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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Criteria for selection - Copyright of these songs - Songs Arranged by Topic

  New  - Hurricane Rider                    
               - Five For a Bob                        
                - Wartime Knitting Songs           
                        - Fixin' To Drown (in Esk Valley)
        

1993 Takamine Santa Fe guitar hero 1998
A 65 Ton Hooker scary coastal voyage 1900
Across The Line sailor's memories 1830s
All My Love is Gone farmer suicide 2010s
All Black Haka unity is strength 1810
Aotearoa   (E Ihowa Atua) Nat. Anthem, Maori 1875
Apple Pickers' Ball  end-of-harvest 1950s
Anzac Day Songs For fallen soldiers 1915
Ate a Weta wildfoods 1980s
Auntie Alice Brought Us This goodtime band 1960s
Aunty May long-lost baby 1920-80
Ballad of Captain Cook exploring NZ coast 1770s
Ballad of Sir Edmund Hillary born to climb 1960s
Barb Wire Annie rural mail lady 1910s
Battle of the Waikato jeer at Brit army 1860s
The Beautiful Coast Of NZ Shore whalers 1840s
Bert's Biplane Fox Moth to Sth Westland 1930s
Big Bad Don All Black Don Clark 1960s
Big Bull Yank Manawatu railway 1880s
Big Norm our best P.M. 1973
Big Yellow Paddock of Gorse pest or protector? 2018
Billy the Bus Stewart Is. identities 1990s
Black Billy Tea outdoor brew 1950s
Black Matai / Culler's Lament  deer-culling 1950s
Black River Mine Pike River disaster 2010
Black Swans gum-digging 1870s
Blood Red Roses  sealers - a recent compn 1830s
Blue Smoke troopship dreams 1940s
Bobby with Name Suppression Rapist policeman 1890s
Boers have got my Daddy Boer war 1900
Bright Fine Gold failed Otago miner 1860s
The Buffalo Whitianga shipwreck 1840s
By the Dry Cardrona alcoholic's dream 1860s
The Call of the Bellbird ring ting-a-ling-a 1950s
The Cattle of New Orleans Govt incompetence 2005
C'mon Kiwi    Mike M? social injustice 1980s
Charlie's Bash thanks Brian W ! sly-grogging 1950s
Cheryl Moana Marie John Rowles' sister 1960
Chesdale Cheese ! tv jingle 1960s
Chocolate the best way up 1980s
Christmas songs down-under Xmas  
The Close Shave gold-miner trickery 1860s
The Coleridge Run traction engine drivers 1913
Come All You Tonguers whalers cry 1830s
Crossing the Kaipara Bar 'the graveyard' 1880s
Dad's Dunny a heavenly view 1930s
Damn the Dam Save Lake Manapouri 1973
Davy Lowston   M Curtis version
stranded sealers 1810
Day the Pub Burned Down Save the beer! 1920s
Dead Red Robin Bain family massacre 1994
Dominion Road half-way house 1992
Don't Be Afraid of the Sky confronting dogma 1980s
The Dog-dosing Strip at Dunsandel country courtship 1950s
Don't Dream It's Over hope in dark world 1980s
Down in the Brunner Mine 65 coal-miners killed 1890s
Down on My Luck the great depression 1930s
Down the Hall on a Sat... rural dance hall 1940s
Down Trou student parody 1960s
The Dugout in the True/Matruh rough home 1940s
Dulcie and the Moa children's fable 1920s
Dunedin City Council Loves Red Tape folkie's nightmare 2014
The Dunstan urbanite's dream 1990s
The Dying Bushman/Shearer my slasher is rusty 1930s
E Ipo Tui Teka love-song 1980s
E Papa Waiari stick game old
E Pari Rä lament 1918
Epo I Tai Tai E (He Puru Taitama) school song overseas 1940
Eel Song wading waist-deep! 1950s
  The Fairlie Flyer branch-line train  1968
Farewell to the Gold miner's angst 1860s
Farewell to the Gumfields bleak house 1890s
Ferdinand provincial rugby 1960s
Fiddlers Hill Dalmatians dancing 1890s
Fields Of The Gum old mates 1890s
Five for a Bob (Jack's Song) rabbit control 1930s
Fishfinger song sea-shanty parody 1980s
Fitzherbert Bridge sleeping underneath it 1986
Fixin' To Drown Esk Valley disaster 2023
French Letter Mururoa tests 1980s
Friendly Road Swaggers to 1930s
Get Out Alive I rolled my car 2015
Gin & Raspberry gold-mining 1860s
The Girls Have Got The Tow Rope homeward bound 1870s
Ghost Gulls Of Picton around the ferry 1980s
God Defend New Zealand national anthem 1870s
Goodnight Ruby tired old soldier 1970s
The Great I AM Colin McCahon 1960s
Gumboot Song a Kiwi icon 1960s
Gutboard Blues freezing-worker 1960s
Hakaru Races painted pony scam 1900s
Hard Oil Taranaki old drilling 1970s
Hamilton provincial blues 1970s
He Puru Taitama (Epo e Tai Tai e) courting song 1940
Healing Sound of Water expat's dreams 1990s
Higgins Homestead old-fashioned homestay 1990s
Hills of Coromandel nature's return 1960s
Hiwi the Kiwi kids' yucky song 1990s
Hoea  Rä Te Waka Nei WW1 Canoe Poi 1917
The Hole in the Hill Otira rail tunnel 1950s
Hine E Hine Goodnight Kiwi 1907
Hungover Liver drinker's parody 1970s
The Hurricane Rider HMS Calliope 1887
I Got You Split Enz rock song 1980s
I Only Spoke Portuguese whaler's romance 1830s
I've Been Everywhere all those towns! 1991
In My Little Whare whitebaiting 1970s
In The Tararua Ranges trampers 1940s
Invercargill car & wife confused 1980s
Ite Missa Est isolated religious life 1960s
Just One Little Number travelling muso 1980s
Jackie's Song Taranaki War 1860s
John Smith  A. B. Sea shanty 1860s
Johnny Come Dancing bewitched by fairies 1870s
