Laughter Like A Shield
Words & Music: Pat Drummond (3.10)
For Brian and Mary O'Connell. Dateline... Bullarah,
NSW
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This story was gathered from The Bullara
Bush Expo, an uproarious mixture of fete, sheep dog trials, pyrotechnics
and bush humour, which is held on Father's Day each year at a
Primary School in North Western NSW. Perhaps because the land
itself is so hard, Australians have always placed great stock
in the ability to laugh. Our humour, much of it self effacing,
has often made the unacceptable, at least survivable. This song
is for Brian and Mary, two of the founders of the B.B.E., whose
indomitable sense of humour remains not only a personal strength
but a valuable community asset; and who reminded me, in my need,
of the healing power of laughter.
I stepped out on the highway in the middle
of the night
I heard ringing from the homestead light
Rolling like thunder out over the field
It was Laughter like a shield
Laughter like a shield
hearts as strong as steel
laughter in the face of the heartaches they
feel
Love's never easy but hearts may be healed
under Laughter like a shield
Up in the backblocks to the West of Moree
Where the hard times grow high as the ears
on the wheat
There's a green-eyed girl with her heart concealed
under Laughter like a shield
Her husband is a good man but times have been
tough
and he made some decisions that turned out
rough
Back a few seasons when the wool price went
down
They had to shoot their savings and lay them
in the ground
Laughter like a shield
hearts as strong as steel
laughter in the face of the heartaches they
feel
Love's never easy but hearts may be healed
under Laughter like a shield
And I know there's times they get downhearted
she holds him close until that time is past
Says they'll always be together
And they probably will will whilever
they remember how to make each other laugh
Instrumental
For all those whose feel that their life is
an ordeal
of broken promises and whispered appeals
Remember that the Joker is somewhere in the
deal
Carrying Laughter like a shield
And it's Laughter like a shield
That holds me to this wheel
laughter in the face of the fear that I feel
Seeking salvation and hoping to be healed
under Laughter like a shield
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