Australian Christmas Carols

Subject: Australian Christmas Carols
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 02:11 AM

I find it pretty chunderous listening to Australians singing songs like "I'll Keep You Warm This Christmas" and "White Christmas" .... when it's hot enough to eat Christmas pud at room temperature at this time of year.

I don't expect anyone in the Northern hemisphere to sing Aussie carols, except in the privacy of their own homes. The ones that I'm thinking of are usually sung by school kids here, but are great songs in their own right.

I'll post here next week, but the ones I'm thinking of are:

The Three Drovers
Silver Stars Are In The Sky
The North Wind is Tossing The Leaves...
Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing...
Christmas Bush for His Adorning

Any Aussies care to embellish please?

Regards
John

Subject: Lyr Add: AUSTRALIAN JINGLE BELLS
From: alison
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:29 AM

Hi John,

Here's a few..... I'll do them separately.

AUSTRALIAN JINGLE BELLS

Chorus,

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer's day, Oh,
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden ute.

Dashing through the bush in a rusty Holden ute.
Kicking up the dust, esky in the boot.
Kelpie by my side, singing Christmas songs,
It's summer time and I am in my singlet, shorts and thongs. Oh….

Engine's getting hot, we dodge the kangaroo,
Swaggie climbs aboard, he is welcome too.
All the family's here, sitting by the pool,
Christmas day the Aussie way, by the barbecue. Oh…..

Come the afternoon, Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce are swimming in their clothes.
Time has come to go, we take a family snap,
And pack th car and all shoot through before the washing up. Oh…..

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr/Chords/Tune Add: THE CAROL OF THE BIRDS
From: alison
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:34 AM

Here's one you mentioned above.

THE CAROL OF THE BIRDS

(C )Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing
(Dm)Lifting their feet like warhorses prancing
(C) Up to the sun the (F)woodlarks go winging
(Am)Faint in the (C )dawn light (F)echoes their (G) singing
Or(C )ana! Or(Am)ana! Or(Dm7)ana to (G7)Christmas (C)Day.

Down where the tree ferns grow by the river
There where the waters sparkle and quiver
Deep in the gullies bell-birds are chiming
Softly and sweetly their lyric notes rhyming
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.

Friar birds sip the nectar of flowers
Currawongs chant in wattle tree bowers
In the blue ranges lorikeets calling
Carols of bush birds rising and falling
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day.

MIDI file: CAROLBIR.MID

Timebase: 480

Name:
TimeSig: 6/8 24 4
Key: C
Tempo: 090 (666666 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 60 029 0238 0 60 029 0002 1 60 038 0238 0 60 038 0002 1 62 053 0238 0 62 053 0002 1 64 043 0478 0 64 043 0002 1 65 044 0238 0 65 044 0002 1 67 049 0238 0 67 049 0002 1 69 033 0238 0 69 033 0002 1 67 038 0238 0 67 038 0002 1 65 034 0478 0 65 034 0002 1 64 034 0238 0 64 034 0002 1 62 036 0238 0 62 036 0002 1 62 028 0238 0 62 028 0002 1 64 044 0238 0 64 044 0002 1 65 042 0478 0 65 042 0002 1 67 043 0238 0 67 043 0002 1 69 034 0238 0 69 034 0002 1 71 035 0238 0 71 035 0002 1 69 036 0238 0 69 036 0002 1 67 034 0478 0 67 034 0002 1 65 032 0238 0 65 032 0002 1 64 029 0238 0 64 029 0002 1 64 034 0238 0 64 034 0002 1 65 030 0238 0 65 030 0002 1 67 036 0478 0 67 036 0002 1 64 038 0238 0 64 038 0002 1 62 038 0238 0 62 038 0002 1 62 036 0238 0 62 036 0002 1 64 033 0238 0 64 033 0002 1 65 033 0478 0 65 033 0002 1 62 040 0238 0 62 040 0002 1 60 032 0238 0 60 032 0002 1 60 025 0238 0 60 025 0002 1 62 036 0238 0 62 036 0002 1 64 038 0238 0 64 038 0002 1 62 042 0238 0 62 042 0002 1 60 029 0238 0 60 029 0002 1 62 044 0238 0 62 044 0002 1 64 031 0238 0 64 031 0002 1 65 042 0238 0 65 042 0002 1 67 037 0238 0 67 037 0002 1 69 036 0238 0 69 036 0002 1 71 036 0238 0 71 036 0002 1 72 036 0718 0 72 036 0002 1 67 048 0478 0 67 048 0002 1 64 032 0238 0 64 032 0002 1 72 052 0718 0 72 052 0002 1 69 036 0478 0 69 036 0002 1 64 038 0238 0 64 038 0002 1 72 038 0238 0 72 038 0002 1 69 049 0238 0 69 049 0002 1 65 037 0238 0 65 037 0002 1 64 038 0478 0 64 038 0002 1 62 031 0238 0 62 031 0002 1 60 037 1438 0 60 037
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:6/8
Q:1/4=90
K:C
CCDE2F|GAGF2E|DDEF2G|ABAG2F|EEFG2E|DDEF2D|
CCDEDC|DEFGAB|c3G2E|c3A2E|cAFE2D|C6||