Ka Mate All Black haka 1810
Kiwi Express   rip audio from HERE Ch'ch to Dunedin 1950s
Ko'rareka Whaler's R&R 1830s
Kowhai & the Tui.  NZ's national flower 1950s
Lady loader-Driver topdressing romance 1970s
The Late Great Planet Earth global pollution 2020s
Level Two and Rising Global warming 2020
The Life of a High Country Shepherd sheep and snow 1920s
The Lost Chinaman search & rescue 1911
Looking for the Yeller Otago gold rush 1861
Love in a Fowl House advice for daughter 1963
Mahurangi Regatta Old boaties 1880s
The Mail Coach Line stage coach travel 1880s
Matua Ned PC Stephen Foster 2000s
McKenzie  (3 songs -work needed) the sheep-stealer 1860s
Märie Te Pö "Silent Night" 1880s
Me & Convoy 22 Beehive anti-vax protest 2022
Me He Manu Rere "If I were a bird" 1890s
Midnight Rock earthquake sex 2010s
Mihiwaka colonial wife 1860s
Minnie Dean Baby killer 1895
Mist on the Waikato Arthur Allan Thomas 1970
Mum sons overseas 1980s
My Old Man's an All Black racial protest 1960s
My Man's Gone Now on the swag 1930s
My Tractor Don't make it rain! 1970s
New Zealand Christmas  (Nativity) crib in back-blocks 1920s
No Depression in New Zealand Satirical anthem 1980s
O'Brien and the Whale bullocky's tall story 1900s
Okaihau Express steam cream train 1930s
Old Billy Kirk wild wagon driver 1870s
On The Ball bonds of rugby 1880s
One Day A Taniwha kids' song 1970s
One on a Tractor   rip ex You Tube Xmas carol parody 1960s
Opo the Dolphin. rip ex YT played with children 1956
The Orpheus ship wreck 1863
Our Homeland Aotearoa Tui in the Kowhai 1950s
Our Mates in Australia 1951 dock strike 1950s
Out to Otago Post-war migration 1960s
Packing My Things failed gold miner 1860s
Pania of the Reef Maori love song song 1950s
Pauatahanui wetlands reserve Centuries
Peter Gray Bushman contractor 1870s
The Philomena D. whaling cruise 1850s
Pillows of the Dead Tangiwai disaster 1953
Playground Chants skipping
Poi-E 1984 hit song 1982
Pokarekare Ana "Oh, return to me" 1912
Postholes virtual rail freight 1984
Pot o' Gold Rainbow Warrior 1980s
Pretty Girl  (Hogsnort Rupert) skiffle song 1970
The Professional sex worker 1980s
Proud to be a Kiwi make page standing strong 1990s
Pukeko in a Ponga Tree Maori Xmas presents 1980s
Puketapu Hanged for murder 1950s
The Railwayman's Daughter pandemic heroine 1918
Rainbird In the Tea-tree cattle-drover's hopes 1930s
Remember Young Opo the fisherman's friend 1950s
Right Wing Articulate Rebel the ACT party song 1990s
Righting the Ronga accident-prone boat 1900s
The Rimutaka Line steep railway incline 1880s
River of Life independent woman 1980s
Robber Kim Kim 'helped' the poor 2014
Rolling Wheels across the desert 1940s
The Rottenomic Blues leaking homes disaster 1990s
Rugby, Racing & Beer pub culture 1960s
Run to the Brunner, Girls, Run! mine disaster 1896
Russian Jack the last swagger 1950s
The Sands of the Nile Griping about Egypt 1940
Scourer from Mataura Freezing worker 1970s
Scrub and Blackberry Farm nostalgia 1981
Sea shanties songs of the sea -
Seal Children Greenpeace 1980s
Seddon's Jubilee Song Premier visits Queen V 1898
Send the Boats Away French nuc. tests 1980s
Sergeant Small riding the rails 1930s
The Shanty by the Way goldfield pubs 1860s
She'll Be Right Mate real Kiwi joker 1960s
Somewhat Under the Weather Dave Jordan parody 1990s
Soon May The Needleman Come Covid-19 pandemic 2020s
Soon May The Wellerman Come Shore whalers' tale 1830s
Spider In The Bath  arachnid's phobia 1980s
Stable Lad  goldfields love 1870s
State House Song working class bliss 1950s
Sticky Bun Rag dumpster diving 1980s
Suited calloused fragile mystic James K Baxter 1970s
Super-Man aerial topdressing 1950s
The T. T. Line building Taupo log line 1900s
Tahora (Don't Worry Mate) farm folk festival 1990s
Tarakihi, the Locust revived by Kiri ancient
Taranaki Spring milking cows 1930s
Taumarunui steam train heartbreak 1950s
Tea at Te Kuiti NZ placenames 1960s
Te Harinui NZ Christmas 1958
Ten Guitars urban Maori singalong 1967
Te Kooti   And he gets killed again... colonial mockery
1870
Te Rina Terina Pomare 1974
Thompson's Bus off to Mangamahu! 1940s
Tihori mai te Rangi Rain rain go away! 1980
Tofa My Feleni Samoan farewell 1889
Tophouse Lament   old pub closed  1976
Train Songs nostalgia and wrecks
Tramping Songs ...with billy and pack 1950s
Trickle Down neo-liberal economics 1980s
Tuapeka Gold. YouTube astute miner 1860s
Under the Sun all men are equal 1964
Up the Mangapapa berko shearer 1940s
Waiata Poi Mara Maori maiden 1904
Waipu Settlers Crofters from Scotland 1820s
Walking On My Feet the great depression 1930s
Walter Nash - Prime Minister post-WW2 Labour PM 1950s
Wartime knitting songs to stop Trench Foot 1915-45
We Don't Know How Lucky Fred Dagg irony 1960s
Whanganui, where the H sounds fine Wang/Whang debate 2000s
Where Is My Wild Rose OE to find ID 1960s
Worsfold collection Northland songs 1880s
Working for the Roads Board
road-building labour 1980s
The Wreck of the Old 2-2-7 train wreck at Taihape 1930s
The Wreck of the Rena shipwreck at Tauranga 2011

