SING YOU THE OUTBACK

Words and Music by John Williamson
© 2001 EMUSIC PTY LTD

I’ll sing you the desert, where blackmen sailed
Waterhole to water, where whitemen failed
See the face of dreamers, forgotten souls
Hear the voice of cattlemen crackle in the coals
Maybe we will learn what’s written in the sand
A thousand generations living off the land

I’ll sing you the waters, runnin’ through the town
Wildflowers and Wattles when it settles down
The Outback is impossible, forever and it’s free
No way can I find an end to what it means to me

The Outback

I’ll sing you the miners, steel and coal
Opals and diamonds, silver and gold
Emeralds and sapphires, I wish for you
Holes in the outback, down below
There’s lakes and there’s rivers, caves to be found
And there’s another landscape underground

I’ll sing you the waters runnin’ through the town
Wildflowers and Wattles when it settles down
The backbone of the women who fight on and on
The healing of the sunset when all is said and done
The Outback is impossible, forever and it’s free
No way can I find an end to what it means to me

To what it means to me
The Outback

 

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While writing songs for his then next album (his 26th) John sat down and out spilled Sing You The Outback, a song that completely illustrates his love and understanding for the Australian outback and its people.

This single was released by EMI in January 2002. The album Gunyah was released in April 2002.