CRAIG STEWART

SINGER/SONGWRITER/ENTERTAINER

THE LYRICS PAGE

Below you will find the lyrics to each of the songs included on my debut album, 'The Spirit of Australia', as well as a bit of a story as to what inspired each song. Take a bit of time to have a read and a think, then if you would like to see how the songs have been put together musically, feel free to proceed to either the audio download page (where you can download a full song, as well as samples of many others) or the purchase CD page.

ALBUM - The Spirit of Australia

SONGS

From a Country Town
Craig Stewart � 2002

This one was inspired by my dad, who grew up in the 1940's in a little town called Wauchope, NSW, Australia (Pop. today 4,000). He would tell me stories about growing up in that era, how you could carry a .22 rifle down the street and noone would think twice about it, borrow people's horses then take them back, and go jumping off the railway bridge into the river. Some of those sentiments came through here as I reflected on why I am now bringing my kids up in the same area.

My daddy was born in an old bush shack on the other side of town
And with the world at war until the age of four he had to wear the family crown
But when his pa came home he was free to roam from the cover of his mother�s nest
Doing the things that a country boy does best

Like skippin� school to take the twenty-two hunting rabbits on his cousin�s farm
And to borrow a horse was just a matter of course that never caused no-one no harm
And when the 509 would come down that line around midday every day
He�d be on that ridge just beyond the bridge, to ride along and wave

CHORUS
From his country town, just watching the wheels go round,
Living on dreams of driving trains here the whistle sound,
Hi-Ho Silver, the Lone Ranger�s Roaming �round,
In his country town�.

Well he turned fifteen and there hadn�t been much work at the mill that year
So �till twenty-five he had to survive in a city not so near
But when he got his chance without a second glance he was home again once more
To show his brand new wife just the kind of life that the kids would have in store
In his �
(Chorus)

And ain�t it strange how the more things change, that others stay the same
We can no longer go to the picture show, but old Roy he still remains
Sitting on his porch in the morning sun he calls me in to say
It�s nice to see you back in town, the kids are bigger every day
I haven�t seen your old man �round, tell him I said G�Day
And as he gets some jam drops for my boy I know I�ll be here to stay
(Chorus x 2)

TAKING HER CHANCES
Craig Stewart � 2004
It's a sad fact that a lot of fellas (and women) just don't get what it takes to be a good, loving, considerate husband or wife. Unfortunately too many partners stick around either for fear of leaving or 'the sake of the kids'. This one is for all those people who have found, or are looking for, the courage to say 'enough is enough', and was inspired through both personal experience and others who have crossed my path in life.

The clock ticks loudly down the hall As she lies awake it�s just gone four
Got the kids in the back room safely sound asleep
She hears him coming up the drive And her stomach starts to churn inside
As she says a silent prayer from beneath the sheets

She remembers when he took his vows How he swore he�d change, that someday somehow
The whole world would see the man that he could be
But now the wedding photos on the wall, Simply cover up the gaping holes
Like the smile on a woman just longing to be free

He stumbles through the bedroom door And is soon asleep but she�ll take no more
With the first light of the morning sun She�s got the kids and bags and she�s gone

CHORUS
She�s taking her chances, Just searching for the answers
To find what it is that still lets her believe
She�s going places, There�s a world out there awaits her
Now she�s finally free to live the life she�s dreamed ...... Oh she�s dreamed

Now she�s got her foot to the floor and she�s moving on
This girl�s come out of hiding and all day long
She can see a brighter future taking her by the hand
Doesn�t matter where she�s headed �cos she don�t care
Got a whole world waiting to find somewhere
To hold on to all she�s dreamed and make her stand

The sun is in the sky shining down so bright,
Yeah, she can�t help but smile .... everything will be all right
(CHORUS X 2)
SOLO OUTRO

No Worries
Craig Stewart � 2002
Growing up in a coastal tourist town, I would see a lot of retirees coming through in their old Holdens of Fords inevitably towing a Viscount or Millard caravan. From that time, I have always aspired to be a 'grey nomad'. So when I came across a newspaper heading saying 'No Worries' (a phrase which I often coin myself), I started to reflect on what 'No Worries' exactly means to me, and of course couldn't help thinking about all those lucky travellers. See you on the road folks!

