FOREWORD
For the first time since 1954 (when a song
book was published to commemorate the
Bathurst-Wagga Intercollegiate) the Publications Committee has been able to produce a
Song Book which we hope will be a source of
pleasure and interest to all students. We ask
you to consider the variety of taste for which we
had to cater and trust that we have included
something that you might enjoy.
The book is designed also to be closely
linked to the Music course and will be used to
advantage in "Sing-a- Longs" and lectures.
It may also be found useful as a teaching
medium and should be in a prominent position
in future Music Method Books!
The songs were selected mainly from the
various 'Varsity and past College song books
from Wagga and Armidale. We are grateful for
the use of these.
Gratitude must be extended to Mr. Orchard, Miss O'Donnell, Adele V\Teatherall, Kaye
White, Beverly Berry, Alan Lynch, Brian Bazzo,
Peter Crittendon, John Hough and our artist
Adrian Young.
It is hoped that in future years this book
will be used as a b asis for bigger and better
productions.
Sing well, this 1s a "Sing-a-Long with
Orch" made easy.
DENIS SIMOND,
President Publications Committee
3
COLLEGE SO:NGS
GAUDEAMUS
Gaudeamus igitur,
I uvenes dum sum us;
Post iucundum iuventutem,
Post molesta1n senectutem,
Nos habebit humus.
Ubi sunt qui ante nos
In mundo fuere?
Vadite ad superos,
Transite ad inferos
Ubi iam fuere. '
Vita nostl·a brevis est,
Brevi finietur;
Venit mors velociter,
Rapit nos atrociter,
Nomini parcetur.
Vivat Academia,
Vivant professores;
Vivat membrum quodlibet,
Vivant membra quaelibet,
Semper sint in flore.
4
Vivant omnes virgines,
Faciles, formasae!
Vivant et mulieres,
Dulces et amabiles,
Bonae, laboriosae.
Vivat et respublica
Et qui illam regit!
Vivat nostra civitas,
l\lfaecenatum caritas,
Quae nos hie protegit!
College Anthem - - "COLLEGE OF THE RIVERINA''
l . College of the Riverina, we thy students
sing thy fame
Lifting hearts in exultation pay our tribute
to thy fame
Straining limbs to win with honour, spurring minds to catch the gleam,
"\1\Te have found in each endeavour joy ancl
fellowship supreme.
·
2. By the Tweed beyond the Darling, where·
so'er our schools may be
:Memory oft will tread the journey, "\t\Tagga
College back to thee.
"\1\Te shall live once more our triumphs, see
a-new the vision grand,
And refreshed return with vigour, valiant
to possess the land.
5
College War Cry
11
''YAKKA-BLUEY
Yakka Bluey, Yakka Bluey, ya ya ya
Mahee, Mahi, Mahom somebody
11\Thatcha kee - I - 0, whatcha kee - I - 0
\1\Tagga College, \1\Tagga College
Ya Ya Ya
Com - pa - pa, Oom - pa - pa
Wagga College, Wagga College
K, M, K, I,
Ya Ya Ya
C - 0 - L - L - E - G - E, College!
WAGGA TEACHERS COLLEGE
Took an Air Force hospital
Pain ted it with colours dull,
Brieflv that describes the birth of
\1\Tagga Teachers' College.
Called up studes from everywhere,
Gave each one a cot and chair
Told them unmade beds were rare at
Wagga Teachers' Colleg~.
Lectures and demonstratwns,
They gave us art and .craft and speech and
stuff
Till the students cried "ENOUGH!"
This is my advice to you ,
This is what you ought to do
Get vour "D's" and "A Plus" too,
At \ t\ragga Teachers' College.
6
COLLEGE OF OURS
College of ours
Pride of life to us all here striving.
College of ours
Source of joy to us all here singing.
So shall it be
<
When the good days are gone far from us.
Still we shall praise
In a song and a voice of gladness.
College of ours
Turn we to thee in love,
Blest by thy sons and they daughters from
above.
L
THERE IS A COLLEGE IN THE TOWN
There is a college in the town, in the
town
On which some people scowl and frown,
scowl and frown .
But to those who really know its greatest
worth
There's not a better place on earth.
\1\Te m~y fuss an~ fret and worry
Do assignments m a hurry,
\1\Te may tire of demonstrations
But we do not mind.
For when they send us out to Broken Hill
or Bourke
At least we all will know how to work
And we will strive to illuminate her name
And ever hold aloft the flame.
'
IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIBOOBURRA
It's a long way to Tibooburra
It's a long; way to go,
It's a long way to Tibooburra
To the smallest school I know.
Goodbye Wagga College
We'll remember thee;
It's a long, long way to Tibooburra
But that's where I'll be.
THE HAPPY WAGGA STUDENTS
'it\Te introduce our honoured guests
To double U.T.C.
M.E.H. is our number one
R.B.'s our 2 i fc.
Down by the Li-bra-ree
We wander after tea,
A warden comes along the path
And turns our two to three.
Chants: 'it\Tagga-ri etc. - two to three.
High overhead the black crows squark
And at our prospects drool,
For blackboards call so loud and sweet
From every . outback school.
Chants: v\Tagga-ri - - - From every outback
school.
Chorus: v\Tagga-ri etc. - - - R.B.'s our 2 i f c.
At our front gate the ro-tun-da
'it\Tas built with toil and blood
They only brought it from the park
To save it from the flood.
Hard by the Admin. block
v\Te have a statue bright,
And every time we pass her by
'it\T e strive to see the light.
Chorus: v\Tagga-ri etc. -- - To save it from
the light.
8
And turns our
9
NEGRO SPIRITUALS
GO DOWN MOSES
Go clown, Moses,
'Way clown in Egypt's land;
Tell ole Pharoah
Let my people go.
'When Israel was in Egypt's land
Let my people go;
Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go.
Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said ;
Let my people go;
If not, I'll smite your first-born dead ,
Let my people go.
No more shall they bondage toil ,
Let my people go;
Let them come to Egypt's spoil
Let my people go.
The Lord told Moses what to do
Let my people go;
To lead the children of Israel thro'
Let my people go.
When they had reached the other shore
Let my people go;
They sang a song of triumph o'er,
Let my people go.
11
SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to
carry me home;
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to
carry me home.
I looked over Jordan and what did I see?
Comin' for to carry me home.
A band of Angels comin' after me
Comin' for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to
carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to
carry me home.
If you get there before I ~o
J es' tell my friends that I m a-comin' too.
The brightest day that e~er I saw
When Jesus washed my sms away.
I'm sometimes up and sometimes down
But still my soul feels heavenly boun.'
GREEN GROW THE RUSHES HO
I'll sing you one-ho!
Green grow the rushes-ho.
·w hat is your one-ho?
One is one and all alone
and evermore shall be so.
12
I'll sing you two-ho!
Green grow the rushes-ho.
·what are your two-ho?
Two, two the lily-white boys,
clothed all in green-ho.
One is one and all alone and
evermore shall be so.
I 'll sing you three-ho!
Green grow the rushes-ho.
W"hat are your three-ho?
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily-whit~ boys,
clothed all in green-ho.
One is one and all alone and
evermore shall be so.
F~mr for the Gospel-makers
F:ve for the. symbols at your door.
Six for the SIX proud walkers
S~ven for the seven stars in the sky and
Eight for the April rainers.
Nine for the nine bright shiners
and Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Eleven for the eleven went up to
Heaven and
Twelve for the twelve Apostles.
13
JERUSALEM
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green,
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen.
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon these clouded hills?
And was .Jerusalem builcled here,
Among these clark satanic hills?
SON'GS TO SING AROUND
THE PIANO
(or under it, or over it, or nowhere near it)
Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire,
Bring me my spear, 0 clouds unfold
Bring me my chariot of fire.
I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.
14
15
ABDUL
The sons o£ the prophet are brave men and
bold,
And quite unaccustomed to fear,
But the bravest by far in the ranks of the Shah
Was Abdul A-Bulbul Emir.
·vvhen they wanted a man to encourage the van
Or shout "Attaboy" in the rear,
Or to storm a redoubt, they always sent out
For Abdul A-Bulbul Emir.
