> Folk Music > Songs > The Three Drovers

The Three Drovers

[ Roud - ; Mudcat 7966 ; words John Wheeler, music William G. James (1948)]

Melrose Quartet sang the Australian Christmas carol The Three Drovers on their 2019 album The Rudolph Variations.

Lyrics

Melrose Quartet sing The Three Drovers

Across the plains one Christmas night
Three drovers riding blithe and gay,
Looked up and saw a starry light
More radiant than the Milky Way;
And on their hearts such wonder fell,
They sang with joy
“Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!”

The air was dry with summer heat,
And smoke was on the yellow moon;
But from the heavens, faint and sweet,
Came floating down a wond’rous tune;
And as they heard, they sang full well
Those drovers three
“Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!”

The black swans flew across the sky,
The wild dog called across the plain,
The starry lustre blazed on high,
Still echoed on the heavenly strain;
And still they sang, “Nowell! Nowell!”
Those drovers three
“Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!”