lyr young engineer from pineapple land!

Subject: lyr young engineer from pineapple land!
From: GUEST,Bob Baynes
Date: 16 Apr 08 - 04:55 PM

Anyone know the lyrics to a song I recollect John Harrison singing when he was in the Watersons? I have tried Google and The Mudcat lyrics database. It's one of those that buzzes round your head annoyingly. I can remember the tune – you might not agree if you heard me try to sing it!
The first verse, as I remember (probably imperfectly) went something like:

Have you seen the young man, the young engineer?
Haven't seen him in these parts for nigh on a year
I think his name's Johnny, his face you all know,
He came from up north where the pineapples grow

Perhaps two more verses, vaguely something about building bridge(s) – across the Forth?

Subject: RE: lyr young engineer from pineapple land!
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Apr 08 - 11:52 PM

Here's an excerpt from "Collected Verse" by John Streeter Manifold, University of Queensland Press, 1978, page 95:

…We asked, was he Irish? He answered us, no;
He came from up North where the pineapples grow.

He answered so mannerly, quite at his ease,
Saying neither too much nor too little to please,
He was hardly a stranger by teatime, although
He came from up North where the pineapples grow….

Subject: RE: lyr young engineer from pineapple land!
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 03:59 PM

Thanks Jim,
I don't remember those lines but still pleased to have them. The source fits in with something John said to me once when asked about the song - that he had got it from an Australian. Any idea of the author?

Subject: RE: lyr young engineer from pineapple land!
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 04:12 PM

Sorry Jim, having a stupid moment, realised my error!

Subject: RE: lyr young engineer from pineapple land!
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 08:44 AM

The poem/song I quoted is THE STRANGER by John Streeter Manifold, and it's been posted here at Mudcat in another thread: Lyr Req: The Stranger: 'I'm from up north...'

Subject: RE: lyr young engineer from pineapple land!
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jun 24 - 03:26 PM

The Young Engineer sung as a duet by Mike and Norma is a Graham Miles song.