Cattle and Cane

The Go-Betweens

About Cattle and Cane

"Cattle and Cane" is a song by the Australian alternative rock band The Go-Betweens, released as the first single from their second album Before Hollywood. It was released as a single in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records in February 1983 and reached #4 on the UK Independent Chart. The single and album were both released in Australia on Stunn, a small label allied with EMI. The Stunn pressings were of poor quality and their distribution limited. Vocalist and bass guitarist, Grant McLennan, wrote the lyrics for his mother as an autobiographical description of his return home to a Queensland farm when a boy. He used Nick Cave's acoustic guitar while staying at Cave's London apartment. Vocalist and guitarist Robert Forster co-wrote the song. Drummer Lindy Morrison also supplied backing vocals. The single and album both failed to appear on the relevant Australian Kent Music Report Top 50 charts. In May 2001 "Cattle and Cane" was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. 


Year:
1990
51 

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I recall a schoolboy coming home
through fields of cane
to a house of tin and timber
and in the sky
a rain of falling cinders
from time to time
the waste memory-wastes
I recall a boy in bigger pants
like everyone
just waiting for a chance
his father's watch
he left it in the showers
from time to time
the waste memory-wastes
I recall a bigger brighter world
a world of books
and silent times in thought
and then the railroad
the railroad takes him home
through fields of cattle
through fields of cane
from time to time
the waste memory-wastes
the waste memory-wastes
further, longer, higher, older 

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The Go-Betweens

The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals, before disbanding in late 1989. Forster and McLennan reformed the band in 2000 with a new line-up, McLennan died on 6 May 2006 of a heart attack and The Go-Betweens disbanded again. more »

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Written by: ROBERT DERWENT GARTH FORSTER, GRANT WILLIAM MCLENNAN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Details
"Cattle and Cane" is a song by the Australian indie rock band The Go-Betweens, released in 1983.
Band Members
The band was formed by Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who wrote all the band's songs. Forster played guitar and sang, and McLennan switched between bass, guitar and vocals.
Song Origin
Robert Forster and Grant Mclennan wrote the song on Nick Cave's acoustic guitar when they were living at Sunnyboys' billet in London.
Song Inspiration
The song is an autobiographical featuring a melancholic recollection of Grant McLennan's childhood memories growing up on a rural Queensland cattle station, which set it apart from other songs of its era.
Critical Accolades
The song is considered one of the greatest Australian songs of all time, having been ranked at No. 11 on the APRA Top 30 Australian songs music chart.
Album Details
"Cattle and Cane" featured on the Go-Betweens' second album, "Before Hollywood." The album is considered by some to be their best, and it marked a turning point for the band, with its driven, melodic sound.
Music Video
A music video for the song was made in black and white featuring images of rural landscapes, interspersed with footage of the band. This was highly unusual at the time, and contributed to the song's distinctiveness.
Song’s Unique Musical Features
One of the song's most distinctive features is a 4/4 time signature but played in waltz time. This gives it a mesmerising, rolling rhythm, as does Mclennan's distinctive 'plangent' guitar style.
Song Success
Despite its critical success, "Cattle and Cane" did not chart significantly at the time of its release. However, it has since been covered by numerous artists and remains a must-play song in the band's live sets.
Song Lyrics
The lyrics are quite poetic and feature imagery of rural Australia, trains, and homesickness. This gave the song a distinctly nostalgic and evocative feel that resonated with listeners.

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