Feverish and stampeding, The Town Pants’ lively renditions of traditional and contemporary Celtic-influenced tunes, combined with the group’s original compositions, create a distinctive sound that has attracted fans from around the world. At home, Vancouver fans selected The Town Pants as one of their favourite National Celtic/Traditional Acts in Vancouver’s Georgia Straight entertainment weekly annual “Best of Vancouver” readers’ poll, where they were shortlisted with such groups as Great Big Sea and Natalie MacMaster.
Instrumentation & Guest Musicians:
Dave Keogh - Vocals, banjo, mandolin
Duane Keogh - Vocals, guitar
Aaron Chapman - Vocals, tin whistle, harmonica
Gilles Nadon - Percussion
Brendan Mooney - Bass
Ivanka Watkin - Fiddle
Kyle Taylor - Fiddle
Mo Sherwood - Percussion
Virginia Schwartz - Fiddle
Tony Raybould - Percussion
Andrea Taylor - Fiddle
Meghan Engel - Viola
Hugh McMillan (Spirit Of The West) - Bass, Chapman Stick
Rich Priske(Matthew Good Band) - Bass
Shona Le Mottee (Paperboys)
Dino DiNicolo - Bass, percussion
Michael Michalkow - Percussion
Discography
Coming Home - 2007
Weight of Words - 2004
Piston Baroque - 2001
Liverdance - 1998
Links
http://www.thetownpants.com
New South Wales
The Town Pants Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shearing sheep as big as whales
With leather necks and jaggy tails
And hides as tough as rusty nails
When shearing comes lay down your guns
Step to the board you brand new chums
With a ratum ratum rub a dub dub
These brand new chums and chappie sons
Fancy their the greatest guns
Fancy they can shear the wool
The beggars can only tear and pull
Though we live beyond our means
Our daughters wear no crinolines
Nor are they bothered by boots or shoes
But live wild in the woods with the kangaroos
Home its home I'd like to be
Far from the woods and the back country
Sixteen thousand miles I've come
To spend my life as a shearing bum
The Town Pants's song "New South Wales" is a lively and humorous tribute to the hard-working shearers of Australia. The song describes the grueling work of shearing sheep, which are described as being as big as whales, with jaggy tails and hides as tough as rusty nails. The chorus instructs new arrivals to the shearing stations to leave their guns behind and step to the board, where they will be taught to shear with a "ratum ratum rub a dub dub." The song also pokes gentle fun at the brand new chums (newcomers) and chappie sons (sons of the bosses), who fancy themselves the greatest guns (the most skilled shearers), but are often just tearing and pulling at the wool.
Despite the tough and often dangerous work of shearing, the song also highlights the simple pleasures of life in the Australian bush. The shearers' daughters are described as wearing no crinolines (layers of stiffened petticoats) and living wild in the woods with the kangaroos. The singer, however, longs to be home, far from the back country and the sixteen thousand miles he has traveled to become a "shearing bum."
Overall, "New South Wales" presents a lighthearted and affectionate picture of life in the Australian bush, highlighting the unique culture and traditions of the country's shearers.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we are in New South Wales
We find ourselves in the state of New South Wales.
Shearing sheep as big as whales
We are shearing sheep that are large in size, comparable to whales.
With leather necks and jaggy tails
The sheep have tough necks and tails full of thorns.
And hides as tough as rusty nails
The hides of these sheep are as strong as old, corroded nails.
When shearing comes lay down your guns
No need for weapons when shearing time arrives.
Step to the board you brand new chums
Newcomers to the trade should take their place alongside the experienced shearers.
With a ratum ratum rub a dub dub
The shearing machine hums along as the wool is removed from the sheep.
We'll send you back on the lime juice tub
After the shearing is done, the new shearers will be sent home on a ship where lime juice is used to prevent scurvy.
These brand new chums and chappie sons
The new shearers and sons of shearers begin their training.
Fancy their the greatest guns
They believe themselves to be the best at shearing.
Fancy they can shear the wool
They believe they can shear the wool with ease.
The beggars can only tear and pull
In reality, they only tear and pull at the wool.
Though we live beyond our means
Even though we can't afford to live above our means, we make it work.
Our daughters wear no crinolines
Our daughters don't dress up in fancy clothes.
Nor are they bothered by boots or shoes
Our daughters don't pay much attention to their footwear.
But live wild in the woods with the kangaroos
Our daughters enjoy being outside in nature, hanging out with kangaroos.
Home its home I'd like to be
I would like to return back home.
Far from the woods and the back country
I want to be far away from the wilderness and remote areas.
Sixteen thousand miles I've come
I have traveled a long distance.
To spend my life as a shearing bum
I came all this way just to spend my days shearing sheep.
Contributed by Lucy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.