I've got Emu up a gum tree somewhere I'll look it up.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS IN THE ALICE (Greg Hastings)
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 07:57 AM

CHRISTMAS IN THE ALICE
(Greg Hastings) key c

Christmas in the Alice is like no other place I know
Santa doesn't like it much 'cause there isn't any snow
His reindeer get all grumpy as the waterholes go dry
For when it's stinkin' hot down here its bloody hard to fly

Dressed up like a polar bear isn't very wise
His nose gets even redder and the sweat runs in his eyes
Once he nearly missed us and his nose began to freak
By the time he turned the whole thing 'round, he'd got to Tennant Creek

He always seems to make it and he's full of Christmas cheer
For when he's finally landed he's guaranteed a beer
He leaves behind his presents with a cheery ho ho smile
Then they pour him back upon his sled and off he roars in style

Now someone once asked him if he'd ever lived in fear
Of ever being caught one day drunk in charge of deer
He gave a little chuckle with a twinkle in his eye
You may have cops with bags down here but none of them can fly

And then there was this rumour, or so I've heard it said
He once used six white boomers to pull along his sled
He thought it was a good idea while travelling in the bush
But they hopped of in the scrub one day and left him there to push

So if you should spend Christmas out in Alice Springs
Be very well prepared mate for some bloody funny things
Big fat men in polar suits screaming across the sky
And sweaty grumpy reindeers complaining as they fly

Through all the dust the flies the heat and every thing it brings
Carrying all the pressies out back to Alice Springs
I told to you this story 'cause I thought you all should know
Santa doesn't like it much 'cause there isn't any snow

Changed from all uppercase. --JoeClone, 27-Jun-02.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:28 PM

One of my all-time absolute favorite poems of any season has to be Adrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson's grand work called "SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH" !!!

It simply BEGS to be given a tune!!

I'll post it one o' these days soon, as I want to use it, printed out, as an Christmas card.

Art

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 05:43 PM

G'day all,

I was at a practice of the Bush Music Club Concert Party last night where we went through about 8 of the 15 Wheeler & James Australian Christmas Carols. These were written in the late 1940s by two blokes from the New South Wales Dept of Education to give the kids Christmas songs that related to the world they knew ... almost as short of snow, ivy and misteltoe as Palestine!

The season may be different (and most scholars don't go for the Roman church's appropriation of the Bacchanalia / Winter Solstice Festival date for Christmas anyway) but the most of the Australian Outback is very like biblical Palestine and it is those resemblances that are emphasised.

These carols are in styles drawn firmly from what little of the British carol tradition survived the Puritan era and have a nice traditional musical base without deep northern forest trimmings.

Interestingly, I had an expatriate Pom who got very shirty about the Aussie carols "... we had no right to change Christmas traditions ..." - "... this was just ... animism; that's what it is!...". He didn't like my observation that animism is exactly what the British carols graft onto the Christmas story.

The year before last, I came across a bundle of CDs of the Adelaide Singers and the South Australian Symphony Orchestra doing the full arrangements of the Wheeler and James set ... and very impressive it sounds! Unfortunately, I have passed all of them on to interested singers.

At the more traditional end, there was a collected carol from Sally Sloane, of Lithgow, NSW, ... a version of Christ was born in Bethlehem, rather similar to a version collected in rural America. I think I fielded a query on this but I'm not sure if I have posted the words and music. It is not in the current DT, so I might post it tomorrow, just in case. It is not a bad version ... one of last night's crowd complained that we did not have it in the sheet music handed out.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Webby
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 07:08 AM

Hi john,

Can we send Rolf Harris back!!!. I'm sure he's has a few carols for you

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bert
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 09:54 AM

You're right Webby,

Rolf Harris did one about 'Six white boomers, Snow white boomers'
Unfortunately I never did learn it.

Bert.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (Australian)
From: alison
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 06:02 PM

hi,

Here's the Aussie version of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (Aussie)

On the (1st, 2nd, 3rd. etc) day of Christmas my true love sent to me
a kookaburra up a gum tree.
two snakes on skis,
three wet galahs,
Four lyrebirds,
Five kangaroos.
Six sharks a surfing,
Seven emus laying,
Eight dingoes dancing,
Nine crocs a snoozing,
Ten wombats washing,
Eleven lizards leaping,
Twelve possums playing.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX WHITE BOOMERS
From: alison
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 06:06 PM

hi Bert, You asked for it.....

