"Tie
Me Kangaroo, Down Sport"
Tie
Me Kangaroo Down Sport -
Click
title to hear song
Rolf wrote this in 1957, inspired by Harry Belafonte's
calypsos. The song was number 1 for about four weeks in Australia in 1960;
this version was re-recorded in England in 1962.
Apparently, the verse marked * caused offence
(leading to the song being banned in Singapore), and was removed in later
years.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Harris) Ardmore & Beechwood Ltd / EMI (P)
1963
Arr. Johnnie Spence - Produced by George Martin
[Spoken:]
There's an old Australian stockman, lying, dying,
and he gets himself up on one elbow,
and he turns to his mates,
who are gathered 'round him and he says:
Watch me wallabys feed mate.
Watch me wallabys feed.
They're a dangerous breed mate.
So watch me wallabys feed.
Altogether now!
Tie me kangaroo down sport,
tie me kangaroo down.
Tie me kangaroo down sport,
tie me kangaroo down.
Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl,
keep me cockatoo cool.
Don't go acting the fool, Curl,
just keep me cockatoo cool.
Altogether now!
Take me koala back, Jack,
take me koala back.
He lives somewhere out on the track, Mac,
so take me koala back.
Altogether now!
Let me Abos go loose, Lou,
*
let me Abos go loose.
They're of no further use, Lou,
so let me Abos go loose.
Altogether now!
Mind me platypus duck, Bill,
mind me platypus duck.
Don't let him go running amok, Bill,
mind me platypus duck.
Altogether now!
Play your digeridoo, Blue,
play your digeridoo.
Keep playing 'til I shoot thro' Blue,
play your digerydoo.
Altogether now!
Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred,
tan me hide when I'm dead.
So we tanned his hide when he died Clyde,
(Spoken) And that's it hanging on the shed.
Altogether now!
© 1960 Castle Music Pty, Ltd.
Words and music by Rolf Harris
My
Boomerang Won´t Come Back
- Click title to hear song
Charlie Drake
(low chanting)
In the bad bad lands of Australia many years
ago
The Aborigine tribes were meeting, having a big
pow-wow
(chanting)
(low voice): We've got a lot of trouble, Chief,
on account of your son Mac!
(midrange voice): My boy Mac, what's wrong with
him?
(high-pitched voice, young prince): My boomerang
won't come back!
(low voices): Your boomerang won't come back
(prince): My boomerang won't come back
My boomerang won't come back
I've waved the thing all over the place
Practiced till I was black in the face
I'm a big disgrace t' the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't back
I can ride a kangaroo (yeah yeah)
Make kangatoo stew (yea yeah)
But I'm a big disgrace t' the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't back
They banished him from the tribes' lair &
sent him on his way
He had a hapless boomerang, so here he could
not stay
(shrieks of animals)
(prince): This is nice, isn't it? Getting banished
at my time in life. What a way to
spend an evening. Sittin' on a rock in the middle
of the desert with me boomerang in me
hand.
For 3 long months he sat there, or maybe it was
4
Then an old old man in a kangaroo skin came a-knockin'
at his door
(old man): I'm the local witch doctor, son. They
call
me Joe Joseph Black.
Now tell me, what's your trouble, boy?
(prince): My boomerang won't come back!
(old man): Your boomerang won't come back
(prince): My boomerang won't come back
My boomerang won't come back
I've waved the thing all over the place
Practiced till I was black in the face
I'm a big disgrace t' the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't back
(old man): Don't worry, boy, I know the trick
& to you I'm gonna show it
If you want your boomerang to come back, well,
first you've got to throw it!
(prince): Oh yes, never thought of that. Now
then, slowly back...& throw! (sound of boomerang flying)
(prince): My boomerang won't come back
My boomerang won't come back
I've waved the thing all over the place
Practiced till I was black in the face
I'm a big disgrace t' the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't back
I can ride a kangaroo (yeah yeah)
Make kangatoo stew (yea yeah)
But I'm a big disgrace t' the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't back.......