Lyr Add: Aussie Bar-B-Q (Eric Bogle)

Subject: Lyr Add: AUSSIE BAR-B-Q (Eric Bogle)
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 20 Oct 98 - 08:13 PM

A great Eric Bogle number, which like all Bogle material should be sung infrequently. Written a bit over 20 years ago, it's the first (and last) of his songs I've performed. But don't get me wrong, I'd prefer to declare 1999 a Lennon-McCartney free year if that was possible. Absence makes the heart...

AUSSIE BAR-B-Q

When the summer sun is shining on Australia's happy land
Around countless fires in strange attires you see many solemn bands
Of glum Australians watching as the lunch goes up in flames
By the smoke and the smell you can plainly tell that it's barbie time again.

CHORUS

When the steaks are burning fiercely when the smoke gets in your eyes
When the snags all taste like fried tooth paste and your mouth is full of flies
It's a national institution it's Australian through and through
So come on mate and grab your plate let's have a BBQ.

The Scots eat lots of haggis, the French eats snails and frogs
The Greeks go crackers over their moussaka and the Chinese love hot dogs
The Welshmen like to have a leek, the Irish like their stew
But you just can't beat that half cooked meat at an Aussie BBQ.

There's flies got to the margarine, the bread has gone rock hard
The kids are fighting and the mossies are biting, "Who forgot the Aerogard?"
There's bull-ants in the Esky and the beer is running out
And what you saw in Mum's coleslaw you just don't think about.

And when the barbie's over on your homeward you wend
With a queasy tummy on the family dunny many lonely hours you'll spend
You might find yourself reflecting as many often do
Come rain or shine that's the bloody last time that you'll have a BBQ.

Translations

snags - sausages
Aerogard - insect repellent
mossies - mosquitoes
Esky - portable ice-box
dunny - toilet

Regards
John

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Aussie BBQ Song (Eric Bogle)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 21 Oct 98 - 07:24 PM

G'day John,

Ah yes, Wee Eric's career has come on since this was first recorded as a novelty release ... with "singing dog chorus"! (The inventor of the electronic synthesiser has a lot to answer for as well!)

It was probably after this release that Bogle decided he had better sing his own songs ... a career as a professional lyricist was far too dependent on the quality of singers who bought your wares (and what they did with them).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Aussie BBQ Song (Eric Bogle)
From: Barbara
Date: 21 Oct 98 - 10:13 PM

As a child we would sing this parody of "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" (we learned it, like many other classics, from Mad Magazine).
There's a huge mushroom cloud looming upward (2x)
It may seem to appear that an A-bomb dropped here
But it's only our BBQ out in the rear....

CHO:
Oh what a beautiful beefsteak,
Oh, what a sweet tenderloin
Too bad that Dad had to cook out
Black to a crisp it will boin. (ah dese guys from Joisy or what?)
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Aussie BBQ Song (Eric Bogle)
From:
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 09:15 AM

Thanks a lot - I've been trying to find out about 'snags' (I put 'snacks'), Aerogard and the Esky for some time, so this was a great help. Thanks again, Susanne.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Aussie BBQ Song (Eric Bogle)
From: Bear
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 12:00 PM

This is a bonza song, n o douby about it. The tune is basically the same as "Coulter's Candy"

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Aussie BBQ Song (Eric Bogle)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 07:50 AM

When searching for this song to answer a question I found the following alternative first verse (all other verses identical):

When the summer sun is shining on New Zealand's happy land
With countless fires and strange attires, and many solemn bands
Of blond Australians watching their lunch go up in flames
By the smoke and the smell you can plainly tell that it's Barbie time again

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Aussie Bar-B-Q (Eric Bogle)
From: GUEST,Moparman
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 03:39 PM

The only things that I've found a bit different that what's listed here...are...

1. I clearly hear the final phrase of the chorus state "mate(s)"...not singular. As in "c'mon mates and grab your (respective) plate, let's have a barbeque". But...the general idea is the same.