SIX WHITE BOOMERS

Intro: (spoken slowly:)

It was Christmas in Australia,
When a little voice did say,
"Where's my Mommy? They've taken her away."
(sound of reindeer hoofs approaching)
(sound of a sleigh door opening)
"I'll help you find your Mommy, son
Hop up on the sleigh."

Right inside the bag of toys, little Joey hopped,
But they hadn't gone far when Santa stopped,
Unharnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why,
Then he heard a far off booming in the sky.

(boom-uh, boom-uh, boom-uh boom-uh,
boom-ump, boom-ump, boom-ump, boom-ump)

CHORUS: (between each verse)

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun,
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.

Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat,
Took his fur lined boots off to cool his feet,
Into one popped Joey, feeling quite at hay,
While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh.

When Joey said to Santa, "Santa, what about the toys,
Aren't you giving some to Aussie girls and boys?"
"Oh, they've all had their presents, sonny, we were here last night,
This trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight."

Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Blavel Bar,
"Slow down, there," said Santa, "it can't be far",
Hop up on my lap here, Son, and have a look around,
"There! There she is! That's Mommy! bounding up and down."

Well that the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had,
Curled up in Mother's pouch feeling snug and glad,
The last he saw was Santa heading northwards from the sun,
The only year the boomers worked a double run.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 08:19 PM

G’day all you Aussie carollers,

My records would suggest that I have already posted (17 September 1998?) the words and ABC of Sally Sloane’s Australian-collected version of the carol Christ was Born in Bethlehem, but it hasn’t made it to the DT, so here it is again.

CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM

Folk Songs of Australia and the men & women who sang them, J Meredith & H Anderson, Ure Smith, North Sydney, 1967, vol 1, p189.
Source : Sally Sloane (1894 - 1982)

Christ was born in Bethlehem, Christ was born in Bethlehem,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.
And in a manger lay, and in a manger lay,
Christ was born in Bethlehem and in a manger lay.

The Jews they crucified him, the Jews they crucified him,
The Jews they crucified him and nailed him to a tree.
And nailed him to a tree, and nailed him to a tree,
The jews they crucified him and nailed him to a tree.

Mary she came weeping, Mary she came weeping,
Mary she came weeping and stole away my Lord.
And stole away my Lord, and stole away my Lord,
Mary she came weeping and stole away my Lord.

MIDI file: christwb.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0288 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0288 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0336 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0288 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
G3GG2A2|B2G2A4|A3AA2B2|c2A2B4|B3AB2d2|d2B2c2B2|
A2G2B2A2|G6B2|d2d2e2e2|d4B2c2|d2d2e2e2|d4B4|
B3AB2d2|d2B2c2B2|A2G2B2A2|G13/4||

Notes:
1/ Pitch has been lowered by one tone from collected version, to suit a general range of voices and simplify accompaniment.
2/ The leading note to the first phrase in line three has been lowered from D to B and, to the second phrase, from D to C (possibly more reflecting my personal style of singing than the inherent nature of the tune).
Bob Bolton

In their book, Meredith & Anderson note that:

"Other versions have appeared in print in the United States of America, first in Botsford’s Folk Songs of Many Peoples, where it is simply noted as a ‘Kentucky song’, and more recently in E.K. Wells’s book, The Ballad Tree. Miss Wells collected her version in the Kentucky mountains and includes the lines sung by Sally Sloane in a slightly different form to a somewhat different tune."

Wheeler & James Carols:

I have the three books "Five Australian Carols; First (Second and Third) Set" by John Wheeler and William G. James. The carols are printed with the four choir parts plus piano accompaniment. The books contain, respectively:

FIRST SET: (1948) The Three Drovers (D) The Silver Stars are in the Sky (Eb) Christmas Day (C) Carol of the Birds (Eb) Christmas Bush for His Adorning (D)

SECOND SET: (1954) The Day that Christ was Born on (Ab) Christmas Night (G) The Little Town where Christ was Born(Eb) Sing Gloria (Ab) Noel-Time (G)

THIRD SET: (1961) The Christmas Tree (A) Our Lady of December (Ab) Golden Day (Eb) Country Carol (The Oxen) (Ab) MerryChristmas (F)

Of these, I have MusicTime files (with the words) for:

The Three Drovers (D) The Silver Stars are in the Sky (D) Christmas Day (C) Carol of the Birds (D) Christmas Bush for His Adorning (D) Sing Gloria (G - Am) MerryChristmas (D)

These are the carols that have proved the most popular. I notice that this includes all five of the first set and only one each from the second and third sets.