Now the heroes were plenty and well known
to fame
In the troops that were led by the Czar,
But of all the most daring of fame or of name
\1\Tas Ivan Skavinsky-Skavar.
One clay this bold Russian h ad shouldered
·his gun
And donned his most truculent sneer;
Down-town he did go, where he trod on the toe
Of Abdul A-Bulbul Emir.
"Oh, take your last look at su nshine a nd brook,
And send your regard to the Czar,
For by this I imply that you are going to die,
Mr. Ivan Skavinsky-Skavar."
Then Abdul the brute drew his trusty skabuke,
·with a cry of "Allah Akabar!"
\1\Tith murderous intent he ferociously went
For Ivan Skavinsky-Skavar.
They fought all that night, 'neath the pale
yellow light
The din it was heard from afar;
And the multitude came, so great was the fame
Of Abdul and Ivan Skavar.
As Abdul's long knife vvas extracting the life
-In fact he was shouting "Huzzah!"He felt himself struck by that wily Kalmuk,
Count Ivan Skavinsky-Skavar.
The Sultan rode by in his red-breasted fly,
Expecting the victor to cheer,
But he only got there to hear the last prayer
Of Abdul A-Bulbul Emir.
"Yo ung man," quoth Abdul, "has life grown
so dull
That you ·wish to end your career?
For vile infidel, know you have trod on the toe
'Of Abdul A-Bulbul Emir."
Czar Petravich II, in his spectacles blue,
Rode up in his new crested car;
He arrived just in time to exchange a last line
\1\Tith Ivan Skavinsky-Skavar.
16
17
The tomb shadows rose where the blue Volga
flows,
Engraved there in characters clear,
"0 stranger, when passing, pray for the soul
Of Abdul A-Bulbul Emir."
A Muscovite maiden her lone vigil keeps,
'Neath the light of the cold polar star,
And the name that she murmurs as oft as she
weeps
Is "Ivan Skavinsky-Skavar."
RICKETY TICKETY TIN
About a maid I'll sing a so ng,
Sing Rickety Tickety Tin,
About a maid I'll sing a song
She didn't have her family long,
Not only did she do them w~ong ;
She did every one of them 111,
Them in,
She did every one of them in.
One morning in a fit of pique
Sing Rickety Tickety Tin, .
One morning, in a fit of p1que,
She pushed her father into the creek.
The water tasted bad for a week,
And they had to make-do with gin,
With gin,
.
.
They had to make-do wlth gm .
18
Her mother, too, she never could stand,
Sing Rickety Tickety Tin,
Her mother, too, she never could stand,
And so a cyanide soup she planned;
Her mother died with the spoon in h er
hand,
And her face in a hideous grin,
A grin,
Her face in a hideous grin.
She set her sister's hair on fire,
Sing Rickety Tickety Tin,
She set her sister's hair on fire ,
And as the flames grew higher and highe1 .
She danced around the funeral pyre,
Playing a violin,
O-lin,
Playing a violin.
She weighted her brother clown with stones.
Sing Rickety Tickety Tin,
She weighted her brother clown with stones,
And sent him clown to Davey Jones,
And all they ever found was bones,
And occasional pieces of skin.
Of skin,
And occasional pieces of skin.
19
One day when she had nothing to do,
Sino- Rickety Tickety Tin,
On~ day when she had nothin~ to do,
She chopped her baby bro_ther m two
And served him up as Insh stew
And invited the neighbours in,
'Bmn·s in,
And invited the neighbours in.
And when at last the cops came by,
Sing Rickety Tickety Tin,
And when at last the cops come by,
Her little prank she did not deny,_
For to do so she would have to he,
And lying she knew, was a sin,
A sin,
And lying, she knew, was a sin.
UP,IDEE
The shades of night were falling fast
Upidee, upidee
When through an Alpine village passed
Upicleeidah,
A youth vvho bore 'mid snow. and Ice
A banner with this strange device:
Upidee-idee-idah. Up~dee, ':lpidah
Upidee-idee-idah. Upidee, Idah,
Rr, rr, IT, rr, rr, rr, yah, yah, yah
Upidee-idee-idah. Up~dee, ~dah,
Upidee-idee-idah. Up1dee, 1dah,
20
His brow was sad, his eye beneath
Upidee, upidah
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath
Upideeidah,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accent of that unknown tongue:
"0 stay," the maiden said, "and rest
Upidee, upidah,
Thy weary head upon by breast."
Upideeidah,
A tear stood in his bright blne eye
But still he answer'd with a sigh.
The traveller by the faithful hound
U pi dee, upidah,
Half-buried in the snow vvas found
U pideeidah,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device:
FOUNTAIN SONG
I'm a fountain, I'm a fountain
I'm a fountain, yes I am.
And I'd rather be a fountain
Than a drip.
I'm a suitcase, I'm a suitcase.
I'm a suitcase, yes I am.
And I'd rather be a suitcase
Than a bag.
21
I'm all sodden, I'm all sodden,
I'm all sodden, yes I am.
And I'd rather be all sodden
Than all wet.
I'm a thrombus, I'm a thrombus,
I'm a thrombus, yes I am.
And I'd rather be a thrombus
Than a clot.
I'm a window, I'm a window,
I'm a window, yes I am.
And I'd rather be a ""indovv
Than a pane.
22
BEER
I won't sing of sherbert and water
And cocoa with beer will not rhyme,
"\~e wo~king men can:t afford champagne,
Its a bit more than sixpence a time,
But I'll sing you a song of a gargle
A gargle that I love to hear,
I allude to that grand institution
That beautiful tonic called beer.
Beer, beer, glorious beer!
Fill yourselves right up to here!
Drink a good deal of it,
Make a big meal of it,
Stick to your old fashioned beer!
Don't be afraid of it,
Drink till you're made of it,
Let's put another down here!
Up with the sale of it,
Down with a pail of it,
Glorious, glorious beer!
VIVE L'AMOUR
Let ev'ry good fellow now fill up his glass,
Vive la campagnie!
And drink to the health of our glorious
class.
Vive la campagnie!
Vive la, vive la, vive !'amour!
Vive la, vive la, vive !'amour!
Vive la reine! Vive la roil
Vive la campagnie!
Let every married man drink to his wife
T he joy of his bosom and plague of his life.
Come fill up your glasses; I'll give you a
toast,
Here's a health to our friend, our kind,
worthy host.
Since all with good humour you've toasted
so free.
I hope it will please you to drink novv
with me.
OH HOW I HATE GET UP IN THE
MORNING
Oh, how I h ate to get up in the morning
Oh, how I'd love to remain in bed
·
For the hardest blow of all
Is to hear the bugler callYou 've go t to get up, you've got to get up
You've got to get up in the morning.
Some clay I'm going to murder the bugler
Some clay they're going to find him dead
I'll amp utate his reveille
And step upon it heavily
And spend the rest of my life in bed.
Oh, how I hate to - - Oh, boy the minute the battle is over
Oh , boy the minute the foe is dead
I'll put my uniform away and move to
Philadelphia
And spend the r est of m y life in bed.
THAT'S WHERE MY MONEY GOES
T hat's where my money goes, to buy my b aby
clothes
I buys her everything to keep her in style
She's worth her weight in gold, my coal black
baby
Say boys, that's where my money goes.
'ii\Then we go walkin', she does the talkin'
And when my arm's around her, how time
does fly
She does the teasin', I do the squeezin'
Say boys, that's where my money goes.
She's got a pair of eyes just like two custard pies
And when she looks at me I sure get a thrill
She's got a pair of lips just like potato chips.
She's got a pair of legs just like two whisky keas
And when they knock together, oh, what a sou;d
She:s got a pair of hips j~st li~e two battleships
Shes got a bulb<;ms nose, JUSt hke a big red rose,
And when ~he hghts go out, it really does shine
She wears s1lk underwear, I wear my latest pair.
OH HOW HE LIED
He sat down beside her and smoked his
cigar
Smoked his cigar, smoked his cigar
He sat clown beside her and smoked his
cigar
Smoked his cigar-r-r.
