[Editor: A patriotic song; words written by J. Eccleston Walker, music composed by Samuel D. McBurney. Published in The Empire Songster (1900).]
Advance, Australia.
(By permission of Dr. McBurney, Melbourne)
J. Eccleston Walker
S.D. McBurney, Mus. D.
Rise, Australians, mark your day,
Seize the Standard, bear the sway;
Drive the clouds of sloth away,
And advance, still advance!
Know, your fathers left their home
Far beyond the ocean’s foam,
Know they trod your native strand,
Led the way, and left command
To advance, still advance!
Advance, Australia!
Still, still advance!
Calm and steady, still and strong;
Pass the watch-word right along,
Inspiration move the throng
To advance, still advance!
Yes, in ev’ry phase of life,
Thro’ each trouble, care, and strife,
Keep the motto still in view,
Only to our cause be true
And advance, still advance!
Advance, Australia!
Still, still advance!
Sense of duty must prevail;
When did British courage fail?
Wave the Cross o’er hill and dale,
And advance, still advance!
By each honest heart’s appeal,
By the patriot’s burning zeal,
By that never dying love,
By that star of hope above
We advance, still advance!
Advance, Australia!
Still, still advance!
Source:
William H. Smith (editor), The Empire Songster, Montreal: Renouf Publishing Co., [1900], pp. 40-41 (song 34)
Editor’s notes:
Publishing details for the The Empire Songster were sourced from the University of Alberta library catalogue
This song was mentioned in several newspapers, including:
1) An advertisement in The Mercury of 22 June 1883, “Concert and sight-singing demonstration, by certificated solfaists, at Mechanics’ Institute, this evening”, notes that song 14 of the programme will be “National Song — “Advance Australia”; S. McBurney, G.T.S.C. L., President Victorian T.S.F. Association” (McBurney was the president of the Victorian Tonic Sol-fa Association)
See: “Amusements, soirees, lectures, etc.” (advertising), The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.), 22 June 1883, p. 1 (col. 4)
Robin S. Stevens, “McBurney, Samuel (1847–1909)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University (accessed 21 February 2013)
2) A report in The Mercury of 23 June 1883, “Tonic sol-fa singing”, regarding the concert of 22 June 1833, noted that “a song by Mr. S. McBurney, entitled “Advance Australia,” with a lively air and appropriate words, was sung for the first time in Tasmania”.
See: “Tonic sol-fa singing”, The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.), 23 June 1883, p. 2 (col. 7)
J. Eccleston Walker and S.D. McBurney also collaborated on a song called “The Flag of Union: A Federation Song” (words by J. Eccleston Walker, music by S. McBurney).
ev’ry = (vernacular) every
Mus. D. = Doctor of Music
o’er = (archaic) over (pronounced the same as “oar”, “or”, and “ore”)
thro’ = (vernacular) through
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