I have tended to place them in more proletarian and/or singable keys.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH (Paterson)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 01:21 AM

SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH
by Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson

It chanced out back at the Christmas time, When the wheat was ripe and tall,
A stranger rode to the farmer's gate--A sturdy man and a small.

"Rin doon, rin doon, my little son Jack, and bid the stranger stay,
And we'll hae a crack for Auld Lang Syne, for the morn is Christmas day."

"Nay noo, nay noo," said the dour guidwife, "But ye should let him be,
He's maybe only a drover chap, From the land o' the Darling Pea."

"Wi a drovers tales, and a drover's thirst tae swiggle the hail nicht through,
Or he's maybe a life assurance carle, to talk ye black and blue."

"Guidwife, he's never a drover chap for their swags are neat and thin,
And he's never a life assurance carl with the brick dust burnt in his skin."

"Guidwife, guidwife, be nae sae dour---for the wheat stands ripe and tall
And we shore a seven pound fleece this year, ewes and weaners and all."

"There is grass to spare and the stock are fat, where they whiles are gaunt and thin,
And we owe a tithe to the travellin' poor, so we maun ask him in."

"Ye can set him a chair at table side and gie him a bite tae eat,
An omelette made of a new-laid egg, or a tasty bit o' meat."

"But the native cats hae taen fowls--they havena left a leg,
And he'll get nae omelette at a' till the emu lays an egg."

"Rin doon, rin doon, my little son Jack, "to whaur the emus bide,
Ye shall find the auld hen on the nest while the auld cock sits beside."

"But speak them fair and speak them saft lest they kick ye a fearful jolt,
Ye can gie them a feed of the half inch nails or a rusty carriage bolt."

So little son Jack ran blithely down with the rusty nails in hand,
Till he came where the emus fluffed and scratched by their nest in the open sand.

And there he has gathered the new-laid egg---'twould feed 3 men or 4,
And the emus came for the half inch nails right up to the settlers door.

"A waste o' food," said the dour guidwife, as she took the egg with a frown,
"But he gets nae meat unless ye rin a paddy-melon down."

"Gang oot, gang oot, my little son Jack---wi your twa-three doggies sma,
Gin ye come nae back wi a paddy-melon, then come nae back at a'."

So little son Jack he raced and he ran and he was bare o' the feet,
And soon he captured a paddy-melon---was gorged with stolen wheat.

"Sit doon, sit doon," my bonny wee man; "to the best that the hoose can do,
An omelette made o' the emu egg, and a paddy melon stew."

"'Tis well, 'tis well", said the bonny wee man, "I have eaten the wide world's meat,
And the food that is given with right good will is the sweetest food to eat."

"But the night draws on to Christmas Day and I must rise and go,
For I have a mighty way to ride to the land of the Esquimaux."

"And it's there I must load my sledges up with the reindeers four-in-hand,
That go to the North, South, East and West---to every Christian land."

"Tae the Esquimaux," said the dour guidwife---"ye suit my husband well,
For when he gets up on his journey horse he's a bit o' a liar himsel'."

Then out with a laugh went the bonny wee man--to his old horse grazing nigh,
And away like a meteor flash they went far off to the Northern sky.

(PATERSON'S ENDING:)

When the children woke on the Christmas morn, they chattered with might and main,
For s sword and a gun had little son Jack, and a braw new doll had Jane,
And a packet o' screws had the twa emus; but the dour guidwife got nane!

(THIS IS HOW I'D PREFER IT TO END:)

When the children woke on the Christmas morn they chattered with might and tact,---
For a sword and Glenlivet had tough tot Jane, and and a new "Ken" doll had Jack,
And a packet o' screws had the twa emus, but the dour guidwife got clap!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 01:42 AM

The above posted poem, by Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, truly does beg to be given a tune...

from the book "Collected Verse of A.B. Paterson---Angus & Robertson publisher

And thanks to Dale Rose for pointing me to this 'cause he knew I'd probably have my book packed in an unmarked box as I'd told him we were striving to get moved!! Deductive reasoning rivalling Holmes'! Thanks Mr. Rose!!

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 12:09 PM

Thanks, Art! After your ending, could the guidwife still have a Darling Pea? Incidentally, there are by actual count 5,271,009 tunes that fit those words. I recommend "O God, Our Help in Ages Past".

What's "orana"? What's a "paddy-melon"?

The cranes are dancing here, too, Alison. O.k., they will be in a couple months. They'd be confused if we called them brolgas, though.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Art Thieme
Date: 11 Dec 98 - 01:58 AM

I've been told that a paddy melon is a cross between an Irishman and a cantelope. But, the truth is that an Irishman CAN elope---if his gal goes with him! ;-)

But seriously folks---I believe a paddy melon is a smallish kangaroo---right? (Funny, you don't look smallish!!)

