The Good Time Coming

Words: Unknown

Tune:  Henry Russell (The Good Time Coming)



There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,
When it will it's hard to say but I hope it will be some day
This good time coming.
A comic song oft tells hard truth in place of weapons stronger,
So now I'm going in to win, wait a little longer.

There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,
Squatters shan't permitted be to overrun this colony
In this good time coming,
Our members shall not squabble then to show which is the stronger,
Nor sell themselves to gain a place - wait a little longer.


There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,

Shepherds in the bush shan't be fed on damper, chops and tea

In this good time coming,

Then bullock drivers shall not swear, or taste a drink that's stronger

Than ginger beer when on the road -  wait a little longer.

There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,

Camp officials shall have sense and not try to give offence

In this good time coming

Some magistrates too will be found with love of justice stronger

And also know a little law -  wait a little longer.

There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,

Not a shicer shall be sunk not a digger e'er seen drunk

In the good time coming

Jumpers too shall be laid by, the rule of fashion stronger,

Bell-toppers worn when down the holes -  wait a little longer.

There's a good time coming, a good time coming,

Cases, Courts of Mines decide, shan't dissatisfy any side,

In this good time coming,

Mails shan't be behind their time, both ships and engines stronger

Shall not break down, or run ashore, wait a little longer.

There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,

Railways to the diggings made will Cobb' Coaches throw in shade,

In the good time coming,

Stations shall be large and fine, embankments, too much stronger

In fact they'll beat the Geelong line - wait a little longer

There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,

Young colonials han't be seen with their ladies at thirteen,

In this good time coming,

English girls shan't be allowed, though love than fire is stronger,

To marry flash John Chinamen - wait a little longer.

There's a good time coming, boys, a good time coming,

Then no single ship that comes shall e'er land us more new chums,

In this good time coming,

But be searched in Hobson's Bay by the police made stronger

And new chums sent back overland - wait a little longer.

From Coxon's Comic Songster with a melody by Henry Russell (composer of A Fine Old English Gentleman).

The Fine Fat Saucy Chinaman

Words: Charles Thatcher
Tune: Henry Russell (The Fine Old English Gentleman)



I'll sing a little ditty, which
I trust you'll not think flat.
Of a fine fat saucy Chinaman
Who lives on Ballarat,
Whose pigtail is wound round his nut
In a tremendous plait,
And who wears on most occasions
A mushroom-looking hat.

Like a fine fat saucy Chinaman,
One of the present time.

His tent is on the Red Hill, and
He's fossicking all day;
And though he takes what others leave,
Contrives to make it pay;
And sometimes gets big nuggets,
As I've heard people say,
For, by dint of perseverance,
He always pays his way.

But the people on the diggings
Complain of him in shoals -
They say he's always damaging
The splendid waterholes;
And when they catch him at it,
Into a rage they fly;
But, "Welly good no sabby,"
Is all John will reply.

There's an awful insurrection
In China now 'tis said;
He comes away, but finds here too
A price set on his head;
But as the ten pound poll tax
He swears he will not stand,
He goes on shore at Adelaide,
And tramps it overland.

Now John with all his many faults,
Leads an industrious life;
The greatest drawback that he has
Is that he has no wife;
And as he is a bachelor,
Of course he never pops
To spend his tin in any of
The millinery shops.

Now as he's getting lots of gold,
I've not the slightest doubt
That ultimately Chinese girls
By thousands will come out,
Of all sizes and complexions
To please both great and small,
For John says that without a wife,
He can't get on at all.


From the Goldrush Songster.

The largest foreign contingent on the goldfields in Australia was made up of the 40,000 Chinese who made their way to Australia.

In 1861, Chinese immigrants made up 3.3 per cent of the Australian population, the greatest it has ever been. These Chinese were nearly all men (38,337 men and only eleven women!) and most were under contract to Chinese and foreign businessmen. In exchange for their passage money, they worked on the goldfields until their debt was paid off. Most then returned to China. Between 1852 and 1889, there were 40,721 arrivals and 36,049 departures.