Well we�ve worked for over 40 years, To provide a good life for the kids
Seen �em through the good times & the bad
But the kids have all now up & gone, And we�ve outgrown this family home
To see it go it really was quite sad

Now the new joint�s only down the road, It�s got a four wheel drive with a diesel load
& a tinny up top, what more could any man need
But the wife had to be catered for, Although a 30 foot van �still seems quite small�
Oh come on love, it�s only for a year or three

CHORUS
And we�ll have no worries, no hurries, we�ll drive away the day
Got no plans, no demands � don�t know where we�ll stay
But we�ve got our tinny on our Troopy, & of course the van out back
But best of all we know we�ve got no worries

So we�ll head on down the beaten track, To explore Australia�s great outback
We�ll trace our past from sea to shining sea
From Port Arthur through to Uluru, The Barrier Reef & Kakadu,
There�s no place in the world I�d rather be
(Chorus)

Travellin� around this great big land
With the wind in our sails, the wheel in our hands,
The Indian Pacific without rails
Lawson & the Banjo shall prevail
(Chorus x 2)

TENDER MOMENTS
Craig Stewart � 2002

Every time I look in your eyes, I get a feeling like I�ve been hypnotised
The way you get inside my head, I can�t shut you out so I think instead
Of the times when we�re alone, when the world can turn outside our zone
Of the times you help me see

CHORUS
With a look, a smile, You make my life feel so worthwhile
With a touch, a kiss, Oh for so long I have longed for this
Tender moments help me see That the fire can still burn bright in
Tender moments, You�re all I�ll ever need.

Every time I see your face, It gives me butterflies that I can�t replace
It�s something that I can�t explain, Like the morning sun, Like a summer rain
Tumbling down against our clothes, As we hold together oh so close
I look to you and see
(Chorus + Solo)

You touch my soul, melt my skin
I wanna be your world, come on let me in
To be denied a love like this would be a sin
(Chorus)

The River
Craig Stewart � 2001
Ever since I was a kid I can remember fishing with my father in the local river. I now have the honour of being able to take my own kids fishing every now and then, and it really is wonderful to just sit and drift in a boat for the day, talking and marvelling at the unspoilt landscape you can access via the river system. I took my guitar and writing book along one day and came up with this one while anchored in one of our local fishing spots, Limeburners Creek near Port Macquarie NSW.

I�ve got a special place, where I step back in time
A place that has remained untouched �.
While all around all you find, is a world that just keeps changing

And once more I can be the boy, standing by his father�s side
Skipping some stones and learning �bout life
From the end of a fishing line

CHORUS
I�m gonna make some time to unwind, and head on down to the river
I�ll cast away my troubles for a day
Just the waterhole and not another soul, to spoil my peace of mind
And everything is gonna be OK

Leave the watch at home, turn off that phone � take a real good look around you
For you�re in paradise so come take a slice
What�s to lose, but tomorrow�s yesterday
(Chorus + Solo)

Pass that here son, let me show you how it�s done
Your grandpa always did it this way
And as I look into his eyes, it�s then I realise
One day he�ll say
(Chorus)

MUSTERING TIME
Craig Stewart � 2005
For anyone who has never been to the Gympie Muster, held during the last week of August each year in Gympie, Queensland, I can say but one thing - do it! This is an amazing week of country, blues, rock, poetry, workshops, talent quests. You name it, it's there. Run by the Gympie Apex Club, with the profits going to charity, it is truly an incredible event - around ten different venues, 20 odd thousand people camping, and 70 odd thousand individual tickets sold. I have been fortunate enough to play the main stage in front of around 10 thousand people each time I have been there. This year I had the honour of being backstage preparing alongside one of my two primary musical heroes, John Williamson. Will I be back next year? Despite it being nearly 1000km away from home, the answer is of course YOU BETCHA! See you in Gympie.