Art

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Musicman
Date: 12 Dec 98 - 01:18 AM

I see you've got the Six white Boomers listed here. I was just asked about that one today! Does anybody 'ave a midi version. I need to learn the song, so midi or noteworthy or fax would be appreciated. I have no idea how the songs goes. Call me [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From:
Date: 13 Dec 98 - 07:45 PM

This is pretty good.

You Aussies certainly beat out Canadians when it comes to Christmas tunes. We have only The Huron Carol (which is not technically "Canadian" because it was written by an early French missionary in the Wyandotte language, and translated into English) and First Christmas, by Stan Rogers, which is too depressing to sing around the Christmas tree. Although generally we have more snow and fir trees than most nations our Christmas songs are generally recycled English carols and 1940's Hollywood covers. I'd be happy to have someone start a new thread and prove me wrong.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Dec 98 - 07:53 PM

G'day Art, Jerry and all,

There was quite a good tune to the Paterson poem that won the "New Tune to old Poem" section in the Bush Music Club Song and Verse contest, some years back. I will look it up and post it. Of course, it isn't really a carol, is it, but it is bloody good Christmas song.

Terminology:

A Paddy Melon is a Bennet's or Red-necked Wallaby (Wallabia Rufogrisius. Wallabys are a smaller sub-group of Kangaroos and the name Paddymelon is a rough English approximation of the Dharug (Sydney region Aboriginal) name. Just to confuse everyone, the name paddy melon is also used for an introduced pest - a sort of inedible melon vine from South Africa.

Orana is also from an Aboriginal language and means "morning" - in which sense it is used for the geographical region around Dubbo, in New South Wales' central region, or "welcome", which is the way that John Wheeler uses it in The Carol of the Birds.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 14 Dec 98 - 01:34 PM

Thank you!

Subject: Tune Add: SIX WHITE BOOMERS
From: alison
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 06:21 AM