The illustration to this post is a photograph from the State Library of Queensland collection, Chinese gold digger starting for work, ca. 1860s.

The Squatter of the Olden Time

Words: Unknown (Queenslander)
Tune: Henry Russell (Fine Old English Gentleman)



I'll sing to you a fine new song, made by my blessed mate,
Of a fine Australian squatter who had a fine estate,
Who swore by right pre-emptive at a sanguinary rate
That by his rams, his ewes, his lambs, Australia was made great
Like a fine Australian squatter, one of the olden time.

His hut around was hung with guns, whips, spurs, and boots and shoes.
And kettles and tin pannikins to hold the tea he brews;
And here his worship lolls at ease and takes.his smoke and snooze,
And quaffs his cup of hysonskin, the beverage old chums choose
Like a fine Australian squatter, one. of the olden time.

And when shearing time approaches he opens hut to all
And though ten ihousand are his flocks, he featly shears them all,
Even to the scabby wanderer you'd think no good at all;
For while he fattens all the great, he boils down all the small
Like a fine old Murray squatter, one of the olden time.

And when his worship comes to town his agents for to see,
His wool to ship, his beasts to sell, he lives right merrily;
The club his place of residence, as becomes a bush l.P.,
He darkly hints that Thompson's run from scab is scarcely free
This fine old Murray settler, one of the olden time.

And now his fortune he has made, to England straight goes he,
But finds with grief he's not received as he had hoped to be.
His friends declare his habits queer, his language much too free,
And are somewhat apt to cross the street, when him they chance to see
This fine Australlan squatter, the boy of the olden time.


Another variation of the Fine Old English Gentleman (see yesterday's post), this time from the Oakleigh Leader, Saturday 15 September, 1894 (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66217526).


The illustration to this post is a hand-coloured lithograph, The Squatter's First Home, by Alexander Denistoun Lang (dated 1847 and held by the State Library of Victoria).

The Fine Old Border Squatter

Words: Unknown (Giant Genius, after Sir Wm Norcott, Barr.)
Tune: Henry Russell (Fine Old English Gentleman)




I am a Border Squatter, I have both stock and run,
And twice a year I come to town to seek for spree and fun
And when I'm there I carry on, the Devil, he knows how,
I chitt the girls, I sell the duns, and kick up such a row,
Like a fine old Border Squatter, one of the olden time.


My hut is built wilth slabs, without window or with door,
The roof is covered in with bark, and mother earth the floor
The dogs they are my only friends, they do just as they please
While I sit smoking by the fire with comfort and with ease,
Like a fine old Border Squatter, one of the olden time.


My dray comes now and then from town and always brings good cheer
The neighbours then come flocking in from statlons far and near
And there we sit around our fire and smoke our pipes till black,
Our grog we drink, our songs we sing, and jokes of old we crack, -
Like a fine old Border Squatter, one of the olden time.


But all things here will have a change, the grog is it an end,
The merrie nights we oft have had and more we hope to spend
For aching head will sometimes come in spite of jovial heart
Altho' so gay before were we when to Adelaide we did start,
Like a fine old Border Squatter, one of the present day.


At Adelaide when arrived we find our taxes we have to pay
Alas! our licenses and assessments are doubled every day,
For if you are behind your time the Commissioner he'll say,
"I'll fine you sir, £100, that fine you'll have to pay,"
Like a poor tax ridden Squatter one of the olden time.


The money that I saved so long intending for a spree,
I find I have to pay away to a Government called free
My funds being thus brought to a close the duns now call for pay,
High time it is that I resolve from town to start away,
Like a poor tax ridden Squatter, one of the present day.


My horse stands saddled at the door, I quaft my parting glass,
And drink the health and bid adieu to every Adelaide lass,
Thus leaving all the duns behind, I seek again repose,
And seated by my own fireside I banish all my woes,
Like a fine old jolly Squatter, one of the olden time.



An Australian version of Henry Russell's much-parodied Fine Old English Gentleman. Dated 6 March, 1860 at Mount Gambier and published in the Portland and Normanby General Advertiser on 12 March that year.

The illustration to this post is a portrait of Henry Russell.