Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)

Subject: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Forsh
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 05:30 PM

I see my lyric request for 'the cheerfull horn' has got alot of you remenising, well ... here's another chance, I am sure! BAck in the 70's Daddy Forsh used to do a parody, I think, which had a chorus that went: Drik it down, bring it up, drink it down bring it up, dum de dum de dum dr dum de dee, and ' as I began to reach, I made for (Nudgy Beach?) and came face to face with flaming Morton Bay. ... OK, come on, fill ya boots, oldies!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Forsh
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 06:10 PM

Hey! the service is getting slack here! 39 minutes and not one reply! someone must know the words???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Gareth
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 06:55 PM

Morton Bay ???

Is that near Jervis Bay, or Walvis Bay ?????

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 09:18 PM

G'day Forsh,

I take it you are after your Dad's parody of the trad/"Frank the Poet" song, which is in the DT:
Moreton Bay ...?

Actually, the chorus you quote has suspicious overtones of Barry Humphreys' Chunder in the South Pacific Sea! Maybe you Dad did a Brisbane version that drew on both ...?

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 12:45 AM

This one is a parody of Barry Humphries' "Chunder in the Old Pacific Sea", I think. Ken Evans used to sing it around Brisbane. I'll do some digging.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 10:05 AM

It's nothing to do with the trad one in the DT, which is one of my favourite tunes. At least they haven't set a TV ad to it... yet!

I'm sure I've heard Kenny Evans do it. I think it's a version/parody of the BH one, but I don't have the words. The point of the joke for non Queenslanders, is that Morton Bay is so big... like a wide mouthed cup facing east.

He starts off down in the south, and keeps travelling around the bay coast (not feeling very well!) till he hits the top, and all he can see is sea, but it's still Morton bay.

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Forsh
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 03:06 PM

Thanks to the three of you! I have remembered a bit more, I think it started something like, ' I came to Brisbane Queensland, and I found it aint worth beans and the only consolation left to me, is as I begin to reah ....er, lost it there! Yes Bob Bolton, I am after that parod, as sung by Alan Forsh, I wish I had had a tape recorder in those days, he was a well of folk knowledge & song, christ, WHY CAN'T KIDS LISTEN?! I know I wish I had listened more.
Cheers.
Oh
Foolestroupe, Thanks for the background to the song, Now I get it!
Hrothgar: Good luck with the digging! :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Forsh
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 06:42 AM

Anyone got these lyrics? I won't bring it up again, Honest!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 11:59 PM

G'day again Forsh,

I suggest you contact the Brisbane independent Folk Magazine The Folk Rag:
Folk Rag.

June Nichols, who runs it, would have sung with your Dad (... but that doesn't mean she would remember this song ...?).

As well, June was very ill recently, and I don't know how well she is back at the controls. Good luck!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Ian
Date: 10 Sep 03 - 06:44 AM

Hi Forsh, I will look them out I know i have them in my head but there should be a written copy.

Ian

Subject: Lyr Add: MORETON BAY
From: Ian
Date: 10 Sep 03 - 07:33 AM

Hi again these are from memory
I heard it in Aus in 1980 and liked it
I think I've sung it once in a club since then.

MORETON BAY

As I was walking one morning early,
By Brisbane's waters I chanced to stray.
I overheard a convict, his fate lamenting
As on that sunny bank he lay.

I am a prisoner from Erin's island,
Though banished now from my native shore.
They took me from my aged parents
And from the maiden that I adore.

For three long years I've been beastly treated
And heavy irons on my legs I wore.
My back with flogging was lacerated
And often painted with my crimson gore.

I've been a prisoner at Port Macquarie,
At Norfolk Island and Emu Plains,
At Castle Hill and at cursed Toongabbie.
At all those settlements I worked in chains.

But of all those places of condemnation
And penal stations of New South Wales,
To Moreton Bay I have found no equal.
Excessive tyranny each day prevails.

