Clancy of the Overflow

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"Clancy of The Overflow" is a poem by Banjo Paterson, first published in The Bulletin, an Australian news magazine, on December 21, 1889. The poem is typical of Paterson, offering a romantic view of rural life, and is one of his best-known works.

The poem is written from the point of view of a city-dweller who once met the title character, a shearer and drover, and now envies the imagined pleasures of Clancy's lifestyle, which he compares favourably to life in "the dusty, dirty city" and "the round eternal of the cashbook and the journal".

And the bush hath friends to meet him, and their kindly voices greet him

In the murmur of the breezes and the river on its bars,

And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended,

And at night the wond'rous glory of the everlasting stars.

The title comes from the address of a letter the city-dweller sends, "The Overflow" being the name of the sheep station where Clancy was working when they met.

The poem is based on a true story that was experienced by Banjo Paterson. He was working as a lawyer when someone asked him to send a letter to a man named Thomas Gerald Clancy, asking for a payment that was never received. Banjo sent the letter to "The Overflow" and soon received a reply that read:

Clancy's gone to Queensland droving and we don't know where he are

The letter looked as though it had been written with a thumbnail dipped in tar and it is from this that Banjo Paterson found the inspiration for the poem, along with the meter.

Thomas Gerald Clancy wrote a poem to reply to Banjo Paterson's, named "Clancy's Reply".

Clancy himself makes a brief appearance in another popular Banjo Paterson poem, "The Man from Snowy River", which was first published the following year.

Clancy was also represented by Jack Thompson in the first movie The Man from Snowy River - and Clancy is also represented in the musical theatre production The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular (during the recitation of the poem Clancy is mentioned by Steve Bisley in his role of "Banjo Paterson" while the poem is being re-enacted in the show).

The poem, Clancy of the Overflow, has been set to music and recorded several times, including:

John Cameron's recording of Albert Arlen's setting, with an orchestra conducted by George S English (1955)
Peter Dawson's recording of the same setting, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Mackerras (early 1960s)
folk band Wallis and Matilda (1981), and
Jonathan Welch with Opera Australis.

[edit] Proposed film

In 2004 there were plans to make a movie of "Clancy of the Overflow", a sequel to "The Man From Snowy River", but this fell through due to financial reasons.

The director was to have been Simon Wincer, who was a co-producer for the 1982 film The Man from Snowy River, as well as having been responsible for Free Willy and the Australian historical drama Phar Lap'.

Bruce Rowland (who composed the music for both the 1982 film The Man from Snowy River and its sequel film The Man from Snowy River II (USA title: "Return to Snowy River"), as well as composing music for The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular, was to compose the music for the film.

The film was to have been funded by private investors, but the AU $22 million minimum investment was not met by the deadline of June 2004, and the film has been shelved indefinitely.[1]