ADD: Bill From Erskineville (John Dengate)

Subject: Bill from Erskinville
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:24 PM

I think this is another Don Henderson song. starts
"I'm Pleased to meet you my name's Bill
and I'm working in a factory in Erskinville"

Regards Ted

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 07:32 PM

What was once lost is now found. "Kill the fatted calf"

Bill From Erskinville Don Henderson.

Well I'm pleased to meet you my name's Bill
And I'm working in a factory in Erskinville
Conditions are tough and it's really a crime
But you get a few dollars worth of overtime

Hooray ain't life grand?
I'm saving me deposit for a block of land

Well I met a young fella selling real estate
And he's runnin' from the coppers in another state
He's the friend if a generous gent
Who's lending out money at twenty percent

Hooray life's a lark
I'm swimmin' in the waters with a finance shark

I had a few dollars in a poker machines
And I won a dollar forty when it paid three Queens
Now I chase the aces round the reels
And I can't afford the money to pay for meals

Hooray feed the slot.
Heave upon the handle(push all the buttons) 'till you've lost the lot

I had a few dollars on a short priced horse
That was runnin' in the welter on the Rose Hill course
But too much weight and too little pace.
And the bugger finished twelfth in a twelve horse race

Hooray faithful nag
Carryin' me money to the bookies bag

I said to me wife " Well it's reached the stage
Where we can't manage on a single wage"
Now she pulls beer in the pub saloon
And me kids run wild in the afternoon

Hooray ain't life grand
I'm drinkin' the deposit for me block of land

But I'm pleased to meet you my name's Bill
And I'm workin' in a factory in Erskinville.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Helen
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:21 PM

Hi Ted,

I thought this was written by John Dengate, but maybe he just sang it.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Stewie
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:39 PM

Ted, those brain cells must be going! Helen is quite right - it is a Dengate song. Evidently, it won the Newcastle Trades and Labor Council song competition in 1972.

It has been confirmed that the festival next year will definitely be at the Bark Hut - I will send you a personal message.

Regards, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 08:09 AM

G'day Ted, Helen & Stewie,

It's a bit of worry when the songs you learnt as something new ... start slipping into the mists of time and getting attributed to someone else! I've known John Dengate's Bill from Erskineville since the 1970s and have it on tape from a recording made at the Bush Music Club, mid 70s.

It finally made it onto a real John Dengate recording with Larrikin's CD release of The Follies of Pollies, Songs about the Australian way of strife, LRF 432, 1996. I don't know if that stayed in production after Festival Records bought out Larrikin (in ~ 1997).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: BILL FROM ERSKINEVILLE (John Dengate)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 11:20 PM

G'day ... I'm back again,

I guess that, since I published this song first - in , John Dengate, Bush Music Club, Sydney, Easter 1982, I should at least get John's original words down right.

BILL FROM ERSKINEVILLE
(John Dengate)

I'm pleased to meet you, my name's Bill,
I'm working in a factory in Erskinville.
You have to crawl and conditions are a crime
But you get a few dollars worth of overtime.
Hooray, ain't life grand;
I'm saving the deposit on a block of land.

I met a fellow selling real estate -
He's running from the coppers in another state.
And he's the friend of a generous gent
Who's lending money at twenty percent.
Hooray, life's a lark;
I'm swimmin' in the water with a finance shark.

I had a couple of dollars on a short-priced horse
Running in a welter on the Rosehill course
But too much weight and too little pace
And the bugger finished twelfth in a twelve-horse race.
Hooray faithful nag
Ferryin' the money to the bookie's bag.

I had a little flutter on the poker machines
And I won a dollar forty when it paid three Queens,
So I chases the aces around the wheels
Now I can't afford the money to pay for meals.
Hooray, feed the slot;
Haul upon the handle till you lose the lot.

Lottery tickets have me up shit creek;
I was twenty off a five-dollar prize last week.
The tyres on my car are all worn through
And the registration's overdue.
Hooray, hip-hurrah
For a worn-out, second-hand Holden car.

I said to my wife, "We've reached the stage
Where we cannot manage on a single wage."
Now she pulls beer in the pub saloon
And the kids run wild of an afternoon.
Hooray, name your brand,
I'm drinkin' the deposit for a block of land.

I'm pleased to meet you etc.

Since then the interest rates have gone up and down like a yo-yo, as we dance to the World Bank's tune, but the rest of the song stays all too true.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 11:23 PM

Oops! again!

I should not have typed my corrections over Ted's version ... or at least I should have got Erskineville right - with 3 "e"s.

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 12:22 AM

Many thanx Bob, and Stewie.
The version that I put up (complete with misspelt Erskineville)was from handwritten notes from someone elses (handwritten)songbook. (the folk process at work) I'm obliged to get the version from the horses mouth so to speak.
Thanx again. Ted

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 05:57 AM

Gday Ted,

At least, I should be able to spell Erskineville. Both My Shout! and the 1989 Maleny rehash My Shout Again! print one of my photographs, of a bloke with a brusht-back haircut and a snazzy sports coat thrown over his shoulder waiting disconsolately on a railway station bench, with an "Erskineville" sign behind him.

