Scroll down to see FULL LYRICS & CD/MUSIC Information.
NOTES ON THE SONG
A friend, Karin Donaldson, was arrested during the protests and blockades mounted in 1983 to save the Franklin River and the wilderness of South West Tasmania. The lyrics are loosely based on a letter she wrote to friends from Risdon Prison in Hobart.
Karin is also a gifted artist who has created many beautiful paintings. I was fortunate that she was able to create for me the cover artwork for four albums: 'Turn It All Around', 'Where Is Your Song, My Lord?', 'Signs Of Hope' and 'Celebration'.
The beautiful singer in this recording is Claire Parkhill, who has performed many concerts with me and whose voice is heard on many recordings. Thankyou Claire!
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lyrics
LETTER FROM RISDON PRISON
When I was just ten years of age I’d only half a home.
Though I was rich and city raised I knew some emptiness.
Then in a children’s magazine
I found the place to meet my need -
Found it in Tasmania, in the wilderness.
I read about the windy, wild and rain swept country there
And though it was a thousand miles I saw it nonetheless.
All its beauty undefiled, all its rivers running wild -
It was there I found my deepest home in that wilderness.
We need a place where we can go to realise our dreams.
We need a place where we may know what treasures we possess.
In the mountains, stars and seas, in those rivers flowing free
We see our deep reflection there, in the wilderness.
But to the greed of grasping men all nature’s not enough.
They say we’ve got to use, extend, improve, profit, progress.
They want power, more and more,
Won’t stop to think and ask, “what for?”
All they see is dollar signs in the wilderness.
And now they want to chop the trees
that grow three thousand years.
Now they want to chain the breeze and nature’s seed suppress.
Now they want to damn the streams
to build their hydro-electric scheme.
Now they bring their 'dozers down to destroy the wilderness.
Surely such land belongs to all, such land is not for sale
And yet they’ve made the trespass laws
They dare us to transgress.
And if they lock me in the jail, exile is the price of bail -
Never to return again to my wilderness.
And now they want to chop the trees
that grow three thousand years.
Now they want to chain the breeze and nature’s seed suppress.
But all my friends with me today, with one voice we rise and say:
“All your dams be damned indeed, we’ll save our wilderness!”
“All your dams be damned indeed, we’ll save our wilderness!”
released June 3, 2021
RELATED RESOURCES:
1. Make Me a Song. (A double-CD compilation that contains 'Letter from Risdon Prison' and 35 other PK songs). LINK: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/356147
THE RECORDING:
Recorded in HAV Studio, Bundanoon. Sound engineer - Graeme Armitt. Produced by Peter Kearney in consultation with Madge O'Brien and Claire Parkhill.
Female vocal by CLAIRE PARKHILL
Guitars by PETER KEARNEY
Electric bass by NIC LYON
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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