2. The phrase "And when the barbie's over on your homeward you wend" doesn't match what the guy is singing. I have no idea what he's saying after "over", but there's a word or two extra in there that the lyrics don't cover. Can anybody clarify and explain?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Aussie Bar-B-Q (Eric Bogle)
From: Little Robyn
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 03:52 PM

Mitch reckons it's 'and your homeward way...'
Bogle does tend to alter/hone his words until he's happy with them, eg 'year by year their numbers get fewer..'
'year by year more old men disappear..' in the last verse of 'The Band played Waltzing Matilda.'
Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Aussie Bar-B-Q (Eric Bogle)
From: GUEST,Lindswidder
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 03:57 PM

I got this on a double-cd called "Australiana" (Our Land, Our Music) it's a wonderful collection of Australian songs from several decades.

I understand the lyrics to be

Flies stuck to the margarine,,,and

And when the Barbie's over, and your homeward way you wend
With a queasy tummy,,etc

Subject: Chords Add: AUSSIE BAR-B-Q (Eric Bogle)
From: JanH
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 04:13 PM

This is what I hear

The Aussie Bar-B-Q    Eric Bogle

When the (G)summer sun is shining on Aus(C)tralia's (C/B)happy (Am)land,
Around (D)countless fires in strange attires, see many solemn (G)bands
Of glum Australians watching the (C)lunch go (C/B)up in (Am)flames,
By the (D)smoke and the smell you can plainly tell that it's barbie time a(G)gain.

When the steaks are burning fiercely, when the (C)smoke gets (C/B)in your (Am)eyes,
When the (D)snags all taste like fried tooth paste and your mouth is full of (G)flies,
It's a national institution, it's Aus(C)tralian (C/B)through and (Am)through,
So (D)come on, mate, and grab your plate, let's have a barbe(G)que.

The Scots eat lots of haggis, the (C)French eat (C/B)snails and (Am)frogs,
The (D)Greeks go crackers over their moussakas and the Chinese love hot (G)dogs,
The Welshmen love to have a leek, the (C)Irish (C/B)like their (Am)stew
But you (D)just can't beat that half-cooked meat at an Aussie barbe(G)que .

When the steaks are burning fiercely, when the (C)smoke gets (C/B)in your (Am)eyes,
When the (D)snags all taste like fried tooth paste and your mouth is full of (G)flies,
It's a national institution, it's Aus(C)tralian (C/B)through and (Am)through,
So (D)come on, mate, and grab your plate, let's have a barbe(G)que.

There's flies stuck to the margarine, the (C)bread has (C/B)gone rock (Am)hard,
The (D)kids are fighting and the mozzies are biting, "Who forgot the Aero(G)gard?"
There's bull-ants in the Esky, and the (C)beer is (C/B)running (Am)out,
And (D)what you saw in Mum's coleslaw, you just don't think a(G)bout.

And when the barbie's over, on your (C)homeward (C/B)way you (Am)wend,
With a (D)queasy tummy on the family dunny many lonely hours you'll (G)spend.
You might find yourself reflecting, like (C)many (C/B)often (Am)do,
Come (D)rain or shine, that's the bloody last time that you'll have a barbe(G)que.

When the steaks are burning fiercely, when the (C)smoke gets (C/B)in your (Am)eyes,
When the (D)snags all taste like fried tooth paste and your mouth is full of (G)flies,
It's a national institution, it's Aus(C)tralian (C/B)through and (Am)through,
So (D)come on, mate, and grab your plate, let's have a barbe(G)que.

© Eric Bogle, All Rights Reserved

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This is the version from 'Plain And Simple'.

snags – sausages
mozzies - mosquitoes
Aerogard - insect repellent
Esky – polystyrene container
dunny - toilet

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Aussie Bar-B-Q (Eric Bogle)
From: Megan L
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 04:18 PM

a great fun song years ago the Corries did a Scots version
Come and join us