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The three Lawson-based works on the album include “Weary Drover,” derived from Lawson’s “Ballad of a Drover,” another ode to the hardworking people of the bush. Two songs use Gilmore’s verse, including “No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest,” based on Gilmore’s 1940 poem asserting Australian identity and patriotism during World War II.
Buckell does not shy away from the sadder aspects of her nation’s history, either: “Orphaned by the Color of My Skin,” with original lyrics by Buckell, deals with the indigenous children of Australia who were removed from their homes by the government to be raised by white families, a practice that endured from the early 20th century until the 1960s. These children came to be known as the “stolen generations,” and Buckell’s song was inspired by one woman’s autobiographical account, Orphaned By the Colour of My Skin: A Stolen Generation Story.
The song reflects Buckell’s passion for social justice, a passion she brings to bear on LGBT rights and other issues. “It’s the rigidity and judgment that can cause segregation and factioning that are really unacceptable,” she says.
Among instances of that judgment, the singer, who lived in Israel for a time, recalls seeing antigay protesters at Pride parades in Jerusalem. An Israeli acquaintance translated some of the protesters’ words for Buckell, who found out the demonstrators were saying gay people should be put in institutions and chanting slogans such as “Holy Land, not homo land.”
Buckell saw a bit of anti-LGBT antagonism in Kyabram, the small Australian town where she grew up, a farming community in the northern part of the state of Victoria. Not from her family, however: “As long as I’m happy, they’re happy,” she says, adding that they treat Noiberg as their daughter.
Buckell and Noiberg have been together about four years. Buckell, who had an earlier relationship with a man, eschews labels for her sexuality, although she thinks labels are fine for people who are comfortable with them. “I see beauty in all people and can have a deep connection whether they’re male or female,” she says.
Being partners both personally and professionally might seem challenging, but Buckell says it’s been a positive experience for her and Noiberg. “It’s a good challenge, because we really have a good sense of what’s professional and what’s personal,” she says. “We’ve really had a good balance.”
Up next for Buckell: She has an idea for a new album, inspired by the diary of an ancestor who married a British lord, and she’s going to be touring extensively in the coming year. She and Clancy will perform New Year’s Eve at the Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford, Mass., and January 16 she’ll have a record release show for Faces Do Not Change at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. She also has several winter and spring dates scheduled with the Jammin Divas. For a full list of concerts, and to sample her music, go to KathBuckell.com.
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