Finally an answer from my GOOD buddy, Gary Keep! Hi guys, to all of you I've known for years. Hello to those I don't know yet. As requested by Ricky, here are the words to BRINGING THE BEER TO BROOME. I found this song about 15 years ago on an album I picked up in Perth, Western Australia, titled The Kimberley. The Kimberley is the far northwestern corner of Australia; tropical desert would probably best describe the area. Think southwest desert with lots of termite mounds, boab trees, big lizards and salt water crocodiles. The album was produced by Ted Egan and is primarily songs written by him. BRINGING THE BEER TO BROOME is listed as traditional and performed by a bush band called Bloodwood.

BRINGING THE BEER TO BROOME

I'll sing you a tale of a long lost ship
Ch: Bringing the beer to Broome
About her last and fateful trip
Ch: Bringing the beer to Broome
She was sailed by Andy Jones
Never again you'll hear his groans
On the ocean floor she'll rest her bones
Ch: Bringing the beer to Broome

Ch: Bringing the beer to Broome boys
Bringing the beer to Broome
Andy's ships coming round the point
Bringing the beer to Broome

Now Andy was a sailor
He started on a whaler
Now he's got his very own boat
Does everything to keep her afloat
And the only hand is a drunken goat

Shooting right across that reef
Twas there that Andy came to grief
But his cargos what we all admired
Temperatures are getting higher
Throats are becoming drier

The wind arose and blew aloud
The sky was covered quick with cloud
And Andy's boat began to sink
Right above that reef I think
And the beer was left for the fish to drink

Broome was dry for quite a while
She underwent a heavy trial
But now all's well in Broome you see
Town's got its very own brewery
Built in 1923

Now all this happened long ago
Andy's still remembered though
For now in Broome once every year
To sea is thrown a bottle of beer
In case old Andy's ghost is near

Enjoy,
Gary

p.s. For those of you who know Peter Kasin, I spoke with one of the shipwrights yesterday at Hyde St. Pier. His surgery went well and they found no signs that the cancer had spread. Whew! Good news.