Well it�s been a long cold winter, and it�s time to get into
Celebrating it�s finally gone
We�re gonna throw a big party, crank up the country
And invite everybody along

So fire the ute, jump in and shoot
On down the Bruce Highway
It�s time to get the guitars out and play

CHORUS
Yeah it�s, mustering time in Gympie once again
So raise the flag, unpack your swag and we�ll catch up with old friends
If it�s muddy or it�s dusty it won�t matter in the end
Because it�s mustering time again

We�ll be dancing in the Crowbar, checking out the big stars
Belting it out �till late
Then it�s up in the morning, no time for yawning,
�Cos the Muster Club, she�s great

So when you�re told of Gympie gold, rush on down and see
Whey every year we cause a grand stampede
(CHORUS)

We�ll have Brandy, Pixie and Beccy Cole
A little bit of blues with some rock and roll
The kids that have toured with the Brian Young show
And coming up next ..... we�ll even have Willow
SOLO
CHORUS X 2

HONOUR THY NAME
Craig Stewart � 2002

This is one of the few songs I have written for someone else upon request. A good friend of mine was getting married and asked if I could write her a song to commemorate the occasion. I asked her to write down everything that reminded her of her relationship, and she handed me four pages of stuff that I was having difficulty in finding inspiration from (Sorry Rach!). However, the last thing she wrote was 'Our Tree'. I asked her what this was about, she told me they were planting a ceremonial tree at a vineyard the father of the groom owned, and from there I started to think how this could relate to the family tree being blessed with new shoots with each birth and marriage.

Looking back through the years, on my family tree
I see the names of all those, who've helped to shape me
Into the one I am now, I stand tall, I stand proud for my family

And now the day has come, that two lives become one
Husband and Wife, a daughter, a son
And on that old family tree, once more some new growth has sprung

CHORUS 1
Honour thy name, three words that say
I'll love you forever in every way
So when you look deep inside these eyes of mine
You'll see I mean every word when I say
I will Honour Thy Name

Solo

We don't know where we're going,
But we already know where we've been
And the lessons in life we've been shown
Will be with us through to the end

CHORUS 2 & 3
Honour thy name, three words that say
I thank you for showing me every day
That the gift of true love, is a gift from above
You know I mean every word when I say

I will honour thy name every day
And love you forever in every way
So when you look deep inside these eyes of mine
You'll see I mean every word when I say
I will Honour thy Name
I will Honour thy Name
I will Honour thy Name

Drive Away The Night
Craig Stewart � 2003

Well it�s finally come round Friday and I feel fine, just got a 12 hour day ahead
I know that may sound crazy, but with each hour I�m one step closer to your bed
And though at times it seems like you�re a thousand miles away
I know the day will come when you�ll be coming home to stay�.

CHORUS
I�m gonna drive away the night
Won�t be slowin� down, �till I see the morning light
And I know that everything is gonna be all right
�Cos baby I�m coming home to you tonight

I head on the down the highway, with the Southern Cross to guide me all the way
Got a big rig right behind me, by Buladelah he won�t get another say
With the country on the radio there�s no place I�d rather be
With the white lines running through my mind there�s just you, the stars and me
(Chorus)

And though at times it seems like you�re a thousand miles away
I know the day will come when you�ll be coming home to stay�.
(Chorus x2)

Hilary & The Star Hotel
Craig Stewart � 2003
Working in pubs every Friday & Saturday night, we as musicians have the distinct (dubious?) honour of being able to, on occasion, witness a unique form of Aussie entertainment - The Great Aussie All In Pub Brawl. This song was inspired by just such an event which I happened to witness that had a unique twist - the young girl behind the bar decided to use some empty schooner glasses to sort the boys out herself, with remarkable success. Go Hilly! (Yes, that is her real name - a gift for a songwriter!)