Songs Arranged by Topic

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A Study of Our Culture

This collection of NZ folk songs was started in 1998 to assist in two projects:
- First, a ballad-writing instruction course.
- Second, a study to see how our Pakeha (white NZ) culture is reflected in the way we write, select and modify the songs we sing.
The words of the songs in the initial NZFS database were collected from the singing of those in my community when I was young (1943-1958) and later from singing I've heard at folk clubs and festivals (1979-1995).
The songs chosen here were those which;
- have been requested, sung, and/or recorded by many people,
- or generally reflect New Zealand events, customs and attitudes,
- and could be sung by an amateur with minimal accompaniment.
( A large number of the Pakeha songs appeared to be about lonely, socially inept males. Does this reflect the spirit of the songwriters, the singers, or both?)

In 2000, in response to many requests, mostly from Kiwis living overseas, I started adding more old Maori songs, and the odd new one. These have proved to be very popular, and so this website has changed its focus in recent years.


Copyright

You should obtain the permission of the songwriters or their publishers before making commercial use of the songs.

These files will assist any person in the world to do that. Anyone anywhere singing or recording these songs for commercial purposes can now, via internet search engine, find these songs' true owners, who may then be correctly acknowledged.

Then, hopefully, Bob Dylan's version of 'Farewell to the Gold' by Paul Metzers will not be called Australian Mining Song by Nic Jones.

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