Fair Maid of Australia

A song from the huge repertoire of Harry Cox,
probably my favorite singer of all time. His phrasing
of a song was magnificent, and made even more so
by the fact he was only a farm worker and no trained
musician. The song is not thought to be Australian,
but an English broadside fantasy written by a writer
who never visited the country. Harry Cox sang "The
Oxborough Banks", but the river is actually the
Hawkesbury that reaches the sea north of Sydney,
New South Wales. Harry's version appears on Topics'
"Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 2 - Songs of Seduction,"
and is very well placed.

The Song

As I walked down by the Oxborough banks
Where the maids of Australia do play their wild pranks
'Neath  a green shady bower I sat myself down,
And the birds sang so gaily enchanted all round.
In the forest my native Australia,
Here in the forest my native Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

Now she dived in the water without fear or dread,
And her beautiful limbs she exceedingly spread.
Her hair hung in ringlets, the color was black.
Sir said she will you see how I float on my back.
On the streams in my native Australia,
Here on the streams in my native Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

Now being exhausted she came to the brink,
O assistance kind sir or I surely will sink.
As quick as the lightening I took hold of her hand
My foot slipped and we fell on the sand
On the plains of my native Australia,
Here on the plains of my native Australia,
Where the maidens are handsome and gay.

Now we frolicked together in the highest of glee
In the finest Australia you ever did see.
The sun it went down & the clouds did resign
There I left this fair maid of Australia behind,
There I left this fair maid of Australia,
There I left this fair maid of Australia,
Just as the sun went down.