Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: GUEST,(Bruce from Bathurst on the road)
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 04:49 AM

That's another Bernard classic, for sure, Jon. I think it's called 'The Head' and it refers to an upwardly mobile passenger losing the head (handle) of their umbrella. Written when Bernard was a poor struggling corporate lawyer (cough cough) in Sydney around the same time as the Ferry song.

BTW, if there are any concerns regarding the word "jewies" in the song 'Not Many Fish In The Harbour Today', refer to Mr Wikipedia and his explanation of the alternative common name for the mullaway (argyrosomus japonicus).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Dec 18 - 11:30 PM

A lovely song! I remember hearing it at the Sydney Folk Club in 1970 or thereabouts (still got my membership card swank swank). I think he had another song about going up in an elevator to the bank and the doors closing fast and someone else in the elevator saying "I know the bank says "get ahead with your mortgage" but I didn't know they meant it literally".

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: GUEST,Richard Horsley
Date: 28 Dec 18 - 09:40 PM

I was moved to revisit this song after moving to Neutral Bay, right next to the Ferry wharf. Thanks to the lyric-redorders above.

One suggested correction: surely it's "swash their buckles", not "squash their buckles" -- as in "swashbuckling", an adjective that collocates almost exclusively with "pirate(s)".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: GUEST,Liora Claff
Date: 18 Aug 15 - 11:57 PM

It's "Take Wodger and Wufus as well

Subject: Lyr Add: ROSE BAY FERRY (Bernard Bolan)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 09:18 AM

From YouTube

ROSE BAY FERRY (Bernard Bolan)

Every morning at 8:25,
Down to the Rose Bay wharf I drive,
Park my Humber underneath a tree,
Pop along the gangplank and then I'm free.
"Free?" says you, "but how can that be,
When you always finish up at Circular Quay?"
So, doubting Tom, I shall explain.
When I get on board, I sing this sweet refrain:

Where are we going today, Mr. Nicholson?
Where is it going to be?
Don't turn left; turn right down the harbour
And out to the open sea.
Throw away your compass, right hand down,
And it's out through the heads we go.
Yo ho! let's be merry on the Rose Bay ferry.
If we run out of petrol we'll row.
Yo ho! If we run out of petrol we'll row.

Monday, Java; Tuesday, Spain;
Wednesday, Tokyo; and back again.
The only trouble is: there isn't any Gents,
But what do you want for twenty cents?
Off with me raincoat and me woolly vest.
See the naked ladies on my chest!
Today is Friday, so hold on tight,
'Cause it's off to Trinidad and back tonight.

Where are we going today, Mr. Nicholson?
Where is the going to be?
Don't turn left, turn right down the harbour
And out to the open sea.
Pull up your anchor, pull your finger out,
And wave goodbye to your home.
We're off to Nantucket, so give that man a bucket,
'Cause it's choppy when you're out on the foam.
Heave Ho! It's choppy when you're out on the foam.

Now, sometimes if I get up late,
I only reach the jetty at half-past eight,
But that doesn't ruin my world-wide trip,
'Cause the 8:37 is a battleship.
Off on the dot with our guns on high,
Mince up Manly as we pass by.
We need another rocket, so just pop upstairs.
You can get 'em from the chappy who collects the fares.

But now, left turn right today, Mr. Nicholson!
Trouble in town, you see.
Let's hear three cheers; we're brave buccaneers,
The saviours of Circular Quay!
With thatch on high and brollies to the sky,
Every pollie from his folly must flee.
With knuckles and chuckles, we'll swash their buckles
If they bugger up Circular Quay.
Then we'll heave to (or three) at Circular Quay.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 06:04 AM

I listened to a clip on Youtube with a different last chorus...   couldn't decipher the second last line....

(But now)
A left turns right, today Mr. Nicholson
Trouble in town, you see
Let's hear three cheers, we're brave buccaneers,
The saviours of Circular Quay
with thatch on high and brollies to the sky
Every pollie from his folly must flee
with knuckles and chuckles and

'sloshed er buckles, then'

we bugger up Circular Quay.. Then we'll heave too (or three) at Circular Quay.

{Not sure of the bit in quotes at the end..}

Can someone correct it for me?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 06:38 PM

More on "Not Many Fish" -- Phyl Lobl has all the words and a
faithful recording posted on her site:
http://phyllobl.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=161&Itemid=147

Subject: Lyr Add: NOT MANY FISH (Bernard Bolan)
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 01 Oct 11 - 01:49 PM

So I listened again, and found I'd missed a verse couplet, so here's
Fish again:

NOT MANY FISH - Bernard Bolan

From Mortlake to Mosman for thirty-five years
In a twenty-six-footer I’ve sailed,
It paid for me grub and a couple of beers
But not now since the fishing has failed.
There used to be blackfish; there used to be bream;
And there used to be jewies to tame.
But now there’s old beer cans and polythene bags
And things too repulsive to name.

CHORUS: But the sun is still shining and the sky is still blue.
You can still taste the salt on the spray.
Me lines are all baited and me net’s over too,
But there’s not many fish in the harbour today.

Once the catches you’d get nearly made your boat sink
And the three of you filling the barge
But now all you get is terrible stink,
With typhoid at no extra charge.
What you need is a craft that can sail the high seas
Where the herring and kingfishes play.
All you bring up in the harbour is dead dogs and cats,
Not to mention that Mrs Macrae. CHORUS

So go for a sail with your Sally and Sue.
Take Roger and Rufus as well.
Remember to chuck your muck over the side,
Then complain of the hideous smell.
Once a fisherman was known for not getting upset
When he sailed through the wind and the rain,
But a man can’t but think when he’s sailing through this:
What a pity you can’t pull the chain. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 01 Oct 11 - 12:47 PM

(Never post late at night -- typing goes all to hell)
The two previous posts are transcribed from a record (yes, 33rpm)
THE LIVENESS OF THE LONG PLAYING BERNARD BOLAN, probably
recorded in the early 1980s.

