cloudstreet and the little cloud orchestra

The songs:

Adieu to All Judges and Juries 
From the same sources that led to massed school children singing “Too Ra Lie, Hoo Ra Lie, Addity”, comes this tale of leaving behind the horrors of English life and the painful reality of being imprisoned on the other side of the world.  John adapted the  chorus from another Australian song, Fremantle Jail.

Malmesbury Abbey (Eilmer the Flying Monk)
Nicole’s exploration of the life of Eilmer, the first man to undertake flight in a machine of his own making.  Studying birds throughout his time at Malmesbury, Eilmer believed he could adapt what he observed to his own use and so built himself a pair of wings, with which he flew about 200m

Skye Boat Song
Our take on this classic tale of the escape of Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) after the defeat at Culloden.  He travelled by boat to the island of Skye, in the hope of returning to lead future attacks on the English.  This was not to be and he died at the age of 67 in Rome, having fathered a range of children from a variety of mothers and never leading the Jacobites to victory.

Maud Butler
A song from John about the extraordinary adventures of Maud Butler, a 15 year-old girl who dressed herself as a male soldier in the hope of joining her brother in Egypt.  On two occasions she was put off troop transporting ships on being discovered.  A fascinating tale of the enthusiasm felt in Australia in the first months of the First World War.

Anderson’s Coast
From the pen of John Warner, the tale of escaped convicts and some of the trials they endured.  A much-travelled favourite, here given a lush strings treatment, with Emma adding vocals to great effect.  Let the strings wash over you.

Tae the Weavers
Robert Burns put these words into print in 1788, but many consider that it was likely to be a song long before that.  A warning to young women everywhere to stay away from Weavers (lest they try to take you back to their loom! – John).

Butcher Boy
A well-loved classic of the genre, this version sees the traditional lyrics coupled with an unexpected tune remembered by Kevin Shearer when he couldn’t recall the real tune when it came to recording with the Brisbane band, NewBridge.

Banks of the Brisbane River
John’s tribute to the tributary that runs through his hometown.

The Valley of Strathmore
This gorgeous song was written by Andy M Stewart from the great Scottish band, Silly Wizard.  Lent by Ian Dearden to John sometime in the deep dark past (it was on cassette!) John came to think of it as perhaps the best love-song chorus imaginable.  See what you think.

The Catalpa
Another reworked classic, this time from Western Australia, the Catalpa was the name of a ship which took part in a daring prisoner escape, transporting six members of the Fenian Brotherhood to Boston under the cover of the Fremantle regatta, which led to the harbour being unusually full.  On being chased into international waters, the captain raised the stars and stripes of the United States, preventing them being fired upon.

Thousands or More 
Definitely one of our all-time favourites.  We begin this one in the way in which it is often heard, and add in some more modern energy.  The tunes at the end are