The Drover's Dream by Alan Scott and The Bushwhackers

‘The Drover’s Dream’ was the A-side on the first 10” 78 disc released by Australian revivalist bush band the Bushwhackers.

The record of ‘The Drover’s Dream’ / ‘Bullockies Ball’ was rushed out to shops just before Christmas in 1955, receiving widespread airplay and making the country music charts in Queensland. The record eventually sold 20,000 copies, a significant number for a new release by an independent record label.

The earliest published version of this bush song is under the title ‘The Visions of a Night Watch’, published by the Kadina and Wallaroo Times, a South Australian newspaper, on 25 December 1889.

The variant version sung by the Bushwhackers describes a drover on night watch who drifts asleep while looking after his sheep. He has fanciful dreams of Australian native animals playing music and dancing around, before waking to find the sheep have wandered off.

Initially named the Heathcote Bushwhackers, the band played a key role in Australia's folk revival of the 1950s. They performed from 1952 to 1957 and released six singles and two EPs through Wattle Records. The Bushwhackers also contributed to the cast recording of the Australian musical Reedy River.

The recording features Alan Scott on vocals. Other band members included Harry Kay, Cecil Grivas, John Meredith, Brian Loughlin, Chris Kempster, Jack Barrie and Alex Hood.