25
She sat their beside him and played her
guitar
He told her he loved her, but oh how he
lied
She told him she loved him, but she did
not lie.
They were to be married, but she ups
and dies.
He went to the funeral, but just for the
ride.
She went up to heaven, and flip-flop she
flied
He went down below her, a nd sizzled and
fried,
.
The moral of this tale is never to he
Or you, too, may perish, and sizzle and fry.
COLLEGE TIME
It's college time and the whizzin' i.s e~sy
Students are working and Myrtles hghts
shine
"\1\Tetheral's rich and the students are beggin'
So hush little whizzer don't you cry.
One of these mornings you're gonna wake
up teaching
.
And you'll spread you 're wmgs
And you'll take to the sky.
.
Until that morning there 1s notlung can
harm you
"\1\Tith Morrie and Fannie stanclin' by.
26
ALOUETTE
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette, ye te plumerai
J e te plumerai la tete,
Je te plumerai la tete,
A le tete, a la tete, Oh!
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Je te plumerai le bee,
Je te plumerai le bee,
A la tete, a la tete Oh!
(le nex, les yeoux, les ailes, le dos, les jambes,
les piecls.)
ANCHORS A WE;IGH
Anchors aweigh my boys
Anchors aweigh,
Farewell to College joys
We sail at break of day, day, day, day
'Tis our last leave on shore
Toast to the foam
And 'til we meet again
Here's wishing you a happy voyage home .
HAPPY WANDERER
I love to go a wandering
Along the mountain track
And as I go, I long to sing
My knap-sack on my back.
27
Val-de-ri,
Val-de-ra,
Val-de-ri
Val-de-ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
Val-de-ri,
Val-de-ra,
My knap-sack on my back.
I love to wander by the stream
T hat dances in the sun
So joyously it calls to me
"Come! Join my happy song!"
("Come! Join my happy song!")
I wave my hat to all I meet
And they wave back to me,
And blackbirds call so loud and sweet
From ev-ry ·greenwood tree.
(From ev-ry greenwood tree.)
High overhead, the sky-larks wing,
They never rest at home
.
But just like me, they love to smgAs o'er the world we roam.
(As o'er the world we roam.)
28
THE WARDENS AND THE STUDENTS
SHOULD BE FRIENDS
ChoTus:
College folk should stick together
College folk should all be pals
Students whizz all the pretty wardens
v\Tardens whizz all the students' gals.
(sung after each verse)
Oh, the ·w ardens and the students should
be friends
The wardens and the students sho11ld be
be friends
Students sit around on benches
vVardens break up all the clinches
That's no reason why they can't be friends.
I'd like to say a word for the students
They often undergo unfair chastisement
They all sneak in the back way
Just at the break of day
It's no wonder that we penalise them.
I'd like to say a word for the wardens
Although in looks they're rather plain and
homely
.
They all have hearts of gold
And the virtues they uphold
It's no wonder that their nights are lonely.
29
I'd like to say a word for the students
Their hours are full of work and tests and
quizzes
Every day that passes,
They're devoted to their classes
But at night they're breaking curfew with
their whizzes.
STANDING ON THE BACK PATH
Chants:
Standing on the backpath watching all the
girls go by. (repeat)
Brother you don't know a nicer occupation
l\i[atter of fact neither do I, than standing
on the back path watching all the girls,
watching all the girls, watching all
the girls go by.
J'm the cat that got the cream,
Haven't got a girl, but I can dream, haven't
got a girl, but I can wish, so I take me clown
the back w·ay,
And that's where I select my imaginary dish.
Chams: Repeat first line of chorus (1).
Standing on the back path giving all the girls
the eye.
Brother if you've got a rich imagination
Give it a whirl
Give it a try
Try standing on the back path, etc.
30
Saturday and I'm so broke
C~uldn't buy a girl a nickel coke
Sull I'm living like a millionaire.
When ~ t~ke me down the back path
And I I evlew the harem parading for me there.
Chorus: Repeat first line of chorus (l) .
Standing on the back path
Underneath the spring-time sky
Brother you can't go to jail for what you're
thinking
Or the (whistle) look in your eye.
You're only standing etc.
WHAT A SWELL SYSTEM THIS IS
My1 ·tle
Introduction.
Have you heard it's in the stars
From July we could go in bars.
CIIOHIS
\!\Tell did you ever
·w hat a swell system this is!
Have you heard it's good to be
Not run down by sobriety.
31
Chants
What bars, what joints
What loss of points
What gaiety
I'm sure you'll agree
That French Champagne!
So good for the brain
T hat band, it's the end.
Kindly don't fall clown my friend
Have you heard that Kambu Dorm
Took the Btma girls by storm.
Chants
Have you heard that we've lost weight
Guess it's cos we stay up too late.
Chorus
No more blues for us because
' 'Ve can break all the ancient laws
Chants
Hold your breath and count to ten
There we go 50 points again.
32
Chants
It's great, it's grand, it's wonderland
More grog, late nights
The students have rights.
'!\That sights you see
When hours are free
That Bar room rum
Kindly don't fall over chum.
Chorus
Have you heard
The Systems fine
We can stay in bed full time.
Chmus
Have you heard
That (Millie) Starr
Just got punched in the Astor Bar.
Chonts
OLD FOLK SONGS
GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK
My grandfather's clock was too large for
the shelf,
So it stood ninety years on the floor;
It was taller by half than the old man
himself
Tho' it weighed not a pennyweight more.
It was bought on the morn of the day that
he was born
And was always his treasure and pri_de;
But it stopped, short, never to go agam,
When the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering, tick,
tock, t, t,
His life seconds numbering t, t, t, t,
It stopped, short, never to go again
When the old man died.
My grandfather said that of those he
could hire
Not a servant so faithful be found
For it wasted no time and had but one
desire
At the close of each week to be wound.
And it kept in its place, not a frown upon
its face,
And its hands never hung by its side,
But it stopped, short,
34
SKYE BOAT SONG
Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing
"Onward," the sailors cry!
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye!
Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar
Thunder clouds rend the air
Baffled our foes stand on the shore,
Follow they will not dare.
Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep
Ocean's a royal bed;
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.
Many's the lad fought on that clay
\Vell the claymore could wield
When the night came, silently lay
Dead on Culloden's field.
Burned are our homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
35
THERE IS A TAVERN IN THE TOWN
There is a tavern in the town, in the town,
. And there my true love sits him down, sits
him down,
And drinks his wine 'mid laughter free
And never, never thinks of me.
Fare thee well, for I must leave thee,
Do not let the parting grieve thee.
And remember that the best of friends must
part, must part
Adieu, adieu, kind friends, adieu, adieu,
adieu.
I can no longer stay with you, stay with you,
I'll hang myLharp on a weeping willow tree,
And may the world go well with thee.
He left me for a damsel dark, damsel dark,
Each Friday night they used to spark, used
to spary,
And now my love, once true to me,
Takes that dark damsel on his knee.
Oh! dig my grave both wide and deep, wide
and deep,
Put tombstones at my head and feet, head
and feet,
And on my breast carve a turtle-dove,
To signify I died of love.
ROAD TO THE 'ISLES
A far croonin' is a pullin' me away
As take I wi' my cromak to the road
The far Coolins are puttin' love on me
As step I wi' the sunlight for my load.
Chorus
Sure by Tummel and Loch Rannach and
Lochaber I will go
By heather tracks wi' heaven in their vviles;
If it's t~in_kin' in your inner hearts braggart s 111 my step
You've never smelt the tangle o' the Isles
Oh, the far Coolins are puttin' love on me
As step I wi' my cromak to the Isles.
It's by Shiel water the track is to the west
By Allport and by Mortar to the seas
The cool cresses I am thinkin' o' for pluck
And bracken for a wink on Mother knee.
It's ~he blue Islands are pullin' me away
The1r laughter puts the leap upon the lame.
The blue Islands from the Skerries to the
Lews
vVi' heather honey taste upon each name.
