Lyr Add: The Swag and the Shiner (Paul Metsers)

13 May 02 - 08:12 AM (#710119)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE SWAG AND THE SHINER (Paul Metsers)
From: kendall

THE SWAG AND THE SHINER
(Author unknown to me)

When I was a lad sure I made up me mind
That I didn't belong to the laboring kind
Me hands were too good and me body too fine
and, me brain, sure it was even finer,
To spoil them by working it seemed such a shame
So, I learned all I could of this wayfarin' game
By way of Australia to New Zealand came
And, hurrah for the swag and the shiner.
And it's many an infamous trick I've conceived
And many a barman that's gladly believed them
Of many free drinks I have often relieved them
Hurrah for the swag and the shiner.

One day as I tramped with my mate, Gypsie Lee
he looked down at the road, "Huh, a sparrow," says he
"That's a skylark," says I, "And, a free drink on me,
If you'll follow the scam of the Shiner,
At the next pub we come to," I says, "You wait outside
But, stand by the door with your ears open wide,
And, at the right moment you comes right inside
But, you don't know the swag or the shiner."

Well, at the next shanty I swear it's a lark
"That's a sparrow" the barman was heard to remark
Says I "I'm so sharp I can tell in the dark
The difference 'tween Magpies and Minahs"
"Well, I'll wager a drink or a round then" says he,
"That the next man comes in here a sparrow will see"
Then, in comes old Gyp, "Hey, a skylark" says he;
Free drinks for the swag and the shiner.

Now houses and mansions I let them all be
For it's certain that working each day ain't for me
Every day with me swag on the road I am free
And I pity the natty and miner
Now, some folks don't like me they think I'm a nut
And, some say I'm lazy 'cause I like the shortcut
But, a regular job keeps a man in a rut, so
Hurrah for the swag and the shiner.

km

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13 May 02 - 08:22 AM (#710121)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The swag & the shiner
From: MMario

Thanks Kendall

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13 May 02 - 10:44 AM (#710219)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The swag & the shiner
From: kendall

I don't know much about the song, I was told that a "Shiner" is an Irishman.

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14 May 02 - 12:22 AM (#710685)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE SWAG AND THE SHINER (Paul Metsers)
From: jacko@nz

I believe the song is by Paul Metsers.

As sung by Kilderkin with Paul leading. There are little changes all the way, plus the missing lines in verse 2
THE SWAG AND THE SHINER

When I was a lad well I made up me mind
That I didn't belong to the labouring kind
Me hands were too good and me body too fine
And, me brain, sure it was even finer,
To spoil them by working would be such a shame
So, I learned all I could of this wayfarin' game
And by way of Australia to New Zealand came
And hurray for the swag and the shiner.

Now some folk drink tea but water's less risky
And with others it's sherry or beer makes them frisky
But give me the Irish and Jamieson's whiskey
The warmest and best stomach liner
And many's the infamous trick I've conceived
And many's the barman that's gladly believed them
So of many free whiskies I often relieve them
Hurray for the swag and the shiner

One hot day as I tramped with my mate, Gypsie Lee
He points down at the road, "A dead sparrow," says he
"That's a skylark," says I, "And, a free drink for me,
If you'll follow the plan of the Shiner,
So at the next pub I says, "You wait outside
But, stay by the door with your ears open wide,
And, at the right moment you comes straight inside
But, you don't know the swag or the shiner."

So, at the next shanty I swear it's a lark
"It's a sparrow" the barman is heard to remark
Says I "I'm so sharp I can tell in the dark
The difference 'tween Magpies and Minahs"
"I'll wager a whiskey all round then" says he,
"That the next man comes in here a sparrow will see"
So in comes old Gyp, "'Tis a skylark" says he;
Free drinks for meself and the shiner.

Now houses and mansions I let them all be
And I'm certain that working each day ain't for me
On the road with me swag on me shoulder I'm free
And I pity the navvy and the miner
Now, some people like me some think I'm a nut
And, some say I'm lazy 'cause I like the shortcut
But, a regular job gets a man in a rut, so
Hurray for the swag and the shiner.

Jack

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14 May 02 - 01:15 AM (#710708)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The swag & the shiner
From: michaelr

What a great song! It scans as if it could be sung to "Arthur McBride", non?

Michael

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14 May 02 - 02:10 AM (#710731)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The swag & the shiner
From: Mark Cohen

Well that's not too bad, as folk processing goes. I imagine Kendall learned it from Gordon Bok, who recorded it in 1990 on "Return to the Land" (on Folk-Legacy). Gordon's notes on the printed lyric booklet (thank you, Sandy and Caroline Paton!) credit Paul Metsers with the words and music and say: "From a tape sent to me by Larry Carpenter, now of Minnesota, who, with his wife, Grace, worked in New Zealand and who has given me many fine songs and tapes from that area." I guess that's the same tape Jacko has. (Oh, and "minah" -- or "myna", as Gordon's lyric has it -- is actually spelled "mynah".)

Aloha,
Mark

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14 May 02 - 02:21 PM (#710799)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The swag & the shiner
From: kendall

I thought there was something missing! the verse about the tea and beer. Couldn't find my copy of Gordon's CD.

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