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Barrytown

from Aotearoa by Martin Andrews

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about

...Decline was almost as rapid, charted by the fortunes of five children whose widowed mother had gone to try and make a living at the diggings; "When the family first went to the rush, the children were well dressed, but latterly their clothes got worn out and there was nothing to replace them. In the meanwhile, the children managed to get a living the best way they could, and at night slept with their mother in an old 6ft by 10ft tent." - Reported by the Grey River Argus 1880.

On the Westcoast of the South Island there's an old miners track now maintained by DOC, called the Croesus track. It runs from Barrytown on the coast, up and over a mountain range and finishes (or starts depending on which direction you're wlking) at Blackball. At the peak of the track, around 940m, is Ces Clark Hut with the best long drop view, you can do your business looking out over Aoraki and the Southern Ranges. It's not an easy hike and is listed on the DOC site for advanced hikers.
On the Barrytown side of the track is a DOC information board, detailing some of the mining history of the area and it was on this board that the above sentence caught my eye. A widowed mother of five, living in a tent, working the mines trying to earn a living for her family.
Who was this superwoman? There are a few old miners huts still standing which you can visit from the track and they are nothing but tin sheds for the hardiest of miners. Who is this woman that worked this life? I really wanted to give her a voice. My first thought when approaching this song was, "what would make this woman dance?". I thought perhaps a simple hoe down, piano driven, would be something that could move her (little did I know that would actually be another song), but as I started exploring ideas she started to speak in her own voice. I felt it was to her oldest child (perhaps a son?), to take the other kids and make a life for themselves. In the end I let her speak for herself. The line that always gets me is the final one, because It's the only time she allows herself a moment of self reflection but it says everything; "I've been lonely so long".

lyrics

Don’t think of me when I’m gone
Don’t think of me when I’m gone
Cause the money won’t last so long
Don’t think of me when I’m gone

This mine’s gonna win in the end
This mine’s gonna win in the end
The dark is not my friend
The cold is not my friend

Tell me the winter has gone
Tell me the winter has gone
Cause I been waiting so long
I’ve been waiting so long

Your brothers & sisters need a home
Your brothers & sisters need a home
So take the money & go
Just take the money & go

But don’t spend the money on whores
No don’t spend the money on whores
Cause the money, it's not all yours
So don’t spend the money on whores

Don’t gamble & liquor it away
Don’t gamble & drink it away
Your Daddy was a man to say
Don’t gamble & drink it away

Don’t think of me when I’m gone
Don’t think of me when I’m gone
Cause the money won’t last so long
Don’t think of me when I’m gone

Find a place to call home
Find a place to call home
Somewhere that the kids can grow
Somewhere that their hearts can roam

Tell me the winter has gone
Tell me the winter has gone
Cause I been waiting so long
I’ve been lonely so long

credits

from Aotearoa, released May 27, 2023
Martin Andrews - Guitar & Vox

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Martin Andrews Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara), New Zealand (Aotearoa) based songwriter.

I will be adding one track to the album Aotearoa every Friday from May 26 - August 11. Follow the release of each track at my Facebook page. The full album will be available 11/08/2023. ... more

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