(Spoken American Accent)
This here�s a story about the wild west �
Now I know what you�re thinkin� when I tell ya that�.
You�re thinkin� about gun totin', card playin', injun killin' cowboys
Somewhere out on the western plains of Nebraska or Colorado
Sleepin� under the stars by night and robbin� banks by day ..
But if you�re thinkin' that �� YOU�D BE WRONG!

(Spoken Australian Accent)
�Round these parts you don�t quite have to go that far
Just head about 10k�s west of the Pacific Highway on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales�
You�ll find yourself at a little place called the Western Star Hotel
You see the Star used to be the roughest, toughest pub around
But that all changed �� When Hilary came to town.
Let me tell ya about it.

Verse
Well it�s Friday night at the Western Star and working her first night at the bar
Young Hilary looks way out of her league
At barely 18 years of age she could have stepped straight off the page
Of any fashion label magazine

But the Star�s not for the feint of heart, a place where men would make their mark
Carving Reputations brutally
And sure enough by 9 that night, with a belly of grog and an urge for a fight
Some local lads began to take a swing �..

Chorus 1
Oh Hilary, Oh Hilary and the Western Star Hotel,
A stranger combination in this town you could not tell
You�d better run for cover girl, you�d better run like hell,
�Cause blood will spill tonight, at the Star Hotel

Well folks it was an all in brawl of the likes you�ve never seen before
It�d put a State of Origin match to shame
The publican ran for the door, as the singer cowered on the floor
Sayin� here we bloody go again

But I forgot to mention just one thing, Young Hilary�s daddy had just ducked in
To just make sure his girl would be OK
The fact is he didn�t prove much good, As a rogue punch left him kissin� wood
And that�s when things began to go astray��

Chorus 2
Oh Hilary, Oh Hilary she leapt straight up on the bar,
That young filly they called Hilly screamed out �This has gone too far�
She had her ammunition, a stack of schooners in each arm .. It was time to
Get a little even with the fella that had left her daddy bleedin in the yard
(Solo)

The Star�s seen a lot of changes, now you Hilary�s in charge
You can have a cappucino with your jazz on Sunday arvs
And the local lads just say that things have gone a bit too far

Chorus 3
Oh Hilary, Oh Hilary & the Western Star Hotel
A stranger combination in this town you could not tell
A marriage made in heaven, but a courtship straight from hell
Hilary & the Star Hotel
(Solo)

THE WOMAN ON THE LAND
Craig Stewart � 2004
My grandmother, Zara Joan Walters, was born in the New England region of New South Wales as the daughter of a sheep farmer, and passed away some 85 years later not far from her birth place as the wife of a retired wheat farmer. This song is for her, my grandfather Roy who is still with us, and all those women out there who support their husbands, children and properties in what can be at times an extremely inhospitable environment - the Australian bush.

At seventeen the local show queen
Left it all behind, to live the dream
Of a jackeroo from the other side of town
With rural blood runnin� through her veins
She was most at home behind the reins
And it didn�t take him long to figure out
She had the heart of the country, No Doubt

Now for forty years she�s stood by his side
And together they�ve been always tied
To the soil upon they built their family home
A lovin� mother and a loyal wife
Never far away from toil and strife
Through drought and flood she�s been his cornerstone
The heart of the country he roams

CHORUS
Ooooh, the woman on the land
Always there to help him understand
Ooooh, the woman on the land
She�s the heart of the country and the man

Well now her hands are hard, and her skin is brown
But she looks her best when they go to town
To fetch the monthly groceries from the store
And to him she�s still his teenage queen, Still the prettiest girl he�s ever seen
The one to whom he knows he owes it all
The heart of the country, standing tall
(Chorus + Solo)

But still she lies awake some nights, wondering what it would be like
To have taken a different journey�s end
But as the sun begins to rise, with just one look into his eyes
She knows she�d do it all again
(Chorus)

