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24 Nov 99 - 05:31 AM (#140236) Subject: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Liz the Squeak Looking for a song, the chorus of which has the last line 'fishing for the humbacked whale', Can't remember anything else, swiss cheese memory and a lyric book that was stolen 2 years ago had conspired to drive me batty. Please?? LTS |
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24 Nov 99 - 07:04 AM (#140241) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Alan of Australia G'day, That'll be "The Humpback Whale". It was recorded by Nic Jones. Not sure who wrote it but at a guess I'd say Harry Robertson, a Scottish Australian, died a couple of years ago.
Cheers, |
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24 Nov 99 - 07:56 AM (#140249) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Bob Bolton G'day Liz,
The line could be from the chorus of Harry Robertson's Ballina Whalers I have the tune and text in the book Whaling Songs of Harry Robertson, published by Albert Publications (J. Albert & Sons Ltd, 139 King Street., Sydney, NSW, Australia) in 1972 to accompany his record (which I also have) Whale Chasing Men - Music for Pleasure #MFP 8272 Stereo. Harry's whaling songs are marvelous ... even more so, considering the bloody nature of the whaling trade. I'm not surprised that so many have been taken up by UK singers. The whaling business is happily (almost) gone, but my mother's siter married a Danish whaler. He worked outback as a stockman, on sheep and cattle stations ... but every year or two, the whaling would call and he would quit station work and get down to Sydney to sign up for the southern whaling season, chase whales for 4 moths or so - then be back in the dry back country riding a horse after cattle! Regards, Bob Bolton |
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24 Nov 99 - 08:07 AM (#140254) Subject: Lyr Add: QUEENSLAND WHALERS (Harry Robertson) From: Ted from Australia QUEENSLAND WHALERS (Harry Robertson) I've sailed the North Atlantic, where ice blows in the breeze, And roamed the Dutch West Indies in the calm blue sunny seas. When I think of ships and seamen, my thoughts return again To a season spent in Moreton Bay with Queensland whaling men. CHORUS: Sing ho, you Queensland whalers. You've cut the sugar cane, And driven herds of cattle o'er the dry and dusty plain. You've dug the ore at Isa, laid countless miles of rail, And now you come to Moreton Bay to catch the humpback whale. For men who've chase the brumbies, catch bullocks by the tail, It really is no problem to catch a humpback whale. You ride your iron sea-horse, put the gun through rigging struts, And when he runs from the coral scrub, you belt him in the guts. The man up in the crow's nest, as whaling legends goes, Looks out across the water and shouts, "Thar she blows," But here in sunny Queensland, you'll often hear them shout "There goes a bloody beauty, mate, so get your finger out." From Moreton to Caloundra bronze whaler sharks abound. They wait like dingoes in the scrub for a wounded beast to sound. But their taste for blood and savagery, it never could compare With the bite that bloody taxman takes from our bonus share. When fuel tanks are running low, we'll head for Brisbane town, And at the nearest boozer our sorrows we will drown. With beer and fiery whiskey, and plonk of vintage rare, We'll steer a steady zigzag course without a bloody care. And when the season's over, and we can all return To greet our wives and sweethearts and have a little fun, We'll rant like Queensland drovers, and roar like whaling men, And when the season starts next year you'll find us back again. |
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24 Nov 99 - 08:17 AM (#140257) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Stewie Hey Ted, remember the 'Sally's in the garden shelling peas' couplet? Have a good yuletide, Stewie.
