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#105 THE PROMISED LAND

by Peter Kearney

supported by
David Webb
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Maureen Elliott
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FULL LYRICS & Resource Information below.

The Promised Land is a prayer-song for Australia in the light of our history, black and white. The song was written and recorded in 1988, the so-called 'bicentennial year' (of white settlement in Australia). But in that year other voices were raised, loudly and rightly, to state a different perspective: "White Australia has a black history." The choice of January 26th as 'Australia Day' is hugely problematic because, for First Nation peoples, it is 'Invasion Day'

'The Promised Land' and twelve other songs were recorded and published in 1988 through my album 'The Year of God's Favour?' (The question mark is important.) In the Old Testament, the vision of the Jubilee Year, 'the year of the Lord's favour', set out for the community an ideal of justice and social equality. Land was to be returned to its original owners, people in bondage, whether through debt or exploitation by others, were to be set free. A challenging concept ... and the songs in my album were asking "what about Australia in 1988?"

lyrics

THE PROMISED LAND
I’ve been driving through the flatlands where the sky is big and blue
Through the mountains and the forests to the ocean avenue;
And I’ve been thinking of the people who’ve walked this ancient land,
Thinking about the wrongs and rights, just trying to understand.

CHORUS: God help us all - all the people here and the people gone.
We rise and fall and we need your help to be going on.
Can you help us find the meaning
Of this troubled road we go to the Promised Land.

And I’m thinking of the people who kept this land alive
Who tended to the mountains and placed the honey hives;
Who knew the names of trees and rocks and every living thing,
Who’d teach us things we’ve yet to learn
and songs we’ve yet to sing. CHORUS

And I can almost see the tall ships two hundred years ago
With the captain on the top deck and the convicts down below
And people watching from the beaches, just leaning on their spears
On the last day of their freedom
of forty thousand years. CHORUS

And all the men in chains who laboured to make the dusty roads
And all the beasts of burden who carried the heavy loads
And the farmer sweating, working hard to clear the stony ground
And the black man dodging backward
as the soldiers hunt him down. CHORUS.

And I can picture now the diggers all rushing off for gold
Their minds all in a fever with the dreams of wealth untold
And the drovers and explorers pushing through the land
As the tribes are slowly scattered,
their pastures turned to sand. CHORUS

And I’m thinking of the soldiers who went off to the wars
And the refugees and the migrants who’ve landed on these shores;
And the women and the children who’ve often paid the cost
But, most of all, the black people
who survived a holocaust. CHORUS


Words and music by Peter Kearney
Copyright Peter Kearney.
Licensed through One Licence

credits

released January 18, 2023
RELATED RESOURCES for 'Rock of Ages- Uluru' with links to Peter's online store.
1. The Year of God's Favour? Custom-CD. Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/356149
2. The Year of God's Favour? Music Book:
peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/553817
3. The Promised Land - PDF Music. Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/867300
4. Make Me a Song. Double CD (contains The Promised Land' and 35 other PK songs). Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/356147


THE RECORDING:
Recorded January-March 1988 in HAV Studio, Bundanoon.
Sound engineer - Graeme Armitt.
Produced by Peter Kearney in consultation with Madge O'Brien and Claire Parkhill.
PETER KEARNEY: Lead vocal, guitars and recorder.
Backing vocals by CLAIRE PARKHILL, HELEN ARCHER and LOUISE GORE.
Electric Bass - NIC LYON

ARTWORK
Drawing of Uluru and hands - by Dorothy Woodward: Visit Dorothy's webpage: peterkearneysongs.com.au/dorothy-woodward-art

COPYRIGHT © 1988 Peter Kearney.
This song is registered with One License, APRA and AMCOS.
Church and school licences through 'One License'.
E: info@onelicense.net

LINK to SEE ALL SONGS posted so far:
peterkearney.bandcamp.com

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Peter Kearney Mittagong, Australia

Peter Kearney is an Australian songwriter and singer. His early folk-hymns 'Fill My House' & 'The Beatitudes' are internationally known. He has written many other songs of justice and peace, songs for children, and a musical-narrative on St. Francis of Assisi. His published recordings include 153 original songs.

LINKS BELOW are for Peter's:
- Website
- Online store
- Facebook Artist Page. ... more

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