1.
Christmas in the Scrub
Leigh Newton © 1983
1. At Christmas time the birds
all sing
The rabbits jump, the lizards crawl
At Christmas time the outback rings
All for the birth of God
Chorus For the birth of God, the
wallabies hop
For the birth of God, the cockatoos squawk
For the birth of God, the platypus swims
For the birth of God, the kookaburra laughs
For the birth of God was such exciting news
They'd never heard before
They came from all the land
To see this baby in the straw.
2. And if you were there you would
have heard
The wise old kangaroo
"Oh, I've starved in droughts, I've swum the floods,
"I've hopped around, both up and down,
"Through hills and plains I've never seen
"Such a baby in the straw."
3. And if you were there you would
have heard
The wise little bandicoot.
"Oh, I've snuffled and fossicked the midnight scrub
"I've been in logs and fogs and bogs,
"Well bless my days, I've never heard
"Of a baby in the straw."
4. And if you were there you would
have heard
The wise old noisy crow.
"Oh, I've flown this land, seen many a baby
"Born in burrows, trees and furrows,
"Yet this one outshines them all,
"This baby in the straw."
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2.
Come all you shepherds
Czech trad
Come all you shepherds arise, leave your sheep!
Come to the stable, Lord Jesus to seek!
Lo! in a manger lies Christ anointed,
Whom, as our Saviour, God has appointed.
Glory to God high!
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3.
Off we go to Bethlehem
Music: trad, Words: trad adapted Leigh Newton
1. Off we go to Bethlehem,
Celebrate his coming with your voices and guitar.
Christ is born! Christ is born!
Serenade him Christmas morn.
2. Celebrate his coming with the lovely mandolin.
3. Celebrate his coming as the banjo plays along.
4. Celebrate his coming with the singing violin.
5. Celebrate his coming with recorder
way up high.
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4.
Five Days of Christmas Music:
trad, Words: Clarence Gardens Kindergarten
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A kookaburra in a gum tree.
(You know the song. Here's the
final verse)
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Five kangaroos
Four budgerigars
Three wombats
Two cockatoos
And a kookaburra in a gum tree.
5.
Report of the Stockmen
Words: Norm Habel, Music: Robin Mann
1. We found the baby Jesus wrapped in strips of rag
And lying in a feebox in a shed.
His hands were red, newborn red.
His hands were newborn red.
2. We heard the baby Jesus lying
in the straw
And crying for his mother in the shed
His face was red, newborn red
His face was newborn red.
3. We believe the baby Jesus dreaming
in the hay
Was God who came to find us in a shed.
His flesh was red, newborn red,
His flesh was newborn red.
4. So we told the world about
him, Jesus way outback
We said that God was crying in a shed.
His flesh was red, like ours was red,
His flesh like ours was red.
6.
Mary and Joseph's Lullaby
Leigh Newton © 1983
1. Little baby don't you cry, don't you cry tonight
Don't be scared for Mary's here holding you so tight.
Drink you small one, drink your fill, you give me such delight
To see you here in Mary's arms is filling me with life.
2. This summer heat can be so
cruel, it makes it hard to sleep,
I'll sponge you down to keep you cool, lying on your sheet.
There's station hands to see you child, they scarely make a sound
Their eyes are filled with life and love and tears are trickling
down.
3. I am just a country girl yet
the angel came that day
And I will never understand why I am blessed this way
Just a little boy from God with love for every boy and girl
Born to be the king of all, born to love this world.
4. Little baby don't you cry,
don't you cry tonight,
Don't be scared for Mary's here holding you so tight.
7.
Henry (Lippai) German
trad
1. Henry a wake, don't sleep.
What is that you said?
I don't know how you can stay asleep!
This is my bed!
Come with me to the field,
See there the wonder revealed.
Look! It's as light as day!
What's that you say?
2. Sweet sound of singing fills
the air.
I can't hear a thing.
Come, take your pipe, lets go there.
I'm coming!
Angels sing joyfully,
He is born truthfully,
Born a child as king today.
Is that what they say?
3. Bethlehem is the town.
Who told you?
The angel spoke it all around.
Is this really true?