36
37
THE BLUE TAIL FLY
·when I was young I used to wait
On master and give him his plate,
And pass the bottle when he got dry,
And brush away the blue tail fly.
.
Jimmy crack corn and I don't care (3 times)
My Master's gone away.
And when he'd ride in the afternoon
I'd follo·w after with a hickory broom;
The pony being rather shy .
·w hen bitten by the blue tail fly.
On day he ride around the f~rm
The flies so numerous they did swarm
Once chanced to bite the pony's thigh;
The devil take the blue tail fly
The pony run, he ju~p, he pitch,
He threw my master m the drtch
My master died, and they w~mdered why ;
The verdict was-the blue tail fly .
THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER
·w hen I was bound apprentice in famous Lincolnshire,
Full well I serv'd my master for more than
seven years
Till I took. up to poaching as you shall quickly
hear:
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shining night in the
season of the year.
As me and my companions were setting of a
snare,
'Twas then we spied the gamekeeper, for him
we did not care
For we can wrestle and fight, my boys and
jump o'er anywhere
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shining night in the
season of the year.
T hey lay him under a 'simmon tree;
His epitath is there to see;
.
"Beneath this stone I'm forced to he,
Victim of the blue tail fly."
As me and my companions were setting of a
snare
And, taking on 'em up again, we caught a hare
alive
We took the hare alive, my boys and through
the woods did steer;
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shining night in the
season of the year.
38
39
I threw him on my shoulder, and then we
trudged home,
.
,
d
vVe took him to a neighbours house and sol
him for a crown.
.
Vve sold him for a crown, my boys, but I did
not tell you where;
.
.
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shining mght In the
season of the year.
Success to ev'ry gentleman that lives in Lincolnshire,
1
Success to ev'ry poacher that wants to ~ell a lare,
Bad luck to ev'ry gamekeeper that will not sell
his deer
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shining night in the
season of the year.
IN DERRY VALE
In Derry Vale, beside the singing river
So oft I strayed, ah many years ago_ .
And culled at morn the golden daffodilhes
That came with Spring to set the world
aglow
.
Oh Derry Vale, my thoughts are ever
turning
.
._
To your broad stream and £any-ended le_a
For your green isles my exiled heart IS
yearning
So far away across the sea.
40
In Derry Vale, amid the Foyle's dark waters
The salmon leap above the surging weir
The seabirds call, I still can hear them
calling
In night's long dreams of those so dear.
Oh, tarrying years, fly faster ever faster
I long to see the vale beloved so well
I long to know that I am not forgotten
And there at home-in peace t-o dwell.
DANNY BOY
Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen and down the mountain side
The summer's gone and all the roses falling
It's you, it's you must go, and I must bide
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with
snow
It's here I'll be in sunshine or in shadow
Oh, Danny Boy, oh, Danny Boy, I love you so!
But when ye come and all the fiow'rs are dying
If I am dead, as dead I well may be
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft and tread above me
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.
41
OLD FATHER THAMES
T here's some folks who always worry and some
folks who never care,
But in this world of rush and hurry, it matters
neither here nor there.
Be steady and realistic, don't hanker for gold
or gems,
Be carefree and optimistic, like Old Father
Thames.
Chorus:
High in the hills, down in the dales, happy and
fancy free,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down
to the mighty sea.
.
'!\That does he know, what does he care? Notlung
for you or me.
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, clown
to the mighty sea.
He never seems to worry, doesn't care for Fortune's fame,
.
He never seems to hurry, but he gets there JUSt
the same.
Kingdoms may come, Kingdoms may go, whatever the end may be,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down
to the mighty sea.
42
The best way, a Heaven bless'd way, just try to
be always kind,
It doesn't matter what the rest say, yo u're
bound to leave them far behind.
It's your job to do your duty; be faithful to all
your friends.
For England and Home and Beauty; and Old
Father Thames.
GREEN SLEEVES
Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you so long
Delighting in your company.
Greensleeves was all my joy,
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady Greensleeves?
If you intend thus to disdain
It does the more enrapture me
And even so, I shall remain
A lover in captivity.
Alas, my love, that you should own
A heart of wanton vanity
So must I meditate alone
Upon your insincerity.
Ah, Greensleeves now farewell adieu
To God I pray to prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me.
JOHN PEEL
EARLY ONE MORNING
D'ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?
D'ye ken John Peel at the b;eak of day?
D'ye ken John Peel when he s. far, far away,
vVith his hounds and his horn in the
morning?
'Twas the sound of his horn called me from
~~~
.
.
And the cry of his hounds has me oft-times led,
For Peel's view-hollo would waken the ~ead
Yes or a fox from his lair in the mornmg.
Yes, I ken John Peel and Ruby, too!
Ranter and Ringwood, Bellman and True,.
From a find to a check, from a check to ~ view
From a view to a death in the mornmg.
Then there's to John Peel from my heart and
soul,
.
h b
Let's drink to his health, let's fimsh t e ow1
'1\Te'll follow John Peel thro' fair and thr?' foul
If we want a good hunt in the mornmg.
D'ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?
He liv'd at Troutbeck once on a day;
Now he has gone far, far, far awar
.
We shall ne'er hear his voice m
morning.
44
the
Early one morning, just as the sun was nsmg,
I heard a maid sing in the valley below.
Oh, don't deceive me,
Oh, never leave me,
How could you use a poor maiden so?
Oh, gay is the garland and fresh are the roses
I've culled from the garden to bind on thy brow.
Remember the vows that you made to your
Mary,
Remember the bower where you vowed to be
be true.
T hus sang the poor maiden her sorrows bewailing
Thus sang the poor maid in the valley below.
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE
DRUNKEN SAILOR
v\That
What
What
Early
shall we do with the drunken sailor
shall we do with the drunken sailor
shall we do with the drunken sailor
in the morning?
Hoo-rah
Hoo-rah
Hoo-rah
Early in
Chorus:
and up she rises
and up she rises
and up she rises
the morning.
45
Hoist him up in a running bowline (3) .
Early in the morning.
Cl10nts: Hoo-rah and up she rises, etc.
Put him in a long boat and make him
bale her (3 times) .
Early in the morning.
Clwrus: Hoo-rah and up she rises, etc.
Put him in a long boat till he gets
sober (3 times) .
Early in the morning.
Chor us: Hoo-rah and up she rises, etc.
And good-bye, fare you well, all you ladies
of town.
'1\Te've left you enough for to buy a silk
gown.
So it's pack up your donkey and get under
way.
The girls we are leaving can take our
half-pay.
Now, you Bowery ladies, we'd have you to
know
' 'Ve're bound to the Southward; 0 Lord
let us go.
SANTA LUCIA
RIO GRANDE
I'll sing you a song of the fish of the sea.
Oh, Rio
And we're bound for the Rio Grande.
Then away, love away,
''1\Tay clown Rio,
So fare ye well, my pretty young gal,
For we're bound for the Rio Grande.
Oh, say, were you ever in Rio Grande.
It's there that the river flows down golden
sand.
46
Now, 'nea th the silver moon
Ocean is glowing
O'er the calm billow
Soft winds are blowing
Here balmy zephyrs blow
Pure joys invite us,
And as we gently row
All things delight us.
Har, how the sailor's cry
.Toyously echoes nigh
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Home of the fair Poesy,
Realm of pure harmony
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
47
'!\Then o'er the waters
Light winds are playing
Thy spell can soothe us
All care allaying
To thee, sweet Napoli,
What charms are given
'!\There smiles creation
Toil blest by heaven.
Har, how the sailor's cry
Joyously echoes nigh
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Home of fair Poesy,
Realm of pure harmony
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
0 Madam, in your face is beauty
On your lips red roses grow;
'!\Till you take me for your husband?
Madam, answer yes or no.
''
0 Madam, since you are so cruel
And that you do scorn me so
If I may not be your husband,
Madam, will you let me go?
0 hark! I hear the church bells ringing,
·will you come and be my wife?
Or, dear Madam, have you settled
To live single all your life?
r
0 NO JOHN
~rL
On yonder hill there stands a creature,
'1\Tho she is I do not know;
I'll go ask her hand in marriage,
She must answer yes or no.
