The Franklin Must Ever Run Free

Words: Anonymous
Tune: Traditional (Botany Bay)



Oh the Franklin's the sweetest of rivers
And the wildest we ever have named
And despite bully boys and their ignorance,
The Franklin must never be tamed

CHORUS:
Singing toorallai, toorallai addity
Singing toorallai, toorallai-ee
Despite bully boys and their ignorance,
The Franklin must never be tamed

There's the Hydro-Electric Commission
At building power stations they're great
And the Hydro-Electric Commission
Builds the dams, makes the power, runs the state

There's the wild and the wet and the beautiful
There's the tame and the shame and the taint
There's a government that's ever so dutiful
To a premier who thinks he's a saint.

For there's not just the past there's the future
We must build for tomorow you see
And the duty we owe to our children's kids
Is to make sure the Franklin runs free.



From Franklin River Blockade Songs - The Franklin River Blockade Songbook, Volume 2, Hobart, February 1993. Published by the Tasmanian Wilderness Society.


The protests over the proposed damming of the Franklin River were a significant example of community political mobilisation in Australia in the 1980s. A summary of the events can be found here:

http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/wild-rivers/franklin


The Wilderness Society developed out of the principal organisation involved in the protests, The Tasmanian Wilderness Society. The head of the TWS (Dr Bob Brown) went on to become leader of the Australian Greens and has represented that party in the Senate since 1996.

Botany Bay (Cecil Sharp version)

Unknown



Come all young men of learning, a warning take by me
I'll have you quit night walking and shun bad company
I'll have you quit night walking, or else you'll rue the day
And you will be transported and be sent to Botany Bay

I was brought up in London town, a place I know full well
Brought up by honest parents, the truth to you I'll tell
Brought up by honest parents, who loved me tenderly
Till I became a roving blade, to prove my destiny

My character was taken and I was sent to goal
My parents tried to clear me, but nothing would prevail
Twas at our Rutland sessions the Judge to me did say
The jury's found you guilty, you must go to Botany Bay

To see my poor old father, as he stood at the bar
Likewise my dear old mother, her old gray locks she tore
And in tearing of her old gray locks these words to me she did say
O son ! O son ! What hast thou done, Thou art bound for Botany Bay

Botany Bay

by Florian Pascal (1847 - 1923)




Farewell to Old England forever
Farewell to my old pals as well
Farewell to the well known Old Bailee
Where I once used to be such a swell


Chorus:
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay.

There's the captain as is our commandeer,
There's bo'sun and all the ship's crew
There's first and the second class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts goes through

'Taint leaving Old England we cares about,
'Taint 'cos we mispells wot we knows
But becos all we light finger'd gentry
Hop's around with a log on our toes.

Oh had I the wings of a turtle-dove,
I'd soar on my pinions so high,
Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love,
And in her sweet presence I'd die

Now all my young Dookies and Duchesses,
Take warning from what I've to say,
Mind all is your own as you touch-es-es,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay,



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