The worst typos are:

Fish:
But now there's old beer cans   (not "Bub")
So go for a sail with your Sally and Sue

Rose Bay:
Where is it going to be? (not "the")
The only trouble is, there isn't any Gents (not "they")
It's choppy when we're out on the foam Yo Ho!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 30 Sep 11 - 11:03 PM

ROSE BAY FERRY - Bernard Bolan


Every morning at 8:25
Down to the Rose Bay wharf I drive
Park my Humber underneath a tree
Pop along the gangplank and then I'm free

Free says you, but how can that be?
For you always finish up at Circular Quay
So doubting Tom I shall explain
When I get on board I sing this sweet refrain

(Chorus, but it changes...)
Where are we going today, Mr. Nicholson?
Where is the going to be?
Don't turn left, turn right down the harbor
And out to the open sea
Throw away your compass, right hand down
And it's out through the heads we go
So ho! let's be merry on the Rose Bay ferry
If we run out of petrol we'll row Yo Ho!
If we run out of petrol we'll row

Monday Java, Tuesday Spain
Wednesday's it's Tokyo and back again
The only trouble is, they isn't any Gents
But what do you want for 20 cents?

Off with me raincoat and me woolly vest
See the naked ladies on my chest
Today is Friday, so hold on tight
'Cause we're off to Trinidad and back tonight

Where are we going today, Mr. Nicholson?
Where is the going to be?
Don't turn left, turn right down the harbor
And out to the open sea
Pull up your anchor, pull your finger out
And wave goodbye to your home
We're off to Nantucket, so give that man a bucket
'Cause it's choppy when you're out on the foam Yo Ho!
It's choppy when you're out on the foam

Sometimes when I get up late
I only reach the jetty at half past 8
But that doesn't ruin my world-wide trip
'Cause the 8:37 is a battleship

Off on the dot with our guns on high
We mince up Manley as we pass by
If you're out of rockets, just pop upstairs
You can get 'em from the chappy who collects the fares

Where are we going today, Mr. Nicholson?
Where is the going to be?
Don't turn left, turn right down the harbor
And out to the open sea
For though we look like dudes and doctors
At heart we are men of the sea
So Ho! let's be merry on the Rose Bay ferry
Until we get to Circular Quay
We finish up at Circular Quay

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 30 Sep 11 - 10:41 PM

Here's one; Rose Bay will follow...

NOT MANY FISH
Bernard Bolan

From Mortlake(?) to Mossman for 35 years
In a 26-footer I've sailed
It paid for me grub and a couple of beers
But not now since the fishing has failed

There used to be blackfish, there used to be bream(?)
There used to be jusis(?) to tame
But now there's old beer cans and polythene bags
And things too repulsive to name

(Chorus:) But the sun is still shining, the sky is still blue
You can still taste the salt in the spray
Me lines are all baited, me net's over too
But there's not many fish in the harbor today

So for a sail your Sally and Sue
And take Rufus and Wadja as well
Remember to chuck your muck over the side
And complain of the hideous smell

Once a fisherman was known for not getting upset
When he sailed through the wind and the rain
But a man can but think when he's sailing through this
What a pity you can't pull the chain

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry (Bernard Bolan)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 07:09 AM

Christine, it's on 2 of his CDs - An Eccentric Collection & Quirky Works - both available from Folk Trax - see Catalogue Generator, then Customise & search for Bernard Bolan.

Click on Info button beside each CD for track info.

Cost $25

sandra

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry
From: GUEST,Christine
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:24 PM

I've been try to track this song for ages. I can't find a recording on eBay yet :-)

Where are we going today Mr Nicholson
Where is it going to be?
Don't turn left turn right down the harbour
and out to the open sea ...

I don't know what's next in the lyrics.

I have over many years said, on days with gorgeous weather, and today is one of those 'Rose Bay Ferry' days, I would like to just continue driving past the turnoff to work and out to the vineyards or further up the Hunter!
It's a "Rose Bay Ferry' day!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 08:20 AM

G'day Warsaw Ed,

When I last spoke to Bernard, he had not had anyone actually transcribe any of his songs ... as ould be needed for publishing. I mentioned thatI had done so, for the needs of my Monday Night Music Workshop, inter alia. One of those I did transcribe was Rose Bay Ferry ... and I vaguely thought I might have posted it to Mudcat - but I may merely have sent a copy to Charlie Noble. The other, on much the same stretch of water, by Bernard that I have transcribed is Not Many Fish in the Harbour, Today - a song based on rueful thoughts of what a fisherman might have caught in Sydney Harbour, back in the 1970s, before anti-polluting laws took effect!

If you PM me a suitable address, I will send you an image (PDF format or TIFF, if you can't read PDFs) of my music sheet - and, I guess, I should post lyrics and MIDItext of the tune to the Mudcat!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry
From: alison
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 04:03 AM

Here is a link to Bernard's site....

drop him a line I'm sure he'd be happy for you to sing it......

Bernard has written some wonderful songs... you can get the CDs from his site.....

"where are we going today Mr Nicholson?
Where is it going to be?...."

slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Req: Rose Bay Ferry
From: Warsaw Ed
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 09:38 PM

Any One know where the lyrics [and score] can be found to this song performed by Bernard Bolan. The song is found at "http://theshed.mountaintracks.com.au/sound.html". It's about the ferrys in Sydney Harbour. Thanks, Ed