Christmas in the Scrub (AOV 2/168)

A song for nativity plays that allows for a lot of dressing up. It was written by Leigh Newton and you can hear a sample at AOV.

1. At Christmas time the birds all sing
The rabbits jump, the lizards crawl
At Christmas time the outback rings
All for the birth of God

Chorus

For the birth of God, the wallabies hop
For the birth of God, the cockatoos squawk
For the birth of God, the platypus swims
For the birth of God, the kookaburra laughs
For the birth of God was such exciting news
They’d never heard before
They came from all the land
To see this baby in the straw.

2. And if you were there you would have heard
The wise old kangaroo
“Oh, I’ve starved in droughts, I’ve swum the floods,
“I’ve hopped around, both up and down,
“Through hills and plains I’ve never seen
“Such a baby in the straw.”

Chorus

3. And if you were there you would have heard
The wise little bandicoot.
“Oh, I’ve snuffled and fossicked the midnight scrub
“I’ve been in logs and fogs and bogs,
“Well bless my days, I’ve never heard
“Of a baby in the straw.”

Chorus

4. And if you were there you would have heard
The wise old noisy crow.
“Oh, I’ve flown this land, seen many a baby
“Born in burrows, trees and furrows,
“Yet this one outshines them all,
“This baby in the straw.”

Chorus

© Leigh Newton 1984.