Allan, you're wonderful. The tape arrived today--the first dozen songs were on the LP I had--only the Xhosa song was missing. Because they were so familiar to me, I wasn't bothered by the singing much, although Miranda's voice could get annoying at times (lots of times). And it was great to hear the old songs again (I really like some of them--and I don't think they did anything reprehensible in writing new verses and a new tune for the verses of "Brandy"--although it seems Joseph Marais' authorship of the version in the DB seems questionable. It was great also to hear the voice of another Mudcateer (Art Thieme's is the only one I'd heard before). I'm greatly enjoying the songs on side two--I guess I was about a quarter of the way through when my wife insisted I use earphones so she could go to sleep. I stopped the tape instead and will listen to the rest tomorrow and start thinking what I could send you in return. Thanks again.

For everybody else who may care, here is the complete song, thanks to the kindness of Allan S.:


Oh, Brandy, Leave Me Alone
(from the singing of Marais and Miranda)

(Chorus)
Oh, brandy, leave me alone,
Oh, brandy, leave me alone,
Oh, brandy, leave me alone;
Remember, I must go home.

My gal's got another fella, I don't know the reason why.
I said "Hello, dear," She said "Hello and goodbye."
(chorus)

Last Sunday I [he]* tried to see her [me], I [he] knocked on my door all day.
There I [he] stood in the cold with my [his] dying bouquet.
(chorus)

I tried talking to her father to put a good word in for me,
But the old man said "No, sir, you're no son for me.
(chorus)

My sweetheart would never know me if she ever saw me now.
With a drink in my hand and a frown on my brow.
(chorus).

*on the record, this verse is sung by Miranda, from the woman's point of view. I put the appropriate pronouns for this interpretation into brackets after the pronouns the man would use if he sang all the verses.

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