3. Cane‑Field Shadows (Full song — ~4:56) Instrumental prompt for intro: Warm‑dark rhythm guitar, steady mid‑tempo beat, faint distant cicada hum underneath; slow build. [0:00‑0:34 — Intro] [0:34‑1:06 — Verse 1] Drove up north till the cane‑fields stretched so far Green and gold beneath the sun and every star Found a place to stop, to set my bags right down Stepped onto the red‑earth Queensland ground But the old shadows rode along with me They don’t just vanish when you cross the sea Or the state line — they sit where you sit too Waiting in the shade where the cane‑stalks grew [1:06‑1:26 — Pre‑Chorus] You can change your sky, you can change your track But the ghosts you carry won’t turn back They walk the dusk where the cane‑rows lean Where the long dark shadows are seen [1:26‑2:02 — Chorus] Cane‑field shadows stretch long in the sun Old memories walk where the day‑light runs You can change your town, you can change your view But you carry your own self along with you Cane‑field shadows creep out when day grows thin Following the road where the nights begin [2:02‑2:34 — Verse 2] Some good bright days out here, some quiet nights alone Some hard long days where the weight was all my own Made new acquaintances, walked new tracks and lanes Saw the wet‑season storms and the dry‑plain rains Still sometimes when the dusk falls deep and still I feel that old wall standing on the hill The sun dips low and the cane‑rows turn to grey Shadows reach out across the red‑earth way [2:34‑2:54 — Pre‑Chorus] You can change your sky, you can change your track But the ghosts you carry won’t turn back They walk the dusk where the cane‑rows lean Where the long dark shadows are seen [2:54‑3:30 — Chorus] Cane‑field shadows stretch long in the sun Old memories walk where the day‑light runs You can change your town, you can change your view But you carry your own self along with you Cane‑field shadows creep out when day grows thin Following the road where the nights begin [3:30‑4:14 — Bridge] I thought the northern wind would blow it all away Thought the wide‑open land would clear the grey But the wind just moves the dust from place to place The old marks stay written on my face The land is new but the heart still bears the scar The same old stars shine over where I are [4:14‑4:56 — Final Chorus + Outro (softer)] Cane‑field shadows stretch long in the sun Old memories walk where the day‑light runs You can change your town, you can change your view But you carry your own self along with you… [Music fades slowly]
