The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402 Message #4090577
Posted By: Stewie
29-Jan-21 - 06:43 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook
Subject: RE: Rise Up Mudcat Songbook - Australia
A kiwi kids' song:
RAILWAY BILL
(Anon)
Way down the line
At any time
Who is sittin' on the railway line
Why there is poor old Bill
Chorus
Railway Bill, oh Railway Bill
He won't work and he never will
They'll fire old railway Bill
We'll bang and strike
This steel spike
Nobody works like good old Mike
But never poor old Bill
Chorus
Go toot the peeper
Go press the beeper
Bill, he's a railway sleeper
Go wake up poor old Bill
Youtube clip
Neil Colquhoun commented:
I don't know who Railway Bill was, but to us kids he seemed some kind of hero , defying foremen, inspectors and perhaps even holding up the express to remain sitting on the line. 'Song of a young country' p57.
For the joy that's in it, here is a fine rendition of a version of the traditional song from which the song derives. Beaut!
Railrosd Bill
--Stewie.