things take a turn for the worse. The horse throws him off and the singer loses the battle with the roan.
The song is metaphorical in nature as it deals with the battle of man against nature. The roan represents the wild and untamed nature that the singer is trying to conquer. The singer's journey becomes a test of strength and courage, and the outcome of the battle with the roan is symbolic of man's struggle to come to terms with the unpredictability of nature. The lyrics evoke the harsh landscape of the Australian outback and the dangers that lurk within it.
Line by Line Meaning
I come ridin′ down the Barwon with my saddle and my swag
I arrived by horseback at Barwon, carrying my saddle and belongings with me.
Strapped across the bony framework of a long backed chestnut nag
My things were carried by a thin, long-backed brown horse.
I was headin' for a station on the stockroute west of Bourke
I was travelling towards a cattle station located on a stock route to the west of Bourke.
To tangle with an outlaw horse well known in campfire talk
My goal was to confront a well-known outlaw horse that had gained notoriety among cowboys through campfire stories.
When I rode down to the stockyard where they said I′d find the boss
I reached a yard where I was told I would find the boss.
Standing just inside I saw the big roan outlaw horse
Once inside the yard, I spotted the big roan outlaw horse.
He was just the kind of horseflesh a ringer dreams about
The roan was the kind of horse that every good cowboy wishes to own.
Game eye and good strong shoulders and front legs well spaced out
The roan had a keen, competitive gaze with strong shoulders and well-spaced front legs.
I said now boss is that the horse the ringers rave about
I ask the boss if this was the horse all the cowboys have been talking about.
I've heard of him at Camooweal and even further out
I had heard of the horse being talked about by cowboys even in Camooweal and beyond.
Yes he's been tried by desert men and riders from the gulf
The boss confirmed that the horse had already been ridden by cowboys from different places.
He said I′d give my station to the man that calls his bluff
Boss challenges me to ride the horse and offers his station as a reward if I would be able to succeed.
And as I strapped the bridle on that proud and shapely head, I pictured me as owner of his big merino spread
As I gear up the horse, I pictured myself as the new owner of the merino spread.
I threw my Snyder poley on and tightened up the girth
I used my Snyder poley to mount the horse and tightened the girth strap.
And as I stepped astride him the big horse left this earth
The horse jumped out of the ground with a great force as I sat on him.
He left the ground in one tight ball as solid as a stone
The sat for a very short time before jumping off the ground in a very tightly coiled ball, just as solid as a stone.
And all that I could see around was one big blur of roan
All I saw during his jump was just a haze of roan color surrounding me.
I hit him with my goosenecks around the shoulder points
With a gooseneck, I struck him around the shoulder area.
He twisted like a reptile that had a million joints
He twisted like a reptile with many joints.
He dropped his shoulders way down low and chopped out to the right
He lowered his shoulders and moved to the right in a sharp motion.
He started striking at the bit each time the spurs did bite
He started to resist by repeatedly striking at the riding bit every time I employed the spur.
I thought I felt him weaken so I voiced a victory yell
I was hopeful that he was tiring, so I outed a victory yell.
What happened then I only know for those who saw it tell
I cannot say for sure what happened thereafter, as it could not be elucidated by my observation.
So I rode way from the station with my saddle and my swag
After the attempt, I left the station, still with my saddle and belongings.
Strapped across the bony framework of the same old chestnut nag
I still used the same old, thin, long-backed brown horse to tow my belongings.
And just as I was leaving he whinnied loud and shrill
Just as I was leaving, the outlandish horse neighed loudly and sharply.
And even after all these years I fancy I hear him still
Years later, I still tend to hear the sound of his loud neigh in my memory.
They still tell yarns about him around the campfire blaze
Even up to this day, cowboys still tell their tales about him across a campfire during the night.
Of the noted riders that he′s thrown so many different ways
Cowboys tell tales of different noted riders he has thrown off his back on different occasions.
And while I'm taking night watch on a cattle camp alone
Sometimes when I am alone, watching over cattle at night, I begin to think about him.
I try to figure how I lost the battle with the roan.
I try to figure out how I lost in the struggle against the roan horse.
Writer(s): Coster Stanley Alfred, Kirkpatrick David Gordon
Contributed by Arianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Allisonloosemore
‘I come ridin' down the Barwon with my saddle and my swag
Strapped across the bony framework of a long backed chestnut nag
I was headin' for a station on the stockroute west of Bourke
To tangle with an outlaw horse well known in campfire talk
When I rode down to the stockyard where they said I'd find the boss
Standing just inside I saw the big roan outlaw horse
He was just the kind of horseflesh a ringer dreams about
Game eye and good strong shoulders and front legs well spaced out
I said now boss is that the horse the ringers rave about
I've heard of him at Camooweal and even further out
Yes he's been tried by desert men and riders from the gulf
He said I'd give my station to the man that calls his bluff
And as I strapped the bridle on that proud and shapely head
I pictured me as owner of his big merino spread
I threw my Snyder poley on and tightened up the girth
And as I stepped astride him the big horse left this earth
He left the ground in one tight ball as solid as a stone
And all that I could see around was one big blur of roan
I hit him with my goosenecks around the shoulder points
He twisted like a reptile that had a million joints
He dropped his shoulders way down low and chopped out to the right
He started striking at the bit each time the spurs did bite
I thought I felt him weaken so I voiced a victory yell
What happened then I only know for those who saw it tell
So I rode way from the station with my saddle and my swag
Strapped across the bony framework of the same old chestnut nag
And just as I was leaving he whinnied loud and shrill
And even after all these years I fancy I hear him still
They still tell yarns about him around the campfire blaze
Of the noted riders that he's thrown so many different ways
And while I'm taking night watch on a cattle camp alone
I try to figure how I lost the battle with the roan.’
@keithschmidt6418
This album was my second record i owned when i was about 9 in the seventys, the first one was the first best of slim dusty album with trumby and rusty on it, this song was my oldmans favourite maybe second fav next to a fire of gidgee coal. RIP, OLDMAN AND SLIM.
@lucyjones1051
The Strawberry Roan by Marty Robbins was written as a poem by Curly Fletcher in 1915. The Battle of the Roan was first released in 1988.They sound a lot alike and I love listening to both.
@lorrainemoore5663
Love both of them too
@heatherwungundin6224
I love slim dusty songs
@jessesands4099
Nice Song By Slim About The Breaking Of A Wild Outlaw Horse!🤠🐴🐎🏡🌳🎙🎸🎼🎼🎵🎶🇦🇺
@bobgreaves2833
Never be another slim
@rubenking3321
great song by slim dusty great singer I love his singing and picking that guitar
@endoando2541
the song sounds like its under water for some un known reason but its a fantastis song
@keithschmidt6418
I also like marty robbins, this grrat Slim Dusty song is nothing like the other one. R I P. SD.
@lucyjones1051
Strawberry Roan by Marty Robbins. I love both songs.