A young maid both sweet and mild,
Is mother of the child.
Lets go where the star shines bright.
Yes! You're right.
4. A new king is born today.
A child is king.
In a stable he lies in hay.
Oh! What a thing!
I'll ask his mother sweet,
His name when soon we meet.
Come, good friend, come with me.
Yes I want to see.
8.
What do you give to a kid from God Words: Norm Habel, Music: Robin Mann
What do you give to a kid from God?
1. Here is a nugget from the gold rush days,
It's a beauty that my father found.
It looks a little green but it's gold inside,
Perhaps you could make a crown.
2. Here is a nice drop of vintage
port,
I collected on the Southern run;
I was saving it for some of special day,
It'll keep 'til your twenty one.
3. This here is the hide of a
wallaby,
I tanned it through the winter days.
I know it smells a bit like tanning bark;
But that'll keep all the mozzies away.
4. This is a stone with secret
signs,
For we who are the blacks know well.
That you have the spirit of the crying tree,
From the dreaming tracks you crossed we can tell.
10.
For didgeridoo Tanya Wittwer
© 1983
A boy was born
under a slender sapling
beside a billabong where green weeds tangle
The sky was waiting
And then
the comet!
The still white fire
racing with fierce trailing.
Yet so slowly arching from the soft grey skyline
a force so strong
because
the boy!
And then they came
Turongs in secret hiding
within the branches so shyly peeping
to see this child
the one
long waited.
From the depths,
bubbling out his laughter,
the Pot-koorook for he knows all reasons.
And the warm earth
glowed
her welcome.
13.
Donkey donkey Leigh Newton
© 1983
Chorus
| Donkey donkey plod
along Donkey donkey it won't be long Take it easy with your load Not much further down the road. |
2. There's a girl, tired and sore,
riding on your back;
There's a man, he walks in front, down the dusty track.
See the sun? When it goes down you can rest again;
You'll be in a shed in Bethlehem.
3. When you're there you'll know
why the 'roos don't bound away,
Why you must beat the haze and get them there this day;
For tonight in Bethlehem a tiny king is born
Thanks to you this donkey, tired and worn.
14.
Shepherd's dream Music:
trad, Words: Robin Mann
1. One night while minding sheep all my mates, they were asleep
There was night a star to illuminate the sky
I was singing to my dog and a half a million frogs
When a very strange procession passed me by
First there came an angel bright looking almost OMO white
I tell you I soon finished up my song
For although I'd been around through the country and the town
I thought, "Well, what I'm drinking must be strong!"
2. This angel sort of bloke, he
just upped to me and spoke
He told me not to worry, not to scare
For he said he had some news, it was good and it was true
He said he had important things to share
For tonight is born a boy who is God's own pride and joy
Born to save us all is Christ the Lord
And if you leave here right away you can find him in some hay
In the stable of the local bed and board.
3. Well, by now my mates had woke
and were staring at this bloke
And no-one dared to move from where he lay
But we nearly died of shock when a great enormous flock
Of these angels came to finish off the day
And they sang us all a song about God's glory lasting long
And peace and all the best to every man, woman and child
Then as quickly as they came they just went away the same
And every thing seemed normal once again.
4. So we went into the pub and
out back, just past the dub
We found the boy asleep inside a trough
And his mum was tuckered out, she'd had it hard enough no doubt
And his dad as well looked like he'd had enough.
Oh, we're not religious but we'd been told about this lot
So we just knelt and thanked the God we knew
Then we left and since that night I tell anyone that likes
All about the night the angel brought the news.
15.
Shepherds' vigil Eda Stillwell
© Leigh Newton
1. In Bethl'em's town on Christmas night,
The little children slept
While in the fields 'neath starry light
The shepherds' vigil kept
2. Mid solemn hush of midnight
calm
Christ Jesus came to earth.
To humble shepherds, angel song
Proclaimed his wondrous birth.
3. Amazed by all the angels said
They ran to find the boy,
To find his lowly manger bed;
They worshipped him with joy.
16.
