BIG MIKES BIRTHDAY JAN 12th YAHOOO

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Good one, Alex

Been a while since I last read the words to tie me kangaroo down...

The most amazing thing is Rolf is still going strong 46 years later having moved to the UK.

His most recent fame was to paint a portrait of the Queen:

And the populus think its the most human and real portrait of HMQEII to be done in many years.

Your Rolf is part of the fixtures and fittings here and remains a very popular evergreen, even the gutter tabloid press, not backwards in inventing dirt where none is to be found, have never tried to smear Rolf's name, as is their are usual wont elsewhere.

No doubt our British members will find Rolf a familiar sight on their TV screens as he hosted an animal hospital show over there for many years too.

Quite the evergreen.

Quite so, and the AH series is into its Nth season.

In recent months RH hosted a popular art show where a well recognised old master painting was divided into some 40 rectangles and a facsimile of these areas sent around the country to be painted by amateurs against a deadline whereupon they were re-assembled into a giant 40ft odd canvas of the original picture. I'm no artist at all but it was captivating TV.

For instance:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ts/3686058.stm
http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/10/12_ed...lisa_story.htm

Great guy, "our" Rolf.

R.

Thanks for the invite Alex!!!! I'll be in Halifax, NS in July In the citidel doing a Tattoo and "Trooping of the Colours" with my 1775 British Regt(HM 5th foot) along with 12 other Brit Regts, maybe sum of you lads can come and check it out, if you are Nice i'll let you shoot my wall gun!



Cheers BIG MIKE

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Derek...
To refresh your memory...
Tra-la-la-la-laaaaaa!!

Rolf wrote this in 1957, inspired by Harry Belafonte's calypsos. The song was number 1 for about four weeks in Australia in 1960; this version was re-recorded in England in 1962. Apparently, the verse marked * caused offence (leading to the song being banned in Singapore), and was removed in later years.

Derek..
Rolf Harris also had his Three legged character act about that same time..
He used to sing that song and cruise around on three legs...Funniest thing I saw til the pigs ate granny..!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Harris) Ardmore & Beechwood Ltd / EMI (P) 1963
Arr. Johnnie Spence - Produced by George Martin

[Spoken:]
There's an old Australian stockman, lying, dying,
and he gets himself up on one elbow,
and he turns to his mates,
who are gathered 'round him and he says:


Watch me wallabys feed mate.
Watch me wallabys feed.
They're a dangerous breed mate.
So watch me wallabys feed.
Altogether now!


Tie me kangaroo down sport,
tie me kangaroo down.
Tie me kangaroo down sport,
tie me kangaroo down.


Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl,
keep me cockatoo cool.
Don't go acting the fool, Curl,
just keep me cockatoo cool.
Altogether now!


Take me koala back, Jack,
take me koala back.
He lives somewhere out on the track, Mac,
so take me koala back.
Altogether now!


Let me Abos go loose, Lou, *
let me Abos go loose.
They're of no further use, Lou,
so let me Abos go loose.
Altogether now!


Mind me platypus duck, Bill,
mind me platypus duck.
Don't let him go running amok, Bill,
mind me platypus duck.
Altogether now!


Play your digeridoo, Blue,
play your digeridoo.
Keep playing 'til I shoot thro' Blue,
play your digerydoo.
Altogether now!


Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred,
tan me hide when I'm dead.
So we tanned his hide when he died Clyde,
(Spoken) And that's it hanging on the shed.
Altogether now!


© 1960 Castle Music Pty, Ltd.
Words and music by Rolf Harris

Wasn't that sung by Lonnie Donegan?

SIT DOWN JON your Blocking the View!!! Fusilier

Left Me sing you the RNF's Regt'll song "Bladen's Race's"


BIG MIKe

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Wasn't that sung by Lonnie Donegan?

Oh no!!

LD had a WASHBOARD not a WOBBLEBOARD.

You're thinking of "Cumberland Gap" or perhaps "The Battle of New Orleans."

I have them here, on 78's. . . . . . . . . . . .

R.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Alex Blair
[B]Derek...
To refresh your memory...
Tra-la-la-la-laaaaaa!!

Rolf wrote this in 1957, inspired by Harry Belafonte's calypsos. The song was number 1 for about four weeks in Australia in 1960; this version was re-recorded in England in 1962.


Tie me kangaroo down sport,
tie me kangaroo down.
Tie me kangaroo down sport,
tie me kangaroo down.

Of course, Rolf Harris! How could I forget! Great performer. Way back in the day my neighbours were from Oz and I remember they were great fans of Rolf. If memory serves me right, there used to be two ocean liners, the CANBERRA and the ORIANA. They were sister ships and at least one made it's maiden voyage from Vancouver. I believe they sailed to and from Oz, but don't quote me on that. I do know they sailed as far as Fiji because my Australian neighbours took that cruise. They were even kind enough to bring me back a gift from Suva. Anyway, they told me that Rolf Harris performed on board the ship. I do remember the ship sailing with great fanfare...the fireboat was out spraying great sheets of water and there were fireworks galore! A few days later, my pal John and I were beachcombing like we always did and found an unexploded rocket. Being but 6-7 years old, we promptly picked up our prize and took it home. John's dad almost had a coronary when he saw what we had.....it was a signalling rocket from the ship and although the propellant was gone the warhead (for want of a better term) was intact. We caused quite a stir! Police, news reporters, and the Harbourmaster all quizzed us about where we had found it. John and I were extremely disappointed when we couldn't keep it! It would fetch good dollars on ebay now, I bet! LOL!

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Haunting tune, sang, amongst others, by Eric Bogle, a Scotsman who migrated to Oz.

I'll admit that I get a bit of eye dampness every time I hear it, and as I read the post.

Hard not to get emotional reading those words. The Brits had few qualms about using colonials as cannon fodder, didn't they! In the same vein as your post I include The Salute to the Engineers, written by a Corporal of the 18th Field Engineer Co., R.C.E. during WW II:


SALUTE TO THE ENGINEERS
Now the Lord of the Realms has glorified the Charge of the Light Brigade,
And the thin red line of infantry, when will it’s glory fade?
There are robust rhymes of the British Tars and classic Musketeers,
But I shall sing till your eardrums ring of the muddy old Engineers.

Now it’s all very well to fly through the air, or humour a heavy gun,
Or ride in tanks through the ranks of the broken and shattered Hun.
And it’s nice to think when a U-boat sinks, of the glory that outlives years,
But whoever heard of a vaunting work for the muddy old Engineers?

Now you must not feel as you read this rhyme that a Sapper’s a jealous knave,
That he joined the ranks for a vote of thanks or in search of a hero’s grave.
No, your mechanized is all right and your Tommy has darned few peers,
But where in Hell would the lot of them be if it weren’t for the Engineers?

Oh they look like tramps but they build your camps and sometimes lead the advance.
And they sweat red blood to bridge the flood, to give you a fighting chance.
But who stays behind when it gets too hot, to blow up the roads in the rear?
Just tell your wife that you owe your life to the muddy old Engineers!

No fancy crest is pinned on his chest; if you read what his hat badge says,
Why “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense”, is a queersome sort of phrase.
But their modest claim to immortal fame has probably reached your ears,
The first to arrive, and the last to leave, are the Glorious Engineers.



CHIMO!