0, no John, no John , no John, no!
My father was a Spanish captain,
Went to sea a month ago;
First he kissed me, then he left me,
Bid me always answer no.
48
l
'
I
(
1
SCRDND
49
COMMUNITY SONGS
THE FLORAL DANCE
As I walked home on a summer's night
When stars in heaven were shining bright
Far away from the footlight's glare
Into the sweet and scented air
Of a quaint old Cornish town.
Borne from afar on the gentle breeze
Joining the murmur o~ summer seas
Distant tones of an old-world dance
Played by the village band perchance
On the calm air came floating down.
I thought I could hear the curious tone
Of the clarinet, cornet and big trombone
Fiddle, cello, big bass drum,
Bassoon, flute and euphonium
Far away as in a trance
I heard the sound of the Floral Dance
And soon I heard such a bustling and
prancing
And then I saw the whole village was
dancing
In and out of the houses they came
Old folk, young folk, all the same,
In that qu aint old Cornish town.
Every boy took a girl round the waist
And hurried her off in tremendous haste,
'"' hether they knew one another I care not
'1\Thether they cared at all I know not
But they kissed as they danced-along.
51
And there was the band with the cunous
tone
Of the cornet, clarinet and big trombone
Fiddle, cello, big bass drum,
Bassoon, flute and euphonium
Each one making the most of his dance
All together in the Floral Dance
I felt so lonely standing there
And I could, only stand and stare
For I had no boy with me
Lonely I would have to be.
In that quaint old Cornish town,
·w hen suddenly hast'ning down the lane
A figure I saw I know quite plain
With outstretched hands he came along
And carried me into that merry thong
And fiddle and all went dancing-down
vVe danced to the band with the curious
tone
Of the cornet, clarinet and big trombone
Fiddle, cello, big bass drum
Bassoon, flute and euphonium
Each one making the most of his chance.
Altogether in the Floral Dance
Dancing here, prancing there,
Jigging, jogging everywhere
Up and down and round the town
Hurrah for the Cornish Floral Dance.
52
RED RIVER VALLEY
I
(
From this valley they say they are going
v\Te will miss your bright eyes and sweet
smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
11\Thich has brightened our pathway a while.
Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the girl that has loved you so true.
11\Ton't you think of the valley you're leaving
Oh, how lonely, how sad it will be,
Oh, think of the fond heart your breaking
And the grief you are causing to me.
From this valley they say you are going;
When you go, may your darling go, too?
Would you leave her behind unprotected,
w·hen she loves no other but you?
As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours,
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged 'mid the
flowers.
53
II
...
I
I
THE KERRY DANCE
DAISY
0 the
0 the
0 for
Gone,
Daisy, Daisy, the Coppers are after you
If they catch you, they'll give you a year
or two,
They'll string you with wire
Behind the Black Maria,
So ring your bell
And peddle like
For the Coppers are after you .
NUT BROWN MAIDEN
Ho-ro , my nut brown maiden,
Hi-ri, my nut brown maid,
Ho-ro, ro maiden,
For she's the maid for me.
Her eyes so mildly beaming,
Her look so frank and free
There's ne'er a lowland maiden
Can lure mine eyes from thee.
In Glasgow and Dunedin
Are maidens fair to see
But ne'er a lowland maiden
Could lure mine eyes from thee.
And when with blossoms laden
Bright summer comes again
I'll fetch my nut brown maiden
Down from the bonnie glen.
54
f
days of the Kerry dancing,
ring of the piper's tune!
one of those hours of gladness,
alas! like our youth, too soon.
·w hen the boys began to gather,
In the glen of a summer night
And the Kerry piper's tuning
Made us long with wild delight
0 to think of it, 0 to dream of it
Fills my heart with tears!
0 the days of the Kerry dancing,
0 the ring of the piper's tune!
0 for one of those hours of gladness
Gone, alas! like our youth, too soon.
P'EDRO THE FISHERMAN
Pedro the fisherman was always whistling, such
a merry call
Girls who were passing by would hear him
whistling, by the harbour wall.
But his sweetheart Nina who, loved him true,
always knew, that his song belonged to her
alone.
And in the evening when the lights were gleam·
ing, and they had to part,
As he sailed his boat away, echoing across the
bay, came the tune that lingered in her
heart.
55
II
The days of dreaming quickly pass and life goes
rushing on and one day from the harbour
wall she found his boat had gone,
He'd sailed away to find the gold the sea could
never bring
To buy a dress, a cuckoo clock, a saucepan
and a ring.
She kept her eyes on the blue horizon, but he
didn't return
She stopped her sighing and left off her crying,
but he didn't returnOne day her father said to her "0 dearest
daughter mine, you never make a lot from
fish,~ vou make much more from wine,
Though Miguel is rather fat, his vineyards are
doing O.K. so marry him and let your
dreams of Pedro go away."
The organ peels, the choir boys sing, the priest
is ready w·ith the Book and ring,
So small and white, here comes the bride, and
stands by swarthy Miguel's side-"Will you
have this man to be your lawful spouse
eternally" and suddenly the church is still,
they wait to hear her say "I will" when
through the open doorway there, a far-off
sound disturbs the air (whistle) .
56
Suddenly she found her man, from the church,
out she ran.
There he was upon the harbour wall
Down rushed the wedding guests upon the
quayside, but the bride had gone
As with love she sailed away, echoeing across
the bay, came the happy ending- to her song.
EMMENTAL
There is no place in the wide world
Half so fair as Emmental
And the maidens of the valley
Are as fair as Emmental
Chants:
Hol-di-ri-di-a ri-ho
Hol-di-ri-di-a ri-ho
Hol-di-ri-di-a ri-ho
Hol-di-ri-di-a ho.
There are no 1nen firmer, stronger
Than the men of Emmental
And the maidens of the valley
Love the men of Emmental. ·
Chorus:
There is ever friendly greeting
In the vale of Emmental
And the maidens of the valley
Are as kind as Emmental.
Chorus:
57
,
The reason why I chuckles so
Is very plain to see,
'Cause when I dig the bodies up
The worms crawl over me.
I'm Happy Jack the Cannibal
I boils the bodies up
The bones crush easily.
I'm Happy .Jack the Sailor
The passengers get sick
They're sick al over me.
I'm Happy Jack the Hangman
Hangs the bodies up
Their eyes pop out at me.
HAPPY JACK
THE SAINTS
I'm Happy Jack the Ripper
I'm happy as can be
And ·when I goes a-rippin'
I chuckles gleefully.
·w·e are travelling in the footsteps
Of those who went before
And we'll all be re-united
On that far and distant shore.
The reason why I chuckles so
Is very plain to see
'Cause when I rips the bodies up
The blood spurts over me.
0 when the saints go marching in
0 when the saints go marching in
0 Lord, I want to be in that number
'!\Then the saints go marching in.
I'm Happy Jack the Spludger
I'm happy as can be
And when I goes a spludgin'
I chuckles gleefully.
0 when the sun begins to shine 0 when the trumpet sounds its call 59
58
:i
J:
I
I
Some day this world o£ trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that moment
"'\!\Then the new world is revealed
0 when the new world is revealed
0 when the saints go marching in -
LITTLE BROWN JUG
My vvife and I lived all alone,
In a little hut we called our own
She loved gin and I loved rum.
I tell you what,
"'\Ne'd lots of fun .
Ha, ha, ha, you and me,
Little brown jug don't I love thee;
Ha, ha, ha, you and me
Little brown jug don't I love thee .
'Tis you who make my friends my foes
'Tis you who make me wear old clothes;
Here you are, so near my nose
So tip her up and down she goes.
The rose is red, my nose is too,
The violet's blue and so are you
And yet I guess before I stop
"'\1\Te'd better take another drop.
60
JOHN BROWN'S BODY
One grasshopper jumped right over the
other grasshopper's back (3 times)
And his soul goes marching on,
They were only playing leap frog (3 times)
As one grasshopper jumped right over the
other grasshopper's back.
One mosquito bit the other mosquito on
the back (3 times)
And his soul goes marching on.
