NEW  ZEALAND FOLK * SONG	Backblocks Nativity Peter Cape, c.1968

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C Dm They were set for the home when their horse went lame G C And the rain came pelting from out of the sky F C Am Then Joe saw this hut and he went for a look Dm G C He said, "She's rou---gh, but she'll keep yer dry" Dm G C He said, "She's rou---gh, but she'll keep yer dry" So her boy was born in a roadman's shack By the light of a lamp that would hardly burn And she wrapped him up in a sugar sack And laid him down on a bed of fern And then they came riding out of the night And this is the thing that she'd always swear As they took off their hats and came into the light They already knew that they'd find him there So she sat on the edge of that bracken bed And watched 'though she couldn't understand While they put their bundles by her baby's head And that big river nugget in the baby's hand Then she watched them leave through the open door Weary men who had travelled far Then the rain eased off and the low cloud broke And through the gap shone a single star.

Roadman's shack, central North Island, 1904

The Original Version?

I used the above words which were printed in the Manawatu Evening Standard 1989, and I concocted a story-teller's ballad tune for it which used the above chords.

Recently (March 2000) Arthur Toms sent me this version of the song which the Rev. Peter Cape obviously intended as a church hymn, although the reference to an old joker with a billygoat beard would have disconcerted his congregation (JA).

     Nativity (originally titled Epiphany)
 
They were set for home, but the horse went lame
And the rain came belting out of the sky
Joe saw the hut and he went to look
And he said, "She's old, but she'll keep you dry"

So her kid was born in that roadman's shack
By the light of a lamp that'd hardly burn
She wrapped him up in her hubby's coat
And put him down on a bed of fern

Then they  came riding out of the night
And this is the thing that she'll always swear
As they took off their coats and came into the light
They knew they were going to find her there

Three old jokers in oilskin coats
Stood by the bunk in that leaking shack
One had a beard like a billygoat's
One was frail, and one was black

She sat on the foot of the fernstalk bed
And she watched, but she didn't understand 
When they put those bundles at the baby's head
And this river nugget into his hand

    Gold is the power of a man with a man
    And incense the power of man with God
    But myrrh is the bitter taste of death
    And the sour-sweet smell of the upturned sod


Then they went, while she watched through the open door
Weary as men who had ridden too far
And the rain eased off and the low cloud broke
And through a gap shone a single star

Cape's Hymn Tune

This is the old Anglican hymn tune Peter Cape set his words to.

Nativity -MIDI tune 1K

In the media

Tv One

Arthur Toms writes, "Steve Robinson, Pauline Roberts and I recorded this song for TV One in about 1968, with John Terriss as the producer. I remember we did a sound studio recording, then mimed it on-screen."

Lord I am Peter

This is a prayer Peter Cape wrote.

Lord I am Peter He that denied Thee Held himself from Thee Rendered Thee nothing That was Thine own. Lord I am Thomas Thomas that doubted Thee Into my mind And weak understanding Tried to cram all of Thy greatness I failed, and in failing, Held Thee in doubt. Lord I am Judas I who betrayed Thee Abandoned the Spirit And dwelt in the flesh Took of Thy bounty And wanton and lustful Turned to the earth. Lord I am Peter And Thomas and Judas Yet soul mind and body Turn me to Thee.

Other NZ Christmas songs

An Upside Down Christmas Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas; Snow is not falling and trees are not bare... Te Harinui Not on a snowy night By star or candlelight... Backblocks Nativity ...So her kid was born in that roadman's shack By the light of a lamp that'd hardly burn... A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree On the first day of Christmas My true love gave to me A pukeko in a ponga tree... Sticky Beak the Kiwi He's notified old Santa Claus to notify the deer That he will pull the Christmas sleigh in the southern hemisphere... Märie Te Pö   Silent Night Märie te pö, tapu te pö Marino, marama Ko te Whäea, me te Tama... Peaceful night, holy night, calm, bright. See the mother and baby boy... One on a Tractor We three kings of Orient are One on a tractor, two in a car... Christmas in New Zealand A chance to share the good times in the summer sun Another family holiday's begun The Jersey Cow Came Mooing The jersey cow came mooing, mooing, mooing. The jersey cow came mooing to the old shed door... The Southern Cross Looks Down O little town of Bethlehem, the Southern Cross looks down...

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Revised July 2, 2000, Dec 2009