The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #48959   Message #3211074
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
22-Aug-11 - 05:02 PM
Thread Name: South Australia:What the hell's a 'Rolling King'?
Subject: RE: What the hell's a 'Rolling King'?
1892        Unknown. “The A.C.A. Meet of 1892.â€쳌 Forest and Stream 39(10) (8 Sept., 1892). Pg. 212.

Some more details of the 1892 ACA meeting at which “South Australiaâ€쳌 was popularized.

The meeting was at Willsborough Point, Lake Champlain. The following passage gives details of one time during the meeting when they sang the song.

//
One of the most lively and animated scenes of the meet was the striking tents, packing duffle and loading all on the flat scow which was dubbed "Gloriana," when used for the same purpose last year…The "Gloriana" was poled from place to place along the beach, at each stop a motley crowd of smugglers, half in camp costume and half in "store clothes," marched down from the deserted tent-site, carrying canoes, trunks, bags, chests, sails and all sorts of odd packages, more or less contraband in appearance. The handbarrows, built by tbe camp carpenter, were most convenient in carrying boxes and bundles. The loading was done by the canoeists, all hands turning to, the boats and heavy stuff going aboard to the good old shanty,

"Heave away, my bully boys, 
   
   Heave away, heave away. 

Heave away, and don't make a noiseâ€" 
   
   We're bound for Australia."
//

This version from JR Lake is notable for its "make a noise" in the chorus (only seen once so far, above), though "don't make a noise" sounds odd in a sailor song. Perhaps they mean "don't complain." In the place where "ruling/rolling king" would go, there is "bully boys"