The would be National Anthem of Australia

[happy daze john in oz]

The song about our dearly beloved Matilda. The tune original was found in the crypt of Rochester Cathedral Kent in 1986. It was thought to have been written about the timer of Henry 8. Believed that the Scots at one time used the tune, and there is a theory widely held in parts of Oz that the words were given to Banjo by a swagie and Banjo put the words and tune together.
But who better to have a song about a thief and suggest it be the national anthem than some of our politicians.

[j.sabourn]

Billy Brink.
There once was a shearer by the name of Billy Brink,
A devil for work and a devil for drink.
He"d shear two hundred a day without fear,
And he"d drink without stopping two gallons of beer.

When the pub opened up he was very first in
Roaring for whisky and howling for Gin,
saying Jimmy my boy, I'm dying of thirst
Whatever you've got there just give to me first.

Now Jimmy the barman who served him the rum
hated the sight of old Billy the bum;
He came up too late, he came up too soon,
At morning, at evening, at night and at noon.

Now Jimmy the barman was cleaning the bar
with sulphuric acid locked up in a jar.
He poured him a measure into a small glass,
saying after this drink you will surely say pass.

Well says Billy to Jimmy, the stuff tastes fine.
She"s a new kind of liquor or whisky or wine.
Yes that's the stuff Jimmy, I'm as strong as a Turk-
I'll break all the records today at my work.

Well all that day long was Jim at the bar,
Too eager to argue, too anxious to fight,
roaring and trembling with a terrible fear,
For he pictured the corpse of old Bill in his sight.

But early next morning there was Bill as before,
Roaring and bawling and howling for more.
His eyeballs were singed and his whiskers deranged
He had holes in his hide like a dog with the mange.

Said Billy to Jimmy, she sure was fine stuff,
It made me feel well but I aint had enough,
It started me coughing, you know I'm no liar,
And every damn cough set my whiskers on fire.

JS

[cappy]

john the most interesting read i have which i look t in a spare quiet moment is the....POETICAL WORKS OFHENRY LAWSON ......of which i am sure you have learnt of since being in oz.......he was born in a tent in the grenfell goldfields ...three of my favourites are..... the captain of the push........men who come behind........and ...the glass on the bar .......but many others are a great read .....and a lot based on comeradeship andhard times .......some quite emotional to read .....but all giving a true look at oz and its people of years ago .......true good reading ....regards cappy

[Fouro]

After reading thro' all the poems and poetry on this subject there is not one word of mention of Andrew Barton Paterson the man who composed Australia's best known folk song Waltzing Matilda. Also I'm proud to say Andrew's father was Andrew Bogle Paterson a Scottish immigrant from Lanarkshire.
Also while I'm at it, the Rule Britannia song we recognise today was written by Scottish poet and playwright James Thomson who was born in Roxburghshire.

Here's tae us, Wha's like us, Damm few and there aw deed.

FOURO.

[j.sabourn]

The Roaring Days .... Henry Lawson.
The night too quickly passes and we are growing old, so let us fill our glasses and toast the days of Gold; When finds of wondrous treasure all set all the south ablaze, and you and I were faithful mates all through the roaring days.
Then stately ships came sailing from every harbours mouth, and sought the land of promise that beaconed in the south; Then southward streamed their streamers and swelled their canvas full, to speed the wildest dreamers e'er born in vessels hull.
Their shining Eldorado beneath the southern skies, was day and night forever, before their eager eyes. The brooding bush awakened, was stirred in wild unrest, and all the year a human stream went pouring to the west.
The rough bush roads re-echoed the bar rooms noisy din, when troops of stalwart horsemen dismounted at the Inn. And oft the hearty greetings and hearty clasp of hands. Would tell of sudden meetings of friends from other lands.
Another 7 verses the human stream pouring to the west strikes a bell somewhere. Cheers John S

[Captain Kong]

These Plaques are on Circular Quay in Sydney.
Very interesting there are many of these on the Walk.

I like Banjo`s,

Brian

[j.sabourn]

Anyone wanting to know some of the History of Australia should read The Fatal Shore. Heavy going at times but probably extremely close to the truth, the good the bad and the indifferent. I read many years ago. JS

[Captain Kong]

I had the book FATAL SHORE,
I lent it to my brother, his evil wife got him into a Care home and it is in her house, I cannot get it.
A very interesting story of the convict trade and an unbelievable amount of suffering and death of the CONVICTS.
cHEERS
Brian

[j.sabourn]

#28... I was in Port Arthur before the mass murders they had there with that young kid. It was hard to imagine such a beautiful place could be the site of so much suffering. Suppose even Belsen could look cheerful on a sunny day. Cheers JS

[Richard Quartermaine]

You've made my day JS. Sadly for 'sentimental blokes' with a long memory span so much has changed. My memory span is four score years from the two roomed bush school where we all sang our hearts out as assembled under the peppercorn tree we marched across the dusty playground into classes. First 'God Save the Queen (first verse only Marian), then 'Advance Australia Fair' and if old Pop Haynes, the teacher was not too tired beating the time with the punishment cane, 'Sing as we go and let the world go by'. At the pictures (cinema) down in the nearby town as the curtains opened God Save the Queen triggered everyone standing.
The difference I discovered in Britain just as WW2 had been won was how everyone was pigeon holed according to their background.
There was one poem that I have been wracking what's left of my brains that was at a long evening at the bar of the Northern Club in Lautoka, Fiji one bloke came up with "You can talk of bush blossoms, goannas and possums, Of gay kookaburras, most joyous of birds".......... it ends with referring to the whereabouts of an old mate - "He's down in Tumba bloody rumba shooting kanga bloody roos. I'm b******d if I can dig it up.
Richard