…I want to
Put a cat among the pigeons
A flea in someone's ear,
Engage in a flight of fancy,
To sink some really small beer!
I want to sail across the seas
And plumb the ocean deep;
To do exactly as I please,
And have my beauty sleep!
Yes, I know these are all hackneyed phrases,
You know, the proverbial whatsisname,
But, no matter what you say, come what may,
It's OK by me, thanks all the same!
'Cos I want to
Fight the good fight, all ends up,
And have an axe to grind,
Know just how many beans make five,
To say, 'How terribly kind!'
I want a fair crack of the whip,
Come home on the pig's back;
Go on that fabulous trip -
But, of course, on the right track!
Yes, I know these are all hackneyed phrases,
You know, the proverbial whatsisname,
But, no matter what you say, come what may,
It's OK by me, thanks all the same!
…'Cos I want to
Burn the candle at both ends
And go from bad to worse,
Never 'be there always for my friends' -
Know it all, chapter and verse!
I want to drown the impossible dream
And never have enough,
Ford the deepest bloody stream
And to never give a stuff!
Yes, I know these are all hackneyed phrases,
You know, the proverbial whatsisname,
But, no matter what you say, come what may,
It's OK by me, thanks all the same!
…'Cos I want to!
Thanks, mate!
Is there a king who’s
Missing a queen? whose
Elegant shoes, size
Ten to fifteen, are
Enough to make you
Choose him to be yours, to
Win the baby boy after boy
After boy succession
Prize.
Is there a man who's
Yearning for fame? a
Warrior of note;
One to float my boat
Enough to make me
Choose him to be mine, who
Needs someone like me to
Guide him to play the great
Game.
You've got me on board,
We just need a good lord;
With his shield and sword
Near here, not too far abroad;
Who’s his own reward
Doesn’t mind being ignored;
And finally and absolutely
Doesn’t need to be adored!
2025
Y’know, it’s funny
How a bloke can live a life
More or less alone,
In a happy vacuum between
Years before and years to come.
What are those years, anyway?
They’re gone, or on the way,
Part of another, vaguer, scene.
Y’know, it’s funny
How a bloke can change so soon,
One December day
When she arrives a little late,
To pledge herself all to him.
He knows, but doesn’t know,
That things are on the change,
That what will come will come what may!
Y’know, it’s funny
How a bloke can be re-born
When someone else is!
She, too, arrives a little late,
With much more fuss than her Mum!
Then life really begins
As a little life grows,
Grows, grows at a furious rate.
Y’know, it’s funny
How a bloke can win such joy
From a bit of him.
How fights and shouts and spanks and pranks
Blur and fade, yet grow and shine.
So comes today, this day,
No more is she a ‘child’ -
A woman now, but still the same.
Yes, it is funny, isn’t it!
1988
My young friends, an enemy is across the sea,
They want our land and wealth.
They’re getting ready to dare to take us
By force and cunning stealth.
You must be steady, you must get ready,
You must believe in our cause.
Our life is far too dear to us, so
Let’s go off to wars.
The call has gone out, the call has gone out -
Muster to the call.
Your country calls, your comrades call:
Answer their call.
Empire’s youth, an enemy is across the sea,
Who wants our pride and wealth.
Who’s getting ready to dare to break us
By force and cunning stealth.
We must be steady, we must be ready,
We must fight those bloody Boers.
Our life is far too dear to us, so
Let’s go off to wars.
The call has gone out, the call has gone out -
Let us heed the call.
Your country calls, your comrades call:
Answer their call.
Allies brave, our enemies threaten the free -
They stalk our commonwealth.
They’re getting ready to dare to take us
By force and cunning stealth.
We must be steady, we must be ready,
Their guns are all aimed at our shores.
Our life is far too dear to us, so
Let’s go off to wars.
The call has gone out, the call has gone out -
Again we hear the call.
Your country calls, your comrades call:
Answer their call.
Free world men, enemies press in on all sides
To steal our lives and health.
They’re seeking the world unless we stop them
By force and clever stealth.
We must be steady, we must be ready,
Those commies care nothing for laws.
Our life is far too dear to us, so
Let’s go off to wars.
The call has gone out, the call has gone out -
Again we need the call.
Your country calls, your comrades call:
Answer their call.
There’s always an enemy around somewhere
Who wants ‘your land or self’.
Who’s getting ready to dare to take you
By force or cunning stealth.
You must be steady, you must be ready,
You must believe in our cause.
Your life is far too dear to them, so
Let’s go off to wars.
Again we hear the call.
Our country calls, our comrades fall:
Answer their call.
The call has gone out, the call has gone out -
Again we hear the call.
Our country calls, our comrades fall:
Answer their call.
Our comrades fall…
Our comrades fall…
Answer their call.
Macleod had a crowd
Of dogs one day,
Running here and there.
They’d done what wasn’t allowed –
Got out to play,
Owners unaware.
Ross came back
No Cob, no Joe!