Here's six white boomers

Slainte

alison

MIDI file: SIXWHITE.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: Six white boomers
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: Bb
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 58 030 0238 0 58 030 0002 1 58 029 0238 0 58 029 0002 1 58 040 0238 0 58 040 0002 1 58 059 0238 0 58 059 0002 1 65 053 0238 0 65 053 0002 1 65 044 0238 0 65 044 0002 1 65 044 0238 0 65 044 0002 1 65 043 0238 0 65 043 0002 1 67 061 0238 0 67 061 0002 1 67 049 0200 0 67 049 0084 1 63 050 0191 1 67 053 0047 0 63 050 0191 0 67 053 0051 1 65 053 0881 0 65 053 0024 1 62 031 0238 0 62 031 0018 1 65 033 0238 0 65 033 0051 1 58 053 0208 1 60 011 0030 0 58 053 0188 1 62 050 0048 0 60 011 0430 0 62 050 0002 1 58 030 0238 0 58 030 0002 1 60 052 0238 0 60 052 0002 1 62 061 0478 0 62 061 0002 1 58 050 0478 0 58 050 0002 1 65 057 0718 0 65 057 0002 1 65 061 0238 0 65 061 0002 1 58 051 0238 0 58 051 0002 1 58 042 0235 1 58 047 0014 0 58 042 0202 0 58 047 0007 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 65 048 0254 0 65 048 0019 1 65 052 0467 0 65 052 0002 1 65 054 0238 0 65 054 0002 1 67 065 0238 0 67 065 0002 1 67 049 0238 0 67 049 0002 1 63 042 0238 0 63 042 0002 1 67 050 0238 0 67 050 0002 1 65 046 0958 0 65 046 0002 1 58 037 0238 0 58 037 0002 1 58 053 0238 0 58 053 0002 1 58 042 0238 0 58 042 0002 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 62 040 0478 0 62 040 0002 1 65 052 0478 0 65 052 0002 1 60 038 0238 0 60 038 0002 1 63 042 0238 0 63 042 0002 1 62 045 0238 0 62 045 0002 1 60 033 0238 0 60 033 0002 1 58 043 0958 0 58 043 0002 1 58 053 0238 0 58 053 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 65 052 0238 0 65 052 0002 1 65 053 0238 0 65 053 0002 1 65 048 0478 0 65 048 0002 1 67 065 0238 0 67 065 0002 1 67 049 0238 0 67 049 0002 1 63 042 0238 0 63 042 0002 1 67 045 0238 0 67 045 0002 1 65 053 0958 0 65 053 0002 1 62 052 0238 0 62 052 0002 1 65 058 0200 0 65 058 0035 1 58 039 0238 0 58 039 0002 1 60 046 0238 0 60 046 0002 1 62 050 0478 0 62 050 0051 1 58 053 0158 1 60 045 0080 0 58 053 0158 0 60 045 0035 1 62 057 0485 1 58 053 0031 0 62 057 0447 0 58 053 0002 1 65 061 0718 0 65 061 0002 1 65 063 0238 0 65 063 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 040 0238 0 58 040 0002 1 58 040 0238 0 58 040 0002 1 65 054 0238 0 65 054 0002 1 65 049 0478 0 65 049 0002 1 65 053 0238 0 65 053 0002 1 67 068 0238 0 67 068 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 63 053 0238 0 63 053 0002 1 67 050 0238 0 67 050 0002 1 65 053 0958 0 65 053 0002 1 58 060 0238 0 58 060 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 58 044 0238 0 58 044 0002 1 62 053 0478 0 62 053 0002 1 65 065 0478 0 65 065 0002 1 60 052 0238 0 60 052 0002 1 63 057 0238 0 63 057 0002 1 62 052 0238 0 62 052 0002 1 60 048 0238 0 60 048 0002 1 58 048 0960 0 58 048 0000 1 58 072 0478 0 58 072 0002 1 58 067 0478 0 58 067 0002 1 62 057 0238 0 62 057 0002 1 65 050 0718 0 65 050 0002 1 70 040 0478 0 70 040 0002 1 63 039 0238 0 63 039 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 65 061 0718 0 65 061 0002 1 62 059 0238 0 62 059 0002 1 65 057 0238 0 65 057 0002 1 58 050 0238 0 58 050 0002 1 60 052 0238 0 60 052 0002 1 62 053 0478 0 62 053 0002 1 58 057 0238 0 58 057 0002 1 60 049 0238 0 60 049 0002 1 62 057 0478 0 62 057 0002 1 58 044 0478 0 58 044 0002 1 65 061 0958 0 65 061 0002 1 58 053 0478 0 58 053 0002 1 58 054 0478 0 58 054 0002 1 62 044 0238 0 62 044 0002 1 65 057 0718 0 65 057 0002 1 70 057 0478 0 70 057 0002 1 63 053 0238 0 63 053 0002 1 67 057 0238 0 67 057 0002 1 67 061 0238 0 67 061 0002 1 65 061 0663 0 65 061 0297 1 58 047 0238 0 58 047 0002 1 58 064 0238 0 58 064 0002 1 60 053 0238 0 60 053 0002 1 62 065 0478 0 62 065 0002 1 60 054 0478 0 60 054 0002 1 58 053 1881 0 58 053
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Six white boomers
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:Bb
B,B,B,B,FFFF|GG5/4E3/4G5/4F15/4|DF5/4B,3/4CD2B,C|
D2B,2F3F|B,B,B,B,FF2F|GGEGF4|B,B,B,B,D2F2|
CEDCB,4|B,B,B,B,FFF2|GGEGF4|DFB,CD9/4B,/2C5/4|
D2B,2F3F|B,B,B,B,FF2F|GGEGF4|B,B,B,B,D2F2|
CEDCB,4|B,2B,2DF3|B2EGGF3|DFB,CD2B,C|D2B,2F4|
B,2B,2DF3|B2EGGF3|-FB,B,CD2C2|B,8||

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 01:17 PM

Couple questions for you folk that know these songs. I've been trying to fit words and tune together for The Carol of the Birds.
Which word in the last line of the verse gets two (or more) notes? I guessed "dawn", and maybe the "-ing" of "singing"
And where does the chorus start? On the seventh of the scale, so that the measure starts with the tonic (C) and the second syllable of "Or- RAN- a!"? Or is it "OR- an- a!"?
Nice song, tho it sneaks right in there and prints itself on my frontal lobes where I can't pry it off day or night.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 08:57 PM

Hi Barbara,

Yes "Dawn" get's two notes. "sing" and -"ing" get one note each. and yes "Or" is the seventh so that the bar (tonic note) starts with "ran"

3 notes on "Christmas".

hope that helps.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Musicman
Date: 18 Dec 98 - 04:43 AM

Hi there, Can anyone recommend a recording for Six White Boomers that might be had in Canada? I've got someone asking for a recording and I mentioned this great resource that I have available (they're not online!) and would see what I could do.

thanks.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: alison
Date: 18 Dec 98 - 10:12 AM

Hi,

I don't know about Canada...... but there's Rolf harris's greatest hits (it's on it.)

good luck

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Musicman
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 02:44 AM

Thanks Alison.

