The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402   Message #4098994
Posted By: Stewie
23-Mar-21 - 09:59 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook
Subject: RE: Mudcat Australia/NZ Songbook
There are numerous variations in tune and content of 'Oh, TI'. The lyrics below are those printed in Ron Edwards' big book and reproduced in Bill Scott's 'Second Penguin Australian Songbook'. The song was well-known in north Queensland and the Northern Territory, particularly among Aboriginal people. It was sometimes called 'Old TI' and 'Old PI', the latter referencing Palm Island rather than Thursday Island. Ron Edwards also collected what he called an 'old version' which was composed in 1936 by Jarfar Ahmat. Edwards collected it from Charley Ahmat, the brother of Jarfar, in 1965.

OH, TI

Why are you looking so sad, my dear
Why are you feeling so blue?
I'm thinking of someone so far away
In that beautiful place called TI

Chorus:
Oh TI my beautiful home
That's the place where I was born
Where the moon and stars that shine, make me longing for home
Oh TI my beautiful home

Take me across the sea
Over the deep blue sea
Darling won't you take me
Back to my home TI

TI my beautiful home
TI my home sweet home
I'll be there forever
The sun is setting farewell

Youtube clip

OH, TI (Old version)

Oh TI my beautiful home
That's the place where I was born
Where the moon and stars that shine, make me long for home
Oh TI my beautiful home

Take me across the sea
Over the deep blue sea
Darling won't you take me
Back to my home TI

When at the break of dawn
Your dear face I cannot see
You will always think
Always think of me

Up above the clouds
Your dear face I cannot see
But in your memories dear
Never, never say goodbye

Oh my Rose, my beautiful Rose
You're the one that nobody knows
Your eyes are blue, like the sky above, your lips were made for love
Oh my Rose, my beautiful Rose

--Stewie.