Alas! Alack!
Oh woe, oh woe!
Up and down the streets he went,
Garbled prayers to heaven sent!
Language, no doubt, hell bent!
But he, like the dogs, on the scent!
Ross came back
No Cob, no Joe!
Alas! Alack!
Oh woe, oh woe!
First he found the younger pup,
Happy as a lark,
Playing with a buttercup (?) and
Puzzled at a tree’s rough bark.
Ross came back
No Cob, just Joe!
Alas! Alack!
Some woe, oh woe!
Then word came of number one –
Our story nears its climax –
Cobby was spotted on the run
Down at the barracks.
Ross came back
Soon Cob? Still Joe!
Alas! Alack!
Some woe, less woe!
There she was, with the troops,
Marching up and down,
Dropping stuff that needed scoops,
But now a dog of renown!
Ross came back
Now Cobby and Joe!
Too much, too slack!
No woe to show!
And so it ends, this tale of tails,
Which I’ve had to relate,
If you don’t want any wails then
Lock that bloody gate!
Lock the gate, my son,
Lock the gate.
Lock the gate -
Don’t let them run.
Lock the gate,
Wherever you are,
Coz being dogless
Just ain’t fun.
No, being dogless
Just ain’t fun.
It just ain’t fun!
2003
There is a small island across a black sea
Towards the sunset, westerly,
With long golden beaches, hills heather kissed,
Wide bays, still lochs, and sweet soft mist.
There lived a proud man
In castle of stone,
Loved by his clan, but
All alone
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
And on that small island across the black sea,
Towards the sunset, westerly,
The lonely young chieftain wed his sweetheart:
Gold days, still nights, never apart.
There lived a proud man
In castle of stone,
Loved by his clan, yet
Still "alone".
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
The years slowly passed, he began to despair,
When would he get his son and heir?
Then came a night’s ending, goldening dawn –
From out of pain a son was born.
He was strong, he was fair,
Yes, from legends spun,
A father’s prayer was
His one son.
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
Across their small island his son roamed so free,
His life a golden melody.
Along broad beaches, over the hills,
Jumping, running, swimming in rills.
Building a new man,
Well vers’d in life’s guile,
To lead the clan in
Yet awhile.
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
Then away from their home, across the black sea,
The sounds of battle, stridently.
Alarums were sounded, loud was the call,
‘Help us! Save us! Answer our call!’
He sharpened his sword
And hefted his shield,
Gathered his horde, all
Hearts full steeled.
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
They carried his body back o’er the black sea,
Along a gold path, westerly.
Back to the island home, to the old chief
Awaiting his son: grief, oh grief.
And there they were buried,
The old and the young,
Together again, and
Their song sung.
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
Macneill, Macneill,
Macneill of Barra.
Together again, and
Their song sung.
1997
Dream, then, of Australia,
My Dreamtime land,
Of its far blue low-slung ranges
And sun-hot burning sand.
Dream, then, of Australia,
My Dreamtime land,
Dream on, dream for
My Dreamtime land.
Roads leading far beyond tomorrow,
Roads stretching from long ago,
Roads for me to travel
Across my Dreamtime land.
Dream, then, of Australia,
My Dreamtime land,
Of its dry and rocky rivers
And creeks beneath the sand.
Dream, then, of Australia,
My Dreamtime land,
Dream on, dream for
My Dreamtime land.
Roads leading far beyond tomorrow,
Roads stretching from long ago,
Roads for me to travel
Across my Dreamtime land.
Dream, then, of Australia,
My Dreamtime land,
Of its fields like foreign countries,
And threats from desert sand.
Dream, then, of Australia,
My Dreamtime land,
Dream on, dream for
My Dreamtime land.
Roads leading far beyond tomorrow,
Roads stretching from long ago,
Roads for me to travel
Across my Dreamtime land.
Leaves begin to fall
As winter calls.
My hope goes, like a failing tree.
Will I hear the call again?
Calling summer's song down through its leaves to me.
Winds in winter storms,
As cold winter forms.
So hope goes, like an ebbing sea.
Will I feel the flow again,
Flowing music’s soul down through the waves to me.
Tears of sorrow spring,
Salt streams, sad streams, lost streams,
And hope flees like a dying plea.
Will I ever dream again,
Warming sunshine’s rays down through the skies to me?
Leaves begin to fall, then,
As winter calls,
My hope fades, a lost melody?
Will I never hear again:
Calling summer’s song down through the leaves to me.
My love is like a red red rose
A garden where only beauty grows
With wond’rous vistas plainly seen
In each leaf of emerald green
My love is like a red red rose
A place which my heart so truly knows
There are many strange twists and turns
And sweet, tinkling, crystal burns
My love is like a red red rose
A land of rainbows and sunset glows
A place, a garden, tranquil sea
There, my dear, for you and me!
A place, a garden, tranquil sea,
There, my dear, for you and me!
A place, a garden, tranquil sea,
There, my dear, for you and me!