There's many the man from downright starvation
Lies mouldering now underneath the clay.
That Captain Logan, he had us mangled
At the Triangles at Moreton bay.

Like the Egyptians and ancient Hebrews
We were oppressed under Logan's yoke
Till a native black lying there in ambush
Did deal that tyrant his mortal stroke.

So come, fellow sufferers, be exhilarated
That all such tyrants such fate may find,
And when at last we are liberated
All former sufferings will fade from mind.

I think these are right
The song was written with some flowery language (re Egyptians and Hebrews)
Captain Logan was killed by a native who was possibly paid by the prisoners.

Ian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Morton Bay?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 Sep 03 - 09:29 AM

G'day Ian,

That's the standard John Manifold arrangement of "Frank The Poet's" ironically named A Convict's Lament on the Death of Captain Logan. What Forsh is after is a totally different song - a parody of the Barry Humphries song Chunder in the Old Pacific Sea ... with Moreton Bay local references.

June may know it ... if she hasn't managed to forget it yet!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 18 Sep 03 - 02:44 AM

I think I've heard that Barry Humphries song, back in 1974 when I was a medical student. It was sung by Dr. Jeff Maisels, a Kiwi neonatologist. Can anybody direct me to the words and music?

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 03 - 01:24 AM

Rang Kenny Evans last night.

He wrote it in about 1971/2. He thinks he may have mislaid his original notebooks for the moment, but will look around and probably write it out from memory.

He was quite chuffed when I said that someone had remembered the song, and is quite happy for me to forward on the words here, under the usual Mudcat arrangements.

He said he has never received a penny for it.

Some years ago at some festival, a guy from Adelaide had learned the song and played it to Kenny, saying "I think this song should fit you"

Kenny's comment after hearing it: "I should bloody well hope so!"

So he has told me to keep rattling his cage for the moment. He has no internet connection.

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: Forsh
Date: 25 Sep 03 - 01:57 PM

Wow, thanks Robin, I guess this means I will (eventually) get the lyrics from source, Great!
Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 02:07 AM

Have rung Kenny a couple of times. His memory may not be what it used to be.

So rather than anyone keep waiting on me to come thru with the words, I suggest that it may be time to try other sources.

Sorry

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 09:45 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: freda underhill
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 10:02 AM

it may not be the one you're after, but here is a parody of moreton bay done at Gulgong folk festival a few years ago! anyone who's been to sydney and gulgong will recognise the local references.

regards

freda

..One Sunday morning as I was snoring
in Red Hill bunkhouse I chanced to stray
I heard a folkie his fate bewailing
as on that lumpy old top bunk he lay

I am a native of the Glengarry castle
and banished now to the Shannon hotel
they kicked me out of the Carlisle castle
and from the Thurliss that i loved so well!

I've been a folkie at Numerella
at Jamberoo and at Major's Creek
at Wollombi and at Cursed Toongabbie
and at St Albans and Nariel Creek

But of all places of inebriation
of liver failure and drunken males
to the Commercial I have found no equal
excessive swilling now each day prevails

For three long days I was beastly heated
my lips were chapped and my head was sore
my elbow aching from constant bending
as down my thraot all those ales were poured

and many a folkie now from dehydration
sits swilling tankards and frothy ales
until at last reaching saturation
they swagger out of the Prince of Wales

Like all Australians and ancient Irish
we were impressed with a beer and toke
Til a local man standing right beside us
downed sixty schooners of rum and coke

My fellow folkies be exhilerated
that all such pisspots such a pub may find
and when from Gulgong we are liberated
our massive hangover shall fade from mind..

jennyo, sue gee, Rhymin'Simon, Greg Bull and freda underhill
Gulgong chorus cup 31 December 2000

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moreton Bay (parody)
From: freda underhill
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 10:54 AM

ps i forgot to mention the most important part of that song - the title:

MORTEIN BAY