In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
From the red dust north of Dalmore Downs
Sharman's tents roll into town
Twelve will face the auctioneer
Sharman's Boxers stand their ground
Their days are darker than your nights
But they won't be the first to fall
Children broken from their dreams
But they won't be the first to fall
Fighting in the spotlight
Eye's turn blacker than their skin
For Jimmy Sharman's boxers
It's no better if you win
Standing in the darkness
Lined up waiting for the bell
The days are wasted drinking
At the first and last hotel
Why are we fighting for this?
Why are you paying for this?
You pay to see me fall like shrapnel
To the floor
What is the reason for this?
There is a reason for this?
What is the reason they keep coming back for more?
The blows now bring him to his knees
But still the crowd calls out for more
The drums are burning in his ears
The man keeps counting out the score
Sharman's tents roll into town
Twelve will face the auctioneer
Sharman's Boxers stand their ground
Their days are darker than your nights
But they won't be the first to fall
Children broken from their dreams
But they won't be the first to fall
Fighting in the spotlight
Eye's turn blacker than their skin
For Jimmy Sharman's boxers
It's no better if you win
Standing in the darkness
Lined up waiting for the bell
The days are wasted drinking
At the first and last hotel
Why are we fighting for this?
Why are you paying for this?
You pay to see me fall like shrapnel
To the floor
What is the reason for this?
There is a reason for this?
What is the reason they keep coming back for more?
The blows now bring him to his knees
But still the crowd calls out for more
The drums are burning in his ears
The man keeps counting out the score
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Jimmy Sharman established a boxing tent in 1911 where, for a fee, one could box a few, sometimes bloody, rounds with Aboriginal boxers that were employed by Sharman. Many felt that Sharman exploited the aboriginal boxers. Great song!
Yep, you're spot on there. That's exactly what it's about.<br /> <br /> I've always wondered why they chose to take that tack with the lyrics though. As far as I am aware, there wasn't any exploitation going on, not really. No more than any business owner with employees being paid a wage is exploitation.<br /> <br /> It's my understanding that nobody was forcing them to fight. They were always free to leave & they were being paid a decent wage, plus bonuses for winning. I don't know where the Oils got the notion that it was some sort of expoititive setup.<br /> <br /> Then again, I am by no means an expert on the subject so perhaps there was more going on than I am aware of. Still, I've never heard similar claims from any other source.<br /> <br /> It's a strange one.
Sharman's story was more of a case where the road to hell was paved with good intentions. There really is no factual evidence to indicate that Sharman shamelessly exploited his aboriginal boxers. According to one account he did this "to get them out of the cycle of poverty they were in." The group toured all over Australia in the early part of the last century. The mainly white crowds, however, wanted to see the aborigines lose.
@quamp hi took our young boxer to meet Jimmy Sherman in Randwick , jimmy's house,many years ago, along with us was Errol.mcguver, his number one tent boxer, we spent hours listening to them yarn, the tricks and gimics to get the people there Jimmy was very strict on his fighter's, but loved his lads chasing up the local girls ,as this brought plenty of jealous challengers to the tent , it was an incredible experience of Australian history, wish we filmed it
I learn something new about the Oils every day! I always thought it was the Kangaroo Song! Yet another song of Australia's shameful pro-British anti-aboriginal history!
I learn something new about the Oils every day! I always thought it was the Kangaroo Song! Yet another song of Australia's shameful pro-British anti-aboriginal history!
Love the beat and darkness of this song