Down by the River on PBS 106.7 FM, Melbourne, Australia

25 December 2025
Playlist for Down by the River (PBS-FM, Melbourne, Australia) for Thursday December 25, 2025. Presented by Roger Holdsworth, filling in for Lauren Plant. Happy Christmas Day - if that is your belief and orientation. At this time of the year, I'm split between being 'Ho Ho' and 'Bah Humbug' - but perhaps leaning more towards the latter. However, you'll probably hear some music today that inevitably references Christmas Day - not strongly, and certainly not typically, as we wander down by this seasonal river. I look forward to taking you on a wander through folk music from various parts of Australia and the wider world, that include some favourite music.

(A): Australian artists - all or partly.


ARTIST | Track | ALBUM | (Label, Details)

AJAK KWAI & SIMON LEWIS | Christmas Bell | SONGS FOR CHILDREN - FROM SUDAN TO AUSTRALIA | (self, 2011) (A)
[ http://www.ajakkwai.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/Ajakkwaimusic ; www.simonlewis.com.au ]

NAPFONAT | Carol of the Bells | ÉGBŐL, FÉNYBŐL/FROM HEAVEN, FROM LIGHT | (Fonó FA-537-2, 2023)
[ www.fono.hu ; https://www.facebook.com/napfonatzene/ ]

VILLAGERS FROM ULUVEU (MASKELEYNE ISLANDS) | Christmas bells are ringing | OL SING BLONG PLANTESEN | (Wantok Musik, 2023)
[ www.wantokmusik.org ; www.wantokmusik.bandcamp.com ; https://sydney.academia.edu/MichaelWebb ]
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CHRISTINE ANU | When It Rains | WAKU-MINARAL A MINALAY| (ABC Music, 2024) (A)
[ https://www.christineanu.com/ ; https://www.abc.net.au/abcmusic/christine-anu-waku/103877844 ]

ROBERT ZIELINSKI | Minang Moon Lullaby | KIANGARDARUP | (self, 2024) (A)
[ https://www.robertzielinskimusic.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/robertzielinskimusic ]
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MUNDY TURNER | Aussie Jingle Bells | MUNDY-TURNER'S BONZER AUSSIE CHRISTMAS | (Gypsy GYPC 015, 2004) (A)
[ https://mundyturner.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/mundyturner/ ]

NEIL ADAM AND JUDY TURNER | Christmas At Sea | SING ME A SONG: THE ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON PROJECT | (self, 2019) (A)
[ https://www.neiladamandjudyturner.com/ ]
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ROY BAILEY | Home by Christmas/Empty Chair/Home by Christmas | LIVE AT TOWERSEY FESTIVAL 2015 | (Fuse Records CFCD410, 2016)
[ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/nov/20/roy-bailey-obituary ; www.robbjohnson.co.uk ]

THE SECOND HAND ORCHESTRA | Happy X-mas (War is over) | SO, THIS IS CHRISTMAS… | (Sing a song fighter, 2023)
[ https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Second-Hand-Orchestra-100041376197086/ ]
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URBAN FOLK (PETE MORTON, ROGER WILSON, SIMON EDWARDS, DOC MARTENS) | Shadow of an Absent Friend | URBAN FOLK VOL. I | (Harbourtown Records HARCD 032, 1997)
[ www.petemorton.com ; www.harbourtownrecords.com ]

MOSQUERA CELTIC BAND | Christmas Day | TERRA/LAND | (Several Records SRD-466, 2021)
[ www.mosqueracelticband.com ; https://www.facebook.com/FernandoMosquera.I/about/ ]
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THE SECOND HAND ORCHESTRA | Fairytale of New York | SO, THIS IS CHRISTMAS… | (Sing a song fighter, 2023)
[ https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Second-Hand-Orchestra-100041376197086/ ]

ROBB JOHNSON | Red and Green | MARGARET THATCHER: MY PART IN HER DOWNFALL | (Irregular Records IRR042, 2000-2009)
[ www.robbjohnson.co.uk ; www.irregularrecords.co.uk ]
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ADO BARKER with RUAIRI McGORMAN | Between Up and Down/Chattering Magpie/The Spike Island Lasses | BETWEEN UP AND DOWN | (Tradsville Records, nd) (A)
[https://www.facebook.com/ado.barker/ ; https://thesession.org/recordings/2011 ]

RUTH HAZLETON | Foreign Shores | HERONBONES | (self, 2025) (A)
[ https://ruthhazleton.com.au/ ; https://www.facebook.com/RuthHazletonMusic/ ]
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ELIZA CARTHY | King James Version | ROUGH MUSIC | (Topic Records TSCD554, 2005)
[ https://eliza-carthy.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/elizacarthy/ ]

ELIZA CARTHY with NORMA WATERSON et al | Shallow Brown | GIFT | (Topic Records TSCD579, 2010)
[ https://eliza-carthy.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/elizacarthy/ ]
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CHRIS WOOD | Hard | THE LARK DESCENDING | (RUF Records RUFCD10, 2005)
[ http://chriswoodmusic.co.uk/ ; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063628839118# ]

FRANK JONES | A Million Breaths | TWICE ROUND THE MOON | (self, 2025) (A)
[ https://www.frankjones.com.au/ ; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000685917747 ]
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TONE OF VOICE ORCHESTRA | Running from the Devil | RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL | (Word for Word Records, 2025)
[ https://fredriklundin.com/tone-of-voice-orchestra ; https://www.facebook.com/ToneofVoiceOrchestra/ ]
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GUY BERGERON with ENYA LEMOINE | Where's The Sun | WARMER DAYS ARE COMIN' | (Disques BOGHEI Records, 2024)
[ https://www.facebook.com/guytarebergeron/ ; https://www.boghei.com/accueil-home.html ; https://www.facebook.com/lemoinenya/ ]

DOUGIE MACLEAN | Caledonia | THE ESSENTIAL DOUGIE MACLEAN | (Dunkeld Records DUNCD031, 2007)
[ https://www.dougiemaclean.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044914272933# ]

ARCHIE FISHER & GARNET ROGERS | Rolling Home | OFF THE MAP | (Snow Goose/Greentrax CDTRAX270, 2003-4)
[ https://garnetrogers.com/ ; https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/nov/12/archie-fisher-obituary ]
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PAUL GRABOWSKI & MINDY MENG WANG | Held Close | BETWEEN DREAMS | (Besant Hall Records/Air-Edel Records, 2025) (A)
[ https://www.air-edel.co.uk/records/besant-hall-records-release/ ; https://www.paulgrabowsky.com.au/ ; https://www.facebook.com/paul.grabowsky ; https://www.facebook.com/MindyMengWangMusic/ ; https://mindymengwang.com/ ]












Any queries on this music, please contact: r.holdsworth@unimelb.edu.au

This and other playlists are filed at: http://www.asprinworld.com/GV.html

and also at the PBS-FM home page at: http://www.pbsfm.org.au/globalvillage

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