For you and me!
After Robert Burns
My town is far from the city’s noise
With red gums shading the stream,
Where swallows soar and flash their wings, and
Small boys start to dream.
My town is down by a river bend,
Where summer lasts all year,
Where children dive and swim like kings, and
Ev’ry thing is clear.
Come on down to my town, my town home -
Come, come with me,
Come with me, come and see my home town,
My Australian home.
My town is high on a mountain side
With blue gums touching the sky,
Where wild birds laugh and sing strange songs, and
Dreamers start to fly.
My town is up among the hills and trails
Where winter rims the air,
Where children sing of billabongs, and
Hope is ev’rywhere.
Come on down to my town, my town home -
Come, come with me,
Come with me, come and see my home town,
My Australian home.
My town is down by the rolling sea,
With white waves washing the sand,
Where seagulls wheel across the bay, and
Dreaming fills the land.
My town is down by the ocean waves
Where salt air fills our lungs,
Where children play life’s holiday, and
All the world is young.
Come on down to my town, my town home -
Come, come with me,
Come with me, come and see my home town,
My Australian home.
Say 'Hello' to yourself, ’cause you’re okay,
It’s not so hard to do.
Take the world as it comes
Day by day,
It’s really up to you.
Say 'Hello' to yourself, come what may.
Take the world as it comes
Day by day.
It’s really up to you, so
Let us run as well as walk,
And let us shout as well as talk,
Fill the sky, fill the air, fill hearts everywhere,
It’s really up to you, so
Let us laugh as well as cry
And let us love until we die,
Fill the sky, fill the air, fill hearts everywhere
With life’s lovely song.
Say 'Hello' to yourself, ’cause you’re a friend,
It’s not so hard to do.
Treat the world to your smile,
Don’t pretend
It’s really up to you.
Say 'Hello' to yourself, come what may.
Treat the world to your smile,
Day by day.
It’s really up to you, so
Say 'Hello' to yourself, ’cause that’s the way
It’s not so hard to do.
Light the world with your laugh,
Ev’ry day
It’s really up to you.
Say 'Hello' to yourself, come what may.
Light the world with your laugh,
Day by day.
It’s really up to you, so
Say 'Hello' to yourself, ’cause you’re okay,
It’s not so hard to do.
Take the world as it comes
Day by day,
It’s really up to you.
Say 'Hello' to yourself, come what may.
Take the world as it comes
Day by day.
It’s really up to you.
Yes, it is really up to you.
Softly, softly goes the sound.
The world spins through space,
And time moves at its will.
Down here’s our human race,
Together, for good or ill, for
Softly, softly goes the sound.
Softly, softly goes the sound.
The world turns through space,
For us there’s much to do,
And time moves at its pace.
Together, friends, true for you.
Softly, softly goes the sound.
Softly, softly goes the sound.
The world falls through space,
Its own journey through stars.
And time, sometimes, shows no grace,
Together, we break iron bars, as
Softly, softly goes the sound.
Softly, softly goes the sound.
Softly,
Softly
Goes the sound.
Oh we are such lovely girls
We always want to please.
We always do our best
To help our families.
At home or up the street
We’re mother’s little helper,
And if baby gives a bleat
Most certainly we will whelp her.
Someone’s calling, calling to me.
Someone’s calling, but I’m deaf you see!
My Mummy is very sweet,
Very sweet to me. (Someone’s calling!)
She gives me all I want,
I’m happy as can be. (Someone’s calling!)
I’m just a little child,
Tender and a blessing.
Sometimes just a little wild –
Dispensing salad dressing!
My Daddy is very old,
Just like eternity. (Someone’s calling!)
He cannot take a joke,
He’s going to murder me. (Someone’s calling!)
I found some funny sticks,
Covered them with mud;
Used them to play little tricks
And coloured them like blood.
My brother is such a brat
He drives me quite insane. (Someone’s calling!)
I’ve tried so many times
To lose him down a drain. (Someone’s calling!)
I often baby sit
With my baby brother,
And I would not care a bit
If he should start to smother.
My Granddad is very strange –
He dines on warm honey. (Someone’s calling!)
I told him that I thought
He must have been a bee. (Someone’s calling!)
He turned a shade of red,
Just like our tomatoes,
Then he grabbed me by my head
And played some obligatos.
My sister is very thin
And has such knobbly knees. (Someone’s calling!)
She wears a miniskirt,
I’m sure her kneecaps freeze. (Someone’s calling!)
I don’t like her at all,
I can’t stand all her airs.
When next time she goes to a ball
We’ll see what else she bares!
Oh we are such lovely girls
We always try to please. (Someone’s calling!)
We’ve always done our best
To help our families. (Someone’s calling!)
When we grow up like you,
Have children of our own,
We’ll lock them up in the zoo
And throw them each a bone.
Someone’s calling,
Calling me to tea.
Someone’s calling,
And I’m so hungry!
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