T hey were only playing cannibal (3 times)
As one mosquito bit the other mosquito on
the back.
THERE'S A HOLE IN MY BUCKET
There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear
Liza,
There's a hole in my bucket, dear liza, a hole.
Then mend it, dear Georgie, dear Georgie, dear
Georgie
Then mend it, dear Georgie, dear Georgie,
mend it.
With what shall I mind it, dear Liza, dear Liza?
With what shall I mend it, dear Liza, with what?
·with a straw, dear Georgie, dear Georgie, dear
Georgie.
"With a straw, dear Georgie, dear Georgie, with
a straw.
61
r
The straw is too long, clear Liza, clear Liza.
Then cut it, clear Georgie, dear Georgie, dear
Georgie.
' 'Vith what shall I cut it dear Liza, dear Liza?
'1\Tith a knife, dear Georgie, dear George, dear
Georgie.
The knife is too blunt, dear Liza, dear Liza.
Then sharpen it, dear George, clear Georgie,
dear Georgie.
With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, clear
Liza?
'1\Tith a stone, clear Georgie, dear Georgie, clear
Georgie.
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza.
Then wet it, dear George, dear Georgie, dear
Georgie.
With what shall I wet it, clear Liza, dear Liza?
"'Tith water, dear Georgie, clear Georgie, dear
Georgie.
I
I
A-ROV·IMG
In Amsterdam there lives a maid
Mark well what I do say,
In Amsterdam there lives a maid,
And she is mistress of her trade.
I'll go no more a-roving from you sweet
maid,
A-roving, a-roving,
Since rovin's been my ru-eye-in,
I'll go no more a-roving from you sweet
maid.
Her eyes are like two stars so bright
Mark well what I do say,
Her eyes are like two stars so bright
Her face is fair, her step is light.
Her cheeks are like the rosebud red,
Mark well what I do say,
Her cheeks are like the rosebud red,
There's wealth of hair upon her head.
In what shall I wet it, clear Liza, dear Liza? .
In a bucket, clear Georgie, dear Georgie, dear
Georgie.
With love for her my heart did burn,
Mark well what I do say,
With love for her my heart did burn
And I thought she loved me in return.
There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear
Liza.
Then mend it, clear Georgie, dear Georgie, dear
Georgie.
62
But when my money was gone and spent,
Mark well what I do say,
But when my money was gone and spent,
Then off on her ear away she went.
63
By this I have a lesson learnt
Mark well what I do say
By this I have a lesson learnt
And I'll keep the money that I have ean1t.
LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE
Oh, a life on the ocean wave,
Oh, a home on the rolling deep,
'!\There the scattered waters rage
And the winds their revels keep
Like an eagle caged I pine
On this dull unchanging shore
Oh give me the flashing brine
The ·winds and their revels roar, 0-h
A life on the ocean wave,
Oh, a home on the rolling deep
'!\There the scattered waters leap
And the winds their revels keejJ.
r
I
I COME FROM ALABAMA
I come hom Alabama with my banjo on my knee
I'se gwan to Lou'sianna, my true lub for to see
It rained all night de day I left, de wedder it
was dry;
The sun so hot, I froze to death, Susanna, don't
you cry.
Oh, Susanna, do not cry for me,
I come from Alabama with my banjo on my
knee.
I had a dream de udder night, when ebryting
was still
I though I saw Susanna clear, a coming clown
de hill
The buckwheat cake was in her mouf, de tear
"~<vas in her eye
Says I, I'se coming from de souf, Susanna don't
you cry.
I soon will be in New Orleans and den I'll
look all 'round
And when I find Susanna, I'll fall upon de
ground
But if I do not find her, then I'll surely die,
But when I'm dead and buried, Susanna, don ' t
you . cry.
65
IIII
COMIN' ROUND THE MOUNTAIN
MANDALAY
She' ll be comin' round the mountain, when
she comes
She'll be comin' round the mountain, when
she comes.
She'll be comin' round the mountain, blowin'
steam off like a fountain,
She'll be comin' round the mountain, when
she comes.
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' lazy at
the sea
There's a Burma girl a-sittin' and I know she
thinks of me
For the wind is in the palm trees and the
temple bells they say:
She' ll be ridin' six white horses, when she
comes (etc.).
She' ll be wearin'
comes (etc.).
pink pypmas,
vvhen
she
0, we'll all go out to meet her when she
comes (repeat) .
Oh, we'll all go out to meet her, and we'll all
be glad to see h er,
Oh, well' all go out to meet her, when she comes.
Oh, ·we'll kill the old reel rooster, 'cause he
don't crow like he uster.
Oh, we'll all h ave chicken and dumplins', 'cause
we all have chicken to clump in.
66
"Come you back, you British soldier; corne yo u
back to Mandalay!"
Come you back to M:mdalay
Where the old Flotilla lay
Can't you hear their paddles chunk.in' front
Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay,
'ii\There the fiyin' fishes play
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer
China 'cross the Bay!
Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the
best is like the worst.
'iNhere there ain't no Ten Commandments, an'
a man can raise a thirst:
For the temple bells are callin ,' a n' its there that
I would beBy the old Moulmein Pago, lookin' lazy at
the sea.
Lookin' lazy at the sea.
67
OPEN ROAD
Roaming free as the breeze
\!\That's to stop me or why
I can live as I please
Open road, open sky.
(twice through)
AIN'T SHE SWEET
Ain't she sweet? See her coming clown
the street
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she sweet?
J\in't she nice? Look her over once or tvvice
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain"t she nice? Just cast an eye In her direction, Oh me, oh my
Ain't that perfection,
I re-peat,
Don't you think that's kind of neat,
And I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she sweet?
BILL BAILEY
"'ii\Ton't you come home, Bill Bailey, won't you
come home?"
She moans the whole day long,
'Til do de cooking, darling, I'll pay de rent;
I knows I've done you wrong
'Member dat rainy eve dat I drove you out
Wid nothing but a fine-tooth comb!
I know I's to blame
'ii\Tell, ain't that a shame?
Biii Bailey, won't you please come home?"
TIRITOMBA
It is festa time the villagers are dancing
To a melody entrancing
See them all so lightly swaying bright eyes
glancing
Lit with mirth and gaiety
Tiritomba, tiritomba
Life is full and fair when hearts are young
and gay
Tiritomba, Tiritomba, sing and dance your
cares away.
On the grand canal the coloured lights are
gleaming
Ove11Iead the moon is beaming
Many hearts with joy of love are dreaming
As they pass the happy hours
Tiritomba, Tiritomba, life is full and fair when
hearts are young and gay
Tiritomba, Tiritomba, sing and dance your
cares away.
Then at midnight when the carnival is ending
And the twinkling stars are fading
Every man and maid is homeward wending
Happy hearts filled with delight
Tiritomba, Tiritomba, life is full and fair when
hearts are young and gay
Tiritomba, Tiritomba, sing and dance your
cares away.
69
t
CLEMENTINE
In a cavern, in a canyon
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner, forty-niner
And his daughter Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling
Oh my darling Clementine
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
In my dreams she still doth haunt me
Robed in garlands soaked in brine;
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead I draw the line.
How I missed her, how I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine
But I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Clementine.
SHENANDOAH
Light she was and like a fairy
And her shoes were number nine
Herring boxes without topses
Sandals were for Clementine.
0 Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Away, you rolling river,
0 Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Away, I'm bound to go,
'Cross the wide Missouri.
Drove she ducklings to
Every morning just at
Hit her foot against a
Fell into the foaming
0 Shenandoah, I love your daughter
For her I've crossed the rolling water.
the water
nine
splinter
brine.
Saw her lips above the water
Blowing bubbles mighty fine
But alas! I was no swimmer
So I lost my Clementine.
Then the miner,, forty-niner
Soon began to peak and pine;
Thought her oughter join his daughter
Now he 's with his Clementine.
70
' Tis seven long years since last I saw thee,
' Tis seven long years since last I saw thee .
Seven long years I courted Sally
Seven more I longed to have her.
