Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian

Subject: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 07:27 PM

I have just heard that someone in Oz has claimed a Dave Houlden song as Australian ! Chous is :-

I was about to fall apart , I'd had more than my ration
I'd had ten pints of Breakspears they'd have done me on their own
Then I got on the vodka , scotch , and drinks of every nation
And then I was transported on my ear through the pub door

Tune is the Trad Song My Names Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon transported to St Helena's shore)

Dave died in 1991 , and a collection of his songs was published for Charity in 1994 . I understandthat several people have learned the song as from Australia , and would like to know who has popularised it over there - NO problem , Dave was always pleased to give his songs away , just like to get credit where its due .

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 11:25 PM

One of my friends got a copy of Dave's book when she was in England & lent it to another singer (who still has it!) Neither of them sing it as they both traditional singers & neither would claim the song as an Australian production.

the search continues ...

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 08:26 AM

Thanks Sandra - Would that be Margaret Walters ? I know she had a copy . The Back Page is a facsimile of a flier that Dave himself gave out to a number of people I believe .

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 10:43 AM

definitely Margaret who is almost on her way to the UK - we had a farewell singing session at her place tonight!

I also asked 2 other singers with gi-normous repertoires, one has never heard of it, the other hasn't answered yet.

sandra

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 11:22 AM

thread.cfm?threadid=41942

Thread on the song there.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 02:28 PM

I thought this might be a reference to the detective stories by Arthur Upfield about Native Australian Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: trayton
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 06:38 PM

I am with the pedants and love to pin these things down but I will take the liberty and say that Dave will raise a pint of celestial Brakspear, with a smile, when his songs are performed and the fact that people who have no idea who he was are singing them is a tribute to him.
Trayton
PS In fact "Hyperbole" is now almost traditional in Staffordshire.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 06:48 PM

McGrath, I'm with you on that (I have them all). There was a film about Boney, the part-aboriginal detective, that I wish I had, but I guess it would be politically incorrect to re-issue it in this day.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 02:39 PM

No more news from Oz about this then ?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 05:55 AM

no. 3 singer has not answered but sings in the same places we do.

I'll ask a few interstate friends.

sandra

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 08:49 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Folklore: Boney Goes Boozing ! NOT Australian
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 06:51 PM

When I posted to the 2001 thread, I (probably because posting from memory and not the book put together by Trayton) omitted the second verse...

I dropped into the Rose & Crown
And very soon I settled down
I met up with some friends in there
And we started dominoes
Then I went up to the bar
To buy a round, the fifth so far
I stumbled on a bar stool
And I trod on someone's toes...

Kitty