Paul

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Dec 98 - 11:39 AM

Art- Christmas in the Bush sings well to Star of the County Down, Tramps and Hawkers and Rolling Down to Old Maui. Only problem I see is that there seem to be two lines missing; I guess one could always repeat the tune's part B.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 22 Dec 98 - 05:06 PM

G'day all,

As our warm, antipodean Christmas looms and I struggle through the party round, I must be getting overly picky. I was singing the "Aussie Jingle Bells", the same as that which Alison posted back around 7 December, and I realised that I am always annoyed to notice that the writer is obviously a city type, because the song talks of being in a rusty Holden ute (utility = pickup for our American friends) with an "Esky in the boot (portable cooler ... for the beer of course ... in the trunk) but: A/ a ute has no boot, only an enclosed tray area! and B/ It's not likely to be rusty, if it has spent its life in the dry outback ... of course, vehicles owned by soft city types drive along our coast line and get riddled with salt and rust copiously. The old wisdom was that you bought a country owned vehicle for body parts - the motor would be clapped out but the body panels would be free of rust.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Genie
Date: 04 Dec 01 - 07:59 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Dec 01 - 08:50 PM

Amazon sells Rolf Harris "Best of Rolf Harris" with Six White Boomers for $11.99. You also should be able to order it through any large recording dealer.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 01:37 AM

In the Australian brushfires thread of 25 December (that'd be December 25 here in the Northern Hemisphere ;-) ) Bob Bolton posted a Christmas lyric with a lot of "Noel Noel Noels" in it, but no tune. I was looking for the tune. Don't see it in this thread which seemed the obvious place to look...

Bob, you out there? Can you post it (or provide a link here to where you previously posted it)?

Thanks.

Liland

PS The only southern hemisphere Christmas carol I've seen in a (Northern) hymnal is Carol Our Christmas, Our Upside Down Christmas, by Shirley Elena Murray (sp?) of New Zealand. It's in the UCC's New Century Hymnal.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:07 AM

G'day Liland,

I just noticed that this thread had been refreshed. I will get together the words and MIDI information and post The Three Drovers shortly. If you PM me an e-mail address, I can send you a tidy little TIF of the words and music, as I have a selection of the most popular 6 of Wheeler & James's 1940s/50s 15 carols - set into more comfortable 'folkie' keys (C, D, G &c) that I taught at my workshop this year, as in years past.

It is interesting that, in the mere 50 years since this one was published, the protaganists have slipped into folklore. Cattle were commonly moved about Australia by drovers, working on horseback, right up to the Vietnam War era. When the Cold (and sometimes hot) War era underlined the poor transport facilities outback, the Government rushed through a string of military transport roads. Inevitably, road trains - high power trucks with many trailers full of stock, quickly replaced the old-style drovers, so that very few young Australians will have seen drovers at work anywhere but on an historical film!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Genie
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:14 AM

Ted from Australia ,

What is the tune to Christmas In The Alice?  Do you have a MIDI of it?
It's such a great song, I'd love to sing it.  (I do a Christmas Around The World program, and it would be a great addition.)
 

Art Thieme,
Pleas do post "Santa Claus In The Bush!"
 

Alison,
Tha Aussie version of the Twelve Days of Christmas is wunnerful--much better than the original, I think!

(Is it galahs or galahs?   And what the heck are galahs, anyway?

Slainte,
 

Genie

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE THREE DROVERS
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:15 AM

G'day again,

Sorry about the duplicated posting ... (?!?).

Here is the Aussie Carol (Actually, I suspect that I may have posted a number of these around ( December 1998 ...?):

THE THREE DROVERS
Words: John Wheeler
Tune: William G James

Across the plains one Christmas night, three drovers riding blythe and gay,
Looked up and saw a starry light, more radiant than the Milky Way;
And on their hearts such wonder fell, they sang with joy "Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel!

The black swans flew across the sky, the wild dogs called across the plain,
The starry lustre blazed on high, still echoed on the Heavenly strain;
And still they sang "Noel! Noel!, those drovers three "Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel!

The air was dry with summer heat and smoke was on the yellow moon;
But from the Heavens, faint and sweet, came floating down a wond'rous tune,
And as they heard, they sang full well, those drovers three "Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel!

MIDI file: 3-drovrs.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0600 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 73 080 0048 0 73 064 0012 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 73 080 0192 0 73 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0552 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 73 080 0096 0 73 064 0024 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 73 080 0192 0 73 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 73 080 0144 0 73 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 69 080 0552 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0456 0 62 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:6/8
Q:1/4=100
K:C
D6|A2AB3/2^c/2d|^c2A^F2E|D2E^F2G|A3/2B/2AG2^F|
E5E|^F2ED2E|^F2GA2A|B2AG2A|B2^cd2d|^c2AB2B|
A2^FG2G|^F2GA2B|^c3/2d/2eA3|-A2AD3/2E/2^F|
E3/2D/2ED3|-D3/4||

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: allie kiwi
Date: 27 Dec 01 - 02:35 AM

Genie, it is ga-LAH (or rather pronounced sort of gi-LAH) and it's a bird. Reknowned for it's strange call, there is a saying 'Stop being a great galah' where you are scoffing at someone for being silly...