Livin� Out In The Country
Craig Stewart � 2003

Livin� in the city smog, And I�m feelin� like a little cog
Just goin� round in circles every day
Think it�s time we got on out, And I�ll show you what life�s all about
So come on girl, let me lead you astray

See, I know a little place that we can go, Where the grass is green & the flowers grow
And city life seems oh so far away
Well, I know you won�t believe it�s true, But the people will even wave to you
So why don�t we head out and say g�day

CHORUS
Let�s think about livin� out in the country
I wanna find me a little old place that I can call my own
Somewhere that we can go a little bit crazy
Just you and me, the birds & the bees, and a little old country home

We�ll have late ones layin� by the fire at night, & the call of the birds in the morning light
A place where we can watch the clouds go by
A chook pen down by the vegie patch, An old four wheel drive that we can thrash
And sunsets that will set the hills on fire
CHORUS + SOLO

And we can lay I the sun all day, down by the creek
All our worries will wash away, within a week
CHORUS X 2

THE SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA
Craig Stewart � 2003

I was writing this one for Toyota Starmaker but didn't quite get it finished until I attended the CMAA Country Music College in January 2004. I basically wanted to try and touch on something that was close to home for everyone, and of course at this point in time the threat of terrorism certainly fits that criteria. I was very fortunate to have this recorded by one of Australia's premier music producers, Garth Porter, at the College. Thanks Garth, and thank you to my fellow course participants for agreeing the song was worthy of the honour, and for lending your considerable talents to the exercise.

Seems like lately all I see, Leaping out from my TV
Is a world full of hate and pain
I watched a man die today, He took the lives of forty more away
In the name of God �.. It�s just insane

Got me thinkin� �bout where I am, Livin� life in the lucky land
With the troubles of the world so far behind
Sure I�ve gotta go to work each day, Got my worries, Got bills to pay
But I�ve got something else that you can�t buy

CHORUS
I�ve got southern sunshine, I�ve got burning cane
I�ve got rugged mountain ranges and sweeping plains
I�ve got towering trees, I�ve got sparkling seas
I�ve got the spirit of Australia embracing me

So if you find at times you�re feeling down
Step outside and take a look around
At the gift that�s there to greet you every day
Then get out there and stand up proud
For we can show the world that the greatest power
Is the faith that love will always find a way
CHORUS
SOLO
CHORUS X 2

MISSING YOU TONIGHT
Craig Stewart � 2005
This song is for my two children, Amber and Jesse, who are, and will always be, my two greatest achievements in life. I love you guys, I still miss you every day, and I am sorry I cannot be there for you as often as I would like to be. It is an unfortunate reality that when marriages break down, dads are often seen as an inconvenient reminder of the past by their former partners. Unfortunately the Australian court system generally deems one contact visit per fortnight to be 'reasonable access' for fathers to their children. As someone who was a full time dad for 13 years, I simply cannot accept this. If you are in this position, you have my heartfelt sympathy and understanding.

His eyes are brown, and hers are green
He�s just turned eleven, she�s nearly thirteen
She plays piano, and loves to dance
He�s out with his footy every second chance

And they�re always right here with me
Always in my heart
But tonight I can�t help feeling
The distance we�re apart

CHORUS
I�m missing you tonight
Can�t get you off my mind, or bring myself to try
I�m missing you tonight
Just got to find a way to turn the pain inside

So here I sit, all alone
Just watching the walls while I wait by the phone
Quietly hoping, tomorrow you�ll see
The presents you�ve got wrapped under the tree

It�s been three long years of trying,
Three long years of pain
Can noone see the fathers dying
In the eyes of the children they�ve raised

(CHORUS)

Well they can damn their orders, they can damn their courts
They can damn their access rights
And they can damn their laws that say a father�s wrong
To want his children by his side

�Cos I was there, in your first breath
For your first smile, and your first steps
To sing you off to sleep each night
Yeah I was there for just a while

(CHORUS)

His eyes are brown, and hers are green
Two finer kids, you�d never see