G'day yet again Joe:

I just got the definitive reply on this song from Russ Hannah - universal organiser/stage manager/folk club doer from the Illawarra Region (south of Sydney):

"The Whale was written by Terry Fielding and Fred Dyer and produced as a single in 1972 when it reached the top five (It could have been on top in some charts) in the national charts. It was followed by another single called The Ghost. Terry Fielding in fact did live in the Illawarra (I think at Corrimal).

... In 1992 (maybe ~3) EMI produced their first album (on Axis) called Fielding and Dyer #7243 8 14786 2 2. Terry appeared at Jamberoo [the Illawarra Folk Festival] a few years ago and I have not seen him since. Fred's whereabouts I do not know ... "

My other enquiries with friends in working folk groups indicates that the song remains a (local, at least) standard with groups ranging from Folk to Rock - almost as much of a hardy perennial as Running Bear!

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Thanks a lot, Bob!
-Joe Offer-