Christmas lullaby Guatamalan
trad
1. In a manger lowly Loora loora loora
Born a baby holy Loora loora loo
2. Angels voices singing Loora
loora loora
Over Bethl'em winging Loora loora loo
3. Come let us adore him Loora
loora loora
Born the King of Glory Loora loora loo
4. Lullaby my baby Loora loora
loora
Sang the Mother Mary Loora loora loo
17.
Christmas where the gum trees grow Music: Val Donlon and trad, Words: Lesley Sabogal
Chorus Christmas where the gum trees grow
There is no frost and there is no snow
Christmas in Australia's hot
Cold and frosty is what it's not
When the bloom of the jacaranda tree is here
Christmas time is near.
1. From England came our Christmas
fare
They even said what Santa should wear
But here down under for summer's cool
Santa should dip in a swimming pool
2. Santa rides in a sleigh on
snow
But down here where the gum trees grow
Santa should wear some water skis
And glide around Australia with ease
3. To ride 'round the bush where
it's often dry
To cart all the presents piled up high
A red-nosed reindeer would never do
Santa should jump on a kangaroo.
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18. Boomerang
of flowers Music: Leigh
Newton Words: Mary Philip © Leigh Newton 1983
1. A child is lying cradled here,
Beneath the slender gum;
The god of might has left his home,
And to Australia come.
The kookaburra laughs with glee,
The shy koala peeps,
The magpie carols blissfully,
As little Jesus sleeps
Chorus What shall we give our
infant king?
A boomerang of flowers?
To say come back and stay with us
And be forever ours.
(repeat)
2. One day a cross will hold him
fast,
And lest we should forget,
Above him in the sapphire sky
A cross of stars is set.
But there'll be no pain for today,
But peace and joy and love.
Beneath the slender gum he sleeps,
And magpies sing above.
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19. Joiner's
workshop Leigh Newton
© 1980
1. The shop was dark and time to close, the sun was going down,
The shavings and the saw-dust still scattered on the gound,
One more customer to serve, thank God this day is through;
With Mary's baby coming soon, I don't know what to do.
2. The message came from far away
for all to be enrolled,
They had to go to Joseph's town, to Bethlehem we're told;
They sold some wood for a donkey's back to travel eighty miles,
Poor Mary and the babe were bumped and jolted all the while.
3. The inn was full with many
folk there was no room to spare,
The keeper said "But if you like, the stable's just out there."
So they spread some straw on the dusty floor, their strength was
wearing thin;
It wasn't long 'til Mary started pushing from within.
4. The babe was born but the world
moved on and no-one seemed to care,
But the moon and stars and all the heavens were praising God out
there.
Then three travellers from the east were knocking at the door,
And then some peasants from the fields were on their knees in
awe.
5. They seemed to know this tiny
babe would shatter all the earth,
They seemed to know that he'd be king, right here at his birth.
But did they know he'd give his life to us and die in cruel pain?
Did they know that thousands more would love and die for him the
same?
6. This tiny babe, he changed
the world when he became a man,
This tiny babe soon died for us, it's hard to understand.
We know he then came back to life, he'll always with us be;
But I thank you Lord for that fine day, when you were born to
me.
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21. Child
at the door Puerto Rican
trad
1. Mother look, a child at the door
He is beautiful and fair
But he weeps he is so cold
He has no clothes to wear
2. When the child had come and
stood
By the fire 'til he was warm
My mother asked what country
Did he rule, where was he born?
3. My father is in heaven,
My mother lives there too
I came to earth to suffer
To bring his love to you.
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22. Colours
of Christmas Leigh Newton
© 1983
(note the changes from the recording)
1. Yellow is the straw that Jesus lies upon,
Silver is the star above the town,
Brown's the shepherds' feet;
They've left the dusty sheep
To feed upon the green where it's found o,
To fee upon the green where it's found.
2. Blue is for his eyes
To see the world tonight.
Purple is the colour of a king.
Black is for the night,
And white is shinging bright,
From angels in the paddock where they sing o,
From angels in the paddock where they sing.
3. Pink is for his skin,
His soft and tender skin,
Gold is brought by those who are game,
Orange is the gown of wise men kneeling down,
Red is for the reason he came o,
Red is for the reason he came.