Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Dec 12 - 12:36 PM

The oldest source I could find with Google Book Search, is from a novel, Landtakers: The Story of an Epoch by Brian Penton (Sydney: The Endeavour Press, 1934), page 54:

Cut your name across me backbone,
Stretch me skin across yer drum,
Iron me up on Vinchgut
From now to Kingdom Come;

I'll eat yer Norfolk Dumpling
Like a juicy, Spanish plum,
Even dance the Newgate Hornpipe
If ye'll only gimme rum!


[However, the phrase "dance the Newgate hornpipe" occurs in *A Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English" by John Stephen Farmer (G. Routledge & Sons, Limited, 1921), page 305.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 12 - 12:03 PM

Does anyone know the tune to the Rum Song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 14 Dec 11 - 11:10 AM

Thanks Bob - can I echo Charlie's suggestion
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Dec 11 - 07:48 AM

Bob-

G'Day, to you as well and thanks for the Xmas card!

How about posting some of the other verses, if you can find them in your inventory?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 05:31 PM

G'day Jim,

Full version ... well the subjects of the song might be full - but the verses are infinite!

BTW: In the early days of the New South Wales Settlement, around Sydney (and pretty well anywhere else in the early days) "Rum" was a de facto currency. The rotgut in question was a controlled import: i.e. the British Marines made sure nobody else got away with bringing any in ... and what they bought from South American rough distilleries was aguardente ... ~ "firewater"!

This led to the enduring 'nickname / epithet' for said Marines as the Rum Corps!

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 09:00 AM

Thought for a minute I was finally going to get a full version of "The song of the salvation Army"
Damn!!!!
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 08:49 AM

This extract gives quote from Robert Hughes The Fatal Shore and an explanation of the terms as Norfolk dumplings = 100 lashes with the cat, Newgate Hornpipe = execution: Motivational Interviewing

Similar quote here: The Cornish Overseas.


Google books has several quotes of it, all in modern books (1967 was the earliest I think I saw). Most say something along the lines of Anon, thought to date to penal days. One post I saw suggested it appeared in the Oxford Book of Australian Poetry, perhaps there's more info there.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 07:29 AM

Several Google hits giving the same words (and marked as traditional).
Similar words embeded in the (longer) Walking in the Dreamtime

Cheers
Nigel

Subject: Lyr Add: Convicts Rum Song
From: mark gregory
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 07:18 AM

any info about this greatfully received

The Convicts Rum Song

Cut yer name across me backbone
Stretch me skin across a drum
Iron me up to Pinchgut Island
From today till Kingdon Come!

I will eat yer Norfolk dumplings
Like a juicy spanish plum
Even dance the Newgate Hornpipe
If ye'll only give me Rum!