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24 Nov 99 - 08:32 AM (#140261) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Bev Lawton The version you are looking for is on the Nic Jones "Penguin Eggs" CD. Bev |
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24 Nov 99 - 08:45 AM (#140266) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Bugsy It's a song off a Nic Jones album? Perhaps Penguiun Eggs, I'm not sure. I'll See if I can lay my hands on it. Trouble is my turntable is still doing funny things. Can anyone else help with this in the meantime? Cheers Bugsy |
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24 Nov 99 - 01:57 PM (#140346) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Wolfgang most Nic Jones lyrics including the one asked for are here. Wolfgang |
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24 Nov 99 - 02:07 PM (#140350) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Bill Cameron Say Bob, I'm pretty sure that's "forget your SNAPPERS and your prawns.... not "schnappers"--I guess those would be found on whalers of a more northern variety... ah, great song. I can hear it in my minds ear even though the tape got ate last year.... Bill |
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24 Nov 99 - 05:19 PM (#140405) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: lamarca Wolfgang, That site lists both "Humpback Whale"(AKA Ballina Whalers) and "Little Pot Stove" as traditional; both are by Harry Robertson, and I believe Nic even listed that fact on the recording!
Bob, I've been working on learning Ballina Whalers, but the range required is pretty big. Mark of the Aussie songs site sent me the words a few years ago, saying Harry had died recently. He was a great songwriter, as witnessed by the fact that so many of his songs get listed as "Trad."! |
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24 Nov 99 - 06:54 PM (#140444) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Smeebes Little Pot Stove & Humpback Whale lyrics on the Nic Jones/Penguin Eggs site now correctly attributed to Harry Robertson. |
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25 Nov 99 - 05:22 AM (#140581) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Liz the Squeak Thanks everyone - the stupid thing is - I'd forgotten that I actually have 'Penguin Eggs' by Nic Jones, somewhere in the house, I'd also forgotten he'd recorded it! Been some 3 years since I played it, better go fish it out now (sorry, bad pun...) I knew Nic quite well back in the '80s, when he was still recovering from his accident. Anyone know how he is now?? LTS |
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25 Nov 99 - 05:35 AM (#140585) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Wolfgang Liz, there have been several thread on Nic Jones, go to 'Forum Search', enter 'Nic Jones' for subject and you'll find them all. Wolfgang |
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25 Nov 99 - 06:18 AM (#140591) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: G'day again all, Bill Cameron: Schnapper is a standard local(Eastern Australia)name and spelling for the fishes chrysophrys auratus & c. guttulatus (although they are also called snapper) and that is the spelling Harry used in his book. There is a strong undercurrent of German spellings and words in Sydney slang ... up to August 1914, when this was suppressed. Some hang on and others are now historical. Lamarca: I believe a Fairmile was a small, fast Royal Navy (and Royal Australian Navy)boat - mainly a motor torpedo boat. Many war-surplus items were put to new an interesting uses. Down in Tasmania, when I was working on the Hydro schemes, I met a Pom who had used one for smuggling from France to England for several years post-war. He put his small boat skills to work again in Tasmania's disastrous floods of ~1960 to save people ... and was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire)! Regards, Bob Bolton |
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25 Nov 99 - 06:21 AM (#140592) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Bob Bolton Oops! I forgot that this machine hasn't got my cookie on it. (The otherwise anonymous) Bob Bolton |
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25 Nov 99 - 09:58 AM (#140642) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: Liz the Squeak Thanks Wolfie, I've eaten snapper and they are bloody good however you spell them. Bob, always remember where you left your cookies..... LTS |
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25 Nov 99 - 01:36 PM (#140695) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Humpbacked whales, fishing for From: selby Nic is well & living in York there has recently been an article in Living Tradition about him and a release of his work on a CD called. In search Of Nic Jones. released on Mollie Music if you want an adress E mail me. Keith |
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04 Mar 11 - 10:43 AM (#3106878) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Queensland Whalers (Harry Robertson) From: cloudstreet Queensland Whalers was the Australian Folk Song A Day choice for Thursday, March 3, 2011. Multi-tracked on a Zoom H4 |
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04 Mar 11 - 11:40 AM (#3106916) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Queensland Whalers (Harry Robertson) From: Charley Noble Harry Robertson lives on! Charley Noble |
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06 Mar 11 - 12:09 AM (#3107896) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Queensland Whalers (Harry Robertson) From: cloudstreet A 3-part rendition can be found here: An Australian Folk Song a Day |