0 Shenandoah, I took a notion ,
To sail acress the stormy ocean.
Farewell, my dear, I'm bound to leave you
0 Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you.
0 Shenandoah, .1 long to hear you .
0 Shenandoah, I long to hear you.
71
WESTERING HOME
vVestering home and a song in the air
Light in the eye and its good-bye to care
Laughter of love and a welcoming there
Isle of my heart, my own one.
Tell o' lands o' the Orient gay
Speak o' the riches and joys o~ ~~thay
Aye, but its grand to be wakm 1lk clay
To find yourself nearer to Isla
And it's westering home etc.
vVhere are the folk like the folk of the west
Canty and couthy and kindly, the best
There would I hie me and there would I
rest
At home with my ain folk at Isla.
And it's V\Testering home etc.
DOWN ON THE FARM
How 'ya gonna keep 'em clown on the farm,
After they've seen Paree,
How 'ya gonna keep 'em away from Broadway,
Jazzin around, and pain tin' the town
How 'ya gonna keep 'em away from harm,
That's a mysteryThey'll never want to see a rake or a plough
And who the deuce can parly-vous with
a cow
How 'ya gonna keep 'em clown on the farm
After they've seen Paree.
DONKEY'S SERENADE
There's a song in the air, but the sweet
Senorita doesn't seem to care for the song in
the air
So I'll sing to the mule if you're sure
She won't think that I am just a fool
Serenading a mule.
Amigo mia does she not have a dainty bray
She'd love to sing it too if only she knew the way
But try as she may in her voice there's a flaw
And all that my darling can say, is
Hee-hawSenorita, Donkeysita not so fleet as a mosquito
but so sweet as my Chicquita,
You 're the one for me.
GENDARMES' DUET
\ tVe 're public guardians bold and wary
And of our lives we take good care,
To risk our precious lives we're chary
\!\Then danger looms we're never there .
But when we meet a helpless woman
Or little boys who do no harm,
V\Te run them, we run them in ,
run them, we run them in,
show them we're the bold gendarmes.
run them in, we run them in,
show them we're the bold gendarmes.
V\Te
\ t\Te
\ t\Te
\1\Te
73
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of, once m a
lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And dreams that you care to dream
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star and
"\!\Take up where the clouds are far
Behind me
"\!\There troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me,
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
Birds fly over the rain bow
"\!\Thy, oh why can't I?
DON'T FENCE ME IN
Give me land, lots of land
Under starry skies above, don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide
Open country that I love, don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood
trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me 111 .
74
Just turn me loose let me straddle mv old
saddle under the western skies ·
On my cayuse let me wander over yonder
till I see the mountain rise,
I want to ride to the ridge where the
west commences,
Gaze at the moon till I lose my senses,
Can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.
WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD
Oh, I was born in Mobile town, a workin' on
the levee;
All clay I roll de cotton clown, a workin' on the
levee.
I used to have a clog named Bill, a workin' on
the levee;
He ran away, but I'm still here, a workin'
on the levee.
I've been workin ' on the railroad, all the livelong clay;
I've been workin' on the railroad, just to pass
the time away,
Don'tcha hear the whistle blowin' rise up so
early in the morn,
Don'tcha hear the captain shoutin ', "Dinah,
blow your horn."
75
Dinah won'tcha blow, Dinah won'tcha blow
Dinah won'tcha blow your ho-o-orn?
'
Dinah won'tcha blow, Dinah won'tcha blow
Dinah won'tcha blow your horn?
'
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah, someone's
in the kitchen I kno-o-ow,
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah, strummin '
on his old banjo.
Fee-fie, ficldl-e-i-o, fee, fie- fiddl-e-i-o-o-o-o
Fee-fie, ficlcll-e-i-o, strummin' on the old banjo.
I love Dinah Lee, I love Dinah Lee-ee-ee-ee
I love Dinah Lee, but Dinah, she don't love me.
Someone's making love to Dinah, someone 's
makin' love I kno-o-ow.
Someone's makin' love to Dinah, 'cause I can't
hear the old banjo.
LA MARSEILLAISE
Allons, enfants de la patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrive!
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'etandarcl sanglant est level
L'etandarcl sanglant est level
Entendez-vous clans les campagnes
Mugir ces feroces soldats?
Ils viennent, jusgue clans nos bras
Egorger nos fils, et nos compagnes'
76
Aux
armes, citoyens! Formez vos
bataillons
Marchons, marchons!
Qu 'un sang impur abreuve nos siJ Ions!
.-\.mour sacre de la patrie,
Conduis soutiens nos bras vengeurs;
Liberte, liberte, cherie
Combats avec tes clefenseurs!
Combats avec tes defenseurs!
Sous nos clrapeaux que la victoire
Accoure a tes males accents:
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire!
AULD LANG SYNE
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min'?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And days o' auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my clear,
For ald lang syne;
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And here's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' mine,
And we'll tak' a richt guid willie waught
For auld lang syne!
77
-
T
And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup,
And surely I'll be mine
And we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne!
RECESSIONAL
God of our fathers known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pineLord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget! Lest we forget!
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice
An humble and a contrite heart,
Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget! Lest we forget!
For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And, guarding, call not Thee to guard
For frantic boast and foolish wordThy mercy on Thy People, Lord!
78
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
Australia's sons, let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
·w e've golden soil and wealth for toil
Our homes are girt by sea.
Our lands abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history;s page, let every stage
Advance Australia's fair!
\ 1Vhen gallant Cook from Albion sail'd
To trace the wide oceans o'er
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore;
Then there be raised old England's Flag
The standard of the brave.
11\Tith all her faults we love her still
Britannia rules the waves;
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.
·while other nations of the globe
Behold us from afar,
We'll rise to high renown and shine
Like our glorious southern star;
From England, Scotia, Erin's Isle
Who came our lot to share
Let all combine with heart and hand to
Advance Australia Fair,
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair!
79
In the middle ol the Hoor, in his cane-bottomed
chair,
Sits the boss of the floor with his eyes everywhere
Notes well each fleece as it comes before the
screen,
Paying strict attention that it's taken off clean.
AUSTRALIAN SONGS
CLICK GO THE SHEARS
Out on the board the shearer stands,
Grasping his shears in his thin bony hands
Fixed in his gaze on the blue-bellied .Joe;
Glory, if he gets her, won't he make the ringer
go!
Click go the shears, boys, click, click click!
Wide is his blow and his hands move quick
The ringer looks around and is beaten
by a blow
And curses the old snagger with the bluebellied .Joe!
80
The tar-boy is waiting on demand
·w ith his blackened tar-pot in his tarry hand,
Sees one old sheep with a cut upon its back
Here is what he's waiting for; it's "Tar, there
.Tack!"
Shearing is all over, we've all got our cheques
Roll up your swags, boys, we're off on the
tracks.
The first pub we come to, it's there we'll h ave
a spree,
r\nd everyone that comes along, it's "Come and
drink with me! "
Down by the bar, the old shearer stands,
Grasping his glass in his thin, bony hands.
Fixed is his gaze on a green-painted keg;
Glory, he'll get down on it, ere he stirs a peg!
There we leave him standing, shouting for all
hands;
\ t\'hilst all around him every shooter stands;
His eyes are on the keg, which by now is lowering fast.
He works hcu·d , he drinks hard, and goes to
hell at last!
81
THE WILD COLONIAL BOY
'Tis of a wild colonial boy, Jack Doolan was
his name
Of poor but honest parents he was born in
Castlemaine;
He was his father 's only hope, his mother's
only boy,
He bade the judge good morning and told him
to beware,
That he'd never rob a hearty chap that acted
on the square;
.-\.ncl never to rob a mother of her only son
and joy,
Or else he might turn outlaw like the wild
colonial boy.
And dearly did his parents love the wild
colonial boy.
He as scarcely sixteen years of age when he
left his father's home .
.-\nd through Australia's sunny clime a bushranger did roam.
He robbed those wealthy squatters, their stocks
he did destroy,
r\ncl a terror to Australia was the wild colonial
boy .
