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Boundary Rider Lyrics
There’s a boundary rider
at the five mile fence
bloodwood, bones + steers
And the sky’s so deep
you can’t find your sleep
keeps you walking through these tears
So you reach for things
you’re never satisfied
you’re running down the years
And to know yourself
is to be yourself
keeps you walking through these tears
Some days you ride it hard
to stop them getting out
then comes the day you ride
to stop them getting in
There’s a boundary rider
on the five mile fence
bloodwood, bones + steers
And to know yourself
is to be yourself
keeps you walking through these tears
at the five mile fence
bloodwood, bones + steers
And the sky’s so deep
you can’t find your sleep
keeps you walking through these tears
So you reach for things
you’re never satisfied
you’re running down the years
And to know yourself
is to be yourself
keeps you walking through these tears
Some days you ride it hard
to stop them getting out
then comes the day you ride
to stop them getting in
There’s a boundary rider
on the five mile fence
bloodwood, bones + steers
And to know yourself
is to be yourself
keeps you walking through these tears
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This is one of my favorites. It starts with a lone cowboy, a boundary rider, someone riding a horse along a perimeter fence at a ranch (or a cattle station - isn't that what a ranch is called in Australia?). He rides along the fence and sees the steers, and also the bones and blood of dead animals. He looks for breaks in the fence, where animals could get out or in (presumably to make repairs). Now this is where McLennan (I'm guessing it was McLennan, since he is on vocals) creates a wonderful metaphor. The boundary rider is anyone/everyone. The fence is the barrier between us and the world/other people. The rider is trying not to let too much get out of - or in to - his heart. To understand this process is to understand oneself, and by understanding one becomes more fully oneself. This gives us strength to get through pain and sadness. The stark, haunting music and straight forward singing goes well with these lines. A brilliant song imho.