Nancy Kerr 2011-13
Recorded in 2021 and in 2019 by others, written around the same time as Santa Georgia, shortly after moving to urban Sheffield and loving the diversity brought by the immigrant communities.
Melrose Quartet: https://melrosequartet.bandcamp.com/track/droving-dreams
https://melrosequartet.bandcamp.com/track/droving-dreams
Arise with me, Before the dawn is breaking There’s nothing here to give us cheer, Besides the roof is leaking Across the sea, or just a little nearer Perhaps the skies are clearer In a fine foreign land Chorus: So it’s rise up broken hearted Rag and tatter kings and queens Droving dreams on the ocean seems A fine place to be Some take the train, while others sail the ocean I ask the sky to tell me why we all must be in motion Why some folks gain and hanker for a peerage While others travel steerage To a fine foreign land Some souls turn to earn in honest labour To factory or victory or for a lover’s favour When young hearts burn and sultry suns are gleaming You always will be dreaming Of that fine foreign land Skies turn grey for beggar as for gentry From East to West the road is best when neighbours are a-plenty When children play and babies they are squalling Think on the bombs a-falling On their fine foreign land In a handmade home where nothing may assail us I ask the rain to please explain why memories do fail us Why kind hearts roam and flee the clouds above us And leave the ones who love us For a fine foreign land