Allie

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 30 Dec 01 - 12:26 AM

Based on data supplied by Bob, I have posted The Three Drovers, with a rough MIDI, in my online hymnal. And here is a picture of the melody (w/ chords and lyrics).

Liland

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Dec 01 - 12:00 PM

Can't remember who sang it but I still remember the chorus -

Christmas in Australia is Christmas in paradise
Christmas in Australia is, basicaly, bloody nice!
Bruce is going steady with Sheila
Sheila's going steady with Bruce
If you haven't got a Christmas suntan
Your a Pommie and your no bloody use!

Definiteley someone Antipodean at our club once. I can only think of Paul Metzers but it doesn't seem his style and I think he's a Kiwi annyway.

May come to me after the Festive beer has all gone;-)

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols: The west wind is
From:
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:58 PM

Can you help with words and music of The West Wind is tossing the leaves?

Thank you.

Tom Marriott

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:21 PM

Look here to find the lyrics and miditext.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:22 PM

(except it's the North wind, which might be why you couldn't find it)

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 05:50 PM

refresh and renew request for MIDI of "Christmas in the Alice"

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Hrothgar
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 10:06 PM

... and, for the benefit of our Northern Hemisphere cousins - the north wind in Australia is usually hot. When it is not hot, it is hotter.

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: GUEST,Christine Kirk
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 02:52 AM

Hi!

Am responding to your message that you have the full set of Australian Christmas Carols by John Wheeler and William James. Are they available for sale? If so, please could you give me a price, and describe the condition of the book/s.

Thank you

Sincerely
Chris Kirk

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:37 PM

When I try to make a midi out of the "Carol of the Birds" miditext in this thread, I get something that deteriorates drastically in the middle of the line "Faint in the dawn light", roughly at the word "dawn". Up to that point it's fine, aside from being impossibly fast; after that point it's garbage and dead air. Here's a link to what it comes out as:

Carol of the Bzx#@!!?%

Anybody got a decent midi file (or a corrected miditext version)?

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:42 PM

Also, has anybody got the tune to Christmas in the Alice? (Also the tune for "Santa Claus in the Bush"?) Both texts are in this thread but I don't see a tune. ("key c" is slightly insufficient for me)

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: bbc
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:43 PM

Are there any recording available of Australian carols? I'd be interested.

bbc

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: bbc
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:08 PM

This is a kind of nice site, w/ midis:

Everything Australian

I came across this recording:

How Far to Bethlehem

Is anyone familiar w/ it? Is it any good?

Thanks,

bbc

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:08 PM

Incidentally, I've just posted Carol of the Birds and Christ was born in Bethlehem in my online hymnal (New Arrivals Page). In English, yet, at least if "brolgas" and "orana" are English. Of course if anyone has an Esperanto version of either (or any other) I'm ready to post that, too.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:16 PM

G'day,

Christine Kirk: I presume it's me that you are asking about the " ... full set of Australian Christmas Carols by John Wheeler and William James ..." ... Well, I have only the one set of the three ("sheet music book-format") books (5 carols per book) and they are not for sale. I did a quick check with my best supplier of good Australian secondhand music books (Da Capo, Glebe, Sydney suburb [www.dacapo.com.au/]) and got no hits ... but I would need to check their stock physically to be sure!

I also have a single book with all 15 carols arranged for organ ... but I'm hanging onto that as well. I presume that the carol books are out of print (and fashion) ... but I do like to teach the carols to my music croups, so I have reset (most of) them into better keys for 'folkie' types and produced my own music sheets. If you PM me a suitable email address, I can send you these images.

Haruo: I'm also rather frustrated that the old MIDItext ~.exe files don't seem to work on my computers, these days. It may be the Alan of Australia based the code on older Windows versions with underlying DOS ... or just that they are not in 32 bit form for the latest computers. Unfortunately we have not heard from Alan for some time ... and MIDItext is "no longer supported by Mudcat" ... for obvious reasons.

If you have a good ABC format processor, you could just grab out the ABC component generated in the (19)98 program and handle it as ABC ... which is, apparently, quite capable of all the things you need. I must get hold of a good ABC program, myself, and see what it does for me.

BTW: I could not get your link to open ... so I can't comment on the problems with the file.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:28 PM

G'day again Haruo,

I just noticed your reference to "orana" and "brolgas". Orana is discussed way up in this thread, but it is an Australian Aboriginal language word for "dawn" or "welcome".

The Brolga is an (eastern & northern) Australian crane, grus rubicundus ... grey with red features, and noted for the formal "dance" of its courtship behaviour.

I can't help you with the Esperanto versions ... we did have some keen Esperantists about the Bush Music Club in decades past ... but not currently!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Australian Christmas Carols
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:49 PM

Try the link again.

Haruo