In '61 this daring youth commenced his wild
career,
\1\lith a heart that knew no danger, no foeman
did he fear.
He stuck up the Beechworth mail coach, and
robbed Judge McEvoy,
i 1Vho trembled and gave up his gold to the
wild colonial boy.
82
One clay as he was riding the mounta inside
along,
A-listening to the little birds, · their plea sa nt
laughing song,
Three mounted troopers rode along, Kelly,
Davis and Fitzroy;
T hey thought that they would capture him,
the wild colonial boy.
83
Surrender now, Jack Doolan, yon see there's
three to one;
Surrender now, Jack Doolan, you daring highwayman!
He drew his pistol from his belt and shook the
little toy:
I'll fight, but not surrender, said the wild
colonial boy.
He fired at Trooper Kelly and brought him
to the ground,
And in return from Davis received a mortal
wound.
All shatte.red through the jaw he lay, still firing
at Fitzroy,
And that's the way they captured him, the
wild colonial boy.
THE ROAD TO GUNDAGAI
Oh, we started down from Roto
"\!\Then the sheds had all cut out,
"\1\Te'd whips and whips of rhino
That we meant to push about;
So we humped our blueys serenely
"\'Vith a three-spot cheque between us
That wanted knocking down.
But we camped at Lazy Harry's
On the road to Gundagai,
The road to Gundagai!
84
Five miles from Gundagai!
But we camped at Lazy Harry's
On the road to Gundagai.
Oh, we chucked our bloomin' swags off
And we walked into the bar,
And we called for rum and raspberry
And a shillin' each cigar
But the girl who served the poison,
She winked at Bill and I
And we camped at Lazy Harry's
Not five miles from Gundagai.
Oh, I've seen a lot of girls, mates,
And drunk a lot of beer,
And I've met with some of both, mates
That has left me mighty queer
But for beer to knock you side·ways
And girls to make you sigh
You must camp at Lazy Harry's
On the road to Gundagai.
In a ·week the spree was over
And the cheque was all knocked down
So we shouldered our matildas
And we turned our backs on town;
And the girls they stood a nobbler
As we sadly said good-bye,
And we tramped from Lazy Harry's
On the road to Gundagai.
85
II"
BOTANY BAY
Farewell
Farewell
Fare'''•ell
\!\There I
to old England forever,
to my rum culls as well,
to the well-known Old Bailey,
used for to cut such a swell.
Sing tooral, liooral, liaditty,
Singing tooral, liooral, liay,
Singing tooral, liooral liaditty.
Singing tooral, liooral, liay.
There's the captain as is our commander
There's the bosun and all the ship 's crew,
There's the first and second class passengers.
Knows what we poor convicts go through.
Tain't leaving old England we cares about
Tain't 'cos we mispells wot we knows,
But because all we light-fingered gentry
Hops round with a log on our toes.
Oh, had I the wings of a turt le-dove,
I'd soar on my pinion so high
Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love,
And in her sweet presence I'd die.
I,'
Now all my young Dookies and Ducheses,
Take warning fro mwhat I've to say:
Mind all is your own as you toucheses,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay.
86
WALTZING MATILDA
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolabah tree;
And he sang as he watched and waited till his
billy boiled,
Yo'Jl come a waltzing Ma tilda, with me_
·w altzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
Yo'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.
And he sang as he wa tched and waited till his
billy boiled,
Yo'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.
Down came a jumbuck to drink from tha t
billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him
with glee;
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his
tucker bag
You 'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.
Up rode the squatters, mounted on their thoroughbreds
Down came the troopers, one, two, three ;
\1\There's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your
tucker bag?
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.
U p jumped the swagman, sprang into the
billabong
You'll never catch me alive, said he.
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by
that billabong.
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me.
ROUN'DS
FIRES ABURNING
Fires burning, fires burning,
Draw nearer, draw nearer,
In the gloaming, in the gloaming,
Come sing and be merry.
FRERE JACQUES
Frere Jacques,
Frere Jacques,
Dormez-vouz,
Dormez-vouz,
Sonnez la matine,
Sonnez la matine,
Din din don.
ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Li£e is bu t a dream.
KOOKABURRA
Kookaburra sits on an old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he,
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be.
88
OH, HOW LOVELY IS THE EVENING
Oh, how lovely is the evening, is the
evening,
"~Nhen the bells are sweetly ringing, sweetly
ringing
Di ng, dong-, cling. dong, cling, dong.
lJ
90
91
DORMITORY AND CENSORED
SONGS
92
93
INDEX
P age
F oreword .. . . . .
CODLEGE SONGS
Gaudeamus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
College of the Riverina . . . . . .
Yakka Bluey . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wagga Teachers' College . . . . . .
College of Ours . . . . . . . . . . . .
There is a Oollege in the Town ..
It's a Long w·ay to Tibooburra . . . . . . . .
The Happy Wagg·a Students . . . . . . . .
4
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
NEGRO SPIRITUAJJS
Go D a.wn Moses . . . . . . . . . . . .
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot . . . . . .
Green Grow the Rushes Ho . . . .
Jerusalem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
12
12
94
OLD FOLK •S ONGS
Gra ndfather's Clock . . . . . . . . . . . .
Skye Boat Song . . . . . . . . . . . .
There is a Tavern in the Town . .
Road to the Isles . . . . . .
The Blue Tail Fly . . . . . .
The Lincolnshire Poacher ..
In Derry Vale . . . . . . . .
D a nny Boy .. .. . . . .
Old Fat her Thames
Greensleeves
John Peel . . . . . .
Early One Morning
What s hall We Do wit h the Drunken Sailor
Rio Grande
S anta Lucia
0 No• John
14
SONGS TO SING AROUND THE PIANO
Abdul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rickety Tickety Tin . . . .
Upidee .. . . . . . . . . . . . . · · · ·
Founta in Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B eer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
Vive L 'Amour .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
·Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning
That's Where My Money Goes . . . . . .
Oh How He Lied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
College Time . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Alouette . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Anchors Aweigh . . .. . .
H a ppy W a nderer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The w ·ardens and the Students should be F r iends
S tanding on the Back P ath
What a •S well System This I s
.. .. .. ..
16
18
20
21
23
23
24
25
25
26
27
27
COMMUNITY SONGS
The Floral Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Red River Valley . . . . . . . . . . . .
Daisy . . . . .. . . . .
Nut Brown Maiden . . . . . . . . . .
The Kerry Dance . . . . . . . . . .
Pedro the F isherman . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Emmental . . . . . . .. . .
Happy Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
The Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
Little Brown Jug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
John Brown 's Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There's a Hole in My Bucket . . . . . . . .
A-Roving .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Life on the Ocean W ave . . . . . . . . . .
95
27
29
30
31
34
35
3·6
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
45
46
47
48
51
5·3
54
54
55
55
57
58
59
60
61
61
63
64
I Come from Alabama . . . . . .
Comin' Round the Mountain
Mandalay . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .
Open •R oa d . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ain't She Sweet . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bill B ailey . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tiritomba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clementine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shenandoah . . . . . . . . . .
Westering Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Down on the Farm . . . . . . . . . . . .
Donkey Serenade . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gendarmes Duet . . . . . . . .
•S omewhere Over the R a inbow . . . . . .
Don't Fence Me In . . . .
Workin' on the R a ilroa d
La Marseillaise . . . . . .
Auld Lang Syne . . . . . .
Recessional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advance Australia Fair . .
.. .. ..
AUSTRALIAN SONGS
Click go the Shears . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Wild Colonial Boy . . . . . . . . . .
The Road to Gundagai . . . . . .
Bota ny Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Waltzing M atilda . . . . . . . . . .
65
66
67
68
68
68
69
70
71
72
72
73
73
74
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
82
84
86
87
IWUNDIS
Fires Aburning . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frere Jacques . . . . . . . . . . . .
Row, Row, Row Your Boat . . . . . . . . . .
Kookaburra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oh, How Lovely is the Evening . . . . . . . . . .
89
89
89
89
89
DORMITORY AND CENSORED SONGS
,,,,, !?!!
92
" The Dally Advertiser" Print, Wagga