I guess that obvious temptation is to put it against Bill from Erskeneville, but it was intended to go with John's Train to Guildford song - especially the line:
I'm in my good gear, and I'm right off the beer,
And at Guildford, they say there's a job.

However, that's what happens when you don't design the work ... and that's why I always have a hand in design of anything I publish nowadays.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: harpgirl
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 10:24 AM

...the coincidence of having a musician friend by this name (Attn: Wyo Woman)must mean I'm gathering power!
harpgirl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill from Erskinville
From: Callie
Date: 13 Dec 99 - 02:04 AM

Coincidentally, I'd like you all to know that Erskineville has the finest two Thai restaurants in the Southern Hemisphere. And also the pub with the grubbiest tables. Callie

Subject: ADD: BILL FROM ERSKINEVILLE (John Dengate)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:28 AM

G'day yet again Kieran,

and


BILL FROM ERSKINEVILLE
(John Dengate)

I'm (G) pleased to (F#) meet you, (F) my name's (C) Bill,
(D) I'm working in a factory (C) in (G) Ersk(D) ine(D) ville.
You (G) have to (F#) crawl and con (F) ditions are a (C) crime
But you (D) get a few dollars (C) worth of (G) ov(D) er(G) time.
Hooray, (C) ain't life (G) grand; (D) I'm saving the deposit on a (G) block of land.

I met a fellow selling real estate
He's running from the coppers in another state.
And he's the friend of a generous gent
Who's lending money at twenty per cent.
Hooray, life's a lark; I'm swimming in the water with a finance shark.

I had a couple of dollars on a short-priced horse
Running in a welter on the Rosehill course
But too much weight and too little pace
And the bugger finished twelfth in a twelve-horse race.
Hooray, faithful nag, ferrying the money to the bookie's bag.

I had a little flutter on the poker machines
And I won a dollar forty when it paid three queens,
So I chases the aces around the wheels
Now I can't afford the money to pay for meals.
Hooray, feed the slot; haul upon the handle till you lose the lot.

Lottery tickets have me up shit creek;
I was twenty off a five-dollar prize last week.
The tyres on my car are all worn through
And the registration's overdue.
Hooray, hip-hurrah for a worn-out, second-hand Holden car.

I says to my wife, "We've reached the stage
Where we cannot manage on a single wage."
Now she pulls beer in the pub saloon
And the kids run wild of an afternoon.
Hooray, name your brand, I'm drinking the deposit on block of land.

I'm pleased to meet you … etc.


Bill From Erskineville

Words and Tune: John Dengate

---

Here's the MIDItext of John's own tune to Bill from Erskineville (since Randwick Races uses the established tune for GalwayRaces, I guess you don't need that one!):

MIDI file: billfrom.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8

Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)

Start

0720 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 66 080 0225 0 66 064 0015 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 64 080 0288 0 64 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 55 080 0384 0 55 064 0816 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 66 080 0225 0 66 064 0015 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 64 080 0288 0 64 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 55 080 0384 0 55 064 0096 1 71 080 0384 0 71 064 0096 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0096 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0168 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064

End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
D7D|G3G^F2^F2|FF3E3E|DDDDDDDC|B,2A,2G,4|-G,6D2|
G3G^F2^F2|FF3E3E|DDDDDDDC|B,2A,2G,4|B4G4|
c2c2B3D|DDDDDDE^F|G2G2G13/4||

Regards,

Bob

Subject: Tune Add: BILL FROM ERSKINEVILLE (John Dengate)
From: MMario
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:38 AM

X:1
T:Bill from Erskineville
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:C
z6[Q:1/4=100]DD|G3G ^F2F2|FF- F2E3E|
DD DD DD DC|B,2A,2G,4|z6D2|G3G ^F2F2|FF- F2E3E|
DD DD DD DC|B,2A,2G,4|B4G4|c2c2B2zD|DD DD DD E^F|G2G2G4|]


from midi probided by Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bill From Erskineville (John Dengate)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 11 - 05:09 AM

John Thompson has a recording of this song on his Australian Folk Song a Day project. The melody and "hooray" sound very familiar - I think Debby McClatchy recorded a song with this melody and the "Hooray." Anybody know what song it might be?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tune??: Bill From Erskineville (John Dengate)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 11 - 01:30 PM

I e-mailed Debby McClatchy, and she didn't recognize the song, so then I called and sang it into her answering machine and she called back just now. I played the John Thompson recording to her over the phone, and she didn't recognize it. Maybe I didn't hear Debby sing this song.
Still, it sure is familiar.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD: Bill From Erskineville (John Dengate)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 09:58 AM

I've just posted an article Publications of the Bush Music Club, 1950s to date one of which is My Shout (book no. 11) which includes a photo of a bloke waiting for a train on Erskineville station.

There are also photos from the Dengate family albums which illustrate a few more of his songs.

sandra