Lyr Req: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)

Subject: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)
From: GUEST,John in Brisbane
Date: 02 May 01 - 03:28 AM

Some years ago I had the lyrics to this song. The old time dances at Nariel Creek are now part of Australian folklore. In this version the locals had lubricated the dance floor with Goanna Oil, which in turn was so slippery that all the patrons fell out the door and landed in the creek. Maybe it was written by Clem Parkinson? The tine was Villikens. Any help please?

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 02 May 01 - 11:52 PM

G'day John,

This rings a bell - probably published in the Victorian Folk Music Club's old magazine Tradition ... sometime in the lated '60s or early '70s. I have a full bound set, as well as unbound copies of most issues, so I should be able to locate it at home and scan in the words for you.

I never got to the Nariel dances, when I was working in the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme and living at Khancoban (next town over the border into NSW) but I went regularly to the 50/50 dances run by Con Klippel's Nariel Band in 'town' - Corryong. The Nariel Festival was over a holiday weekend when I was likely to be back visiting family in Sydney.

I seem to remember that Tradition did a fairly large feature on the Nariel dances in the late '60s ... and some curmudgeon complained that they had "entirely spoiled" the magazine by featuring "an ordinary country dance"!

Anyway, if I find the song, I will post it from home in the next day or two.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)
From: cobber
Date: 07 May 01 - 07:17 AM

I just thought I'd mentioned that there are still dances at Nariel Creek. The festival goes from Boxing day to New Year's Day and features several dances with local musicians being joined by visitors from all over. I was there this year and if you can make it, it's one of the best, most laid back weeks you'll get - and the music's great.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 May 01 - 09:09 AM

G'day again John,

I forgot to "trace" this thread and it dropped out of sight (and mind). Anyway, I have just looked up my copies of Tradition and I could not find "Dance at Nariel Creek" ... but I did find The Ball at Nariel Creek, by Len Dowdle.

This looks like the one that you were after, complete with Goanna Oil, and sung to Dinki Di (better know to the Poms as Villikins and His Dinah ... and to the 'Tin Tanks' as Sweet Betsy from Pike). If that is the one you remember, when I get a chance, I will scan in the words. I don't think anyone needs the tune, as it is so well known.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)
From: Callie
Date: 07 May 01 - 10:12 AM

I'd love to hear the song - I've been to 2 Nariels and they WERE the most relaxing weeks ever (except for the 'cocktail party' [aka the annual Men-Dressed-Up-In-Women's-Underwear Do] - THAT was stressful!)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALL AT NARIEL CREEK (Goanna Oil)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 May 01 - 10:13 AM

G'day John,

Here are the words I promised.

THE BALL AT NARIEL CREEK
Words: Len Dowdle Tune: Dinki Di
An invite was issued to the good folks around
And soon all the country was Nariel bound.
Oh, they came in their thousands and poured in the door,
And the final count numbered 200 or more.
Dinki-di, dinki-di,
Though I can't say for certain, I was just passing by.

Now, ere long the dance hall was packed full of noise,
As they waited for music from Con and the boys;
The cakes had been baked, and with lots of hard toil,
The floors had been polished with goanna oil.
Dinki-di, dinki-di,
The shine on that floor, boys, would dazzle your eye.

All bowed to their partners and stepped on the floor,
Then cried with dismay as they slid through the door,
They tumbled down-hill for what seemed like a week,
Then landed slap-bang into Nariel Creek.
Dinki-di,
The shine on that floor, boys, would dazzle your eye.

The music still playing, had now reached its peak,
So the company arose in the bed of the creek,
Their courage undaunted and all very wet,
They bowed once again, and began the first set.

Their feet, gripping firm on the ground below,
They polka'd around on the old heel and toe,
With Lancers, Cotillions, Mazurkas and all,
The banks were awash at the Nariel Ball.
Dinki-di, dinki-di,
Though I can't say for certain, I was just passing by.

One final word lads, ere we bid you farewell
It's just a wee hint-about old Nariel,
Oh, they'll wine you and dine you, and treat you most royal,
So long as you don't mention goanna oil.
Dinki-di, dinki-di,
Oh, the shine on that floor, boys, would dazzle your eye.

Australian Tradition, vol. 3, no. 2, June 1966, p 16


This was written after the Victorian Folk Music Club found that Nariel Creek had a music and dancing tradition tracing back to a German immigrant family, the Klippells, of the 1850s (goldrush era). In 1966, his descendant, also named Con Klippel, still ran the band who played for regular dances – including many unusual old European variants.

I worked on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme in 1967– and was based at Khancoban, the next township north, into New South Wales, and I enjoyed the regular Saturday night dances – down in town at Corryong. I got to know Con and learned some things about button accordion playing that are still filtering through the grey cells.

The band still exists and plays for their regular festivals (and has played at the National Folk Festival). Con died years back and the band running was taken over by Nev Simpson (the Simpsons have close family ties with the Klippells). Now Nev has died, the future is less certain but the band certainly still plays and the festivals still run at Nariel.

I have also included the tune, since it keeps the extra two line chorus of Dinki Di (an Australian WWI / WWII song to an extended version of Villikins and his Dinah [or Sweet Betsy from Pike]) - and is slightly different from my version.

MIDI file: narielbl.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 160 (375000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0480 1 60 080 0225 0 60 064 0015 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064 0096 1 60 080 0113 0 60 064 0007 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0336 0 67 064 0144 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0144 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0096 1 60 080 0113 0 60 064 0007 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0113 0 62 064 0007 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064 0096 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0945 0 69 064 0255 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0945 0 67 064 0255 1 60 080 0113 0 60 064 0007 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 67 080 0225 0 67 064 0015 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0113 0 62 064 0007 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064
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:3/4
Q:1/4=160
K:C
C6|C2E2G2|G2F2D2|D2C2C2|C4CC|C2E2G2|c2c2c2|
B2G2G2|G4G2|c2c2c2|B2G2E2|F2G2A2|G4CD|E2E2E2|
G2F2DD|D2C2C2|C4cB|A6|-A4BA|G6|-G4CD|E2E2E2|
G2F2DD|D2C2C2|C13/4||

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance at Nariel Creek (Goanna Oil)
From: GUEST,John in Brisbane
Date: 31 May 01 - 08:20 AM

Many, many thanks Bob! Sorry it's taken me a while to respond but I only check in here about once a month these days. Regards, John