| Tie me kangaroo down, sport (By Rolf Harris 1957) (The first part of the song is spoken) There's an old Australian stockman lying dying And he gets himself up onto one elbow And he turns to his mates who are gathered around And he says: Watch me wallabies feed, mate Watch me wallabies feed They're a dangerous breed, mate So watch me wallabies feed All together 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 away from the fool, Curl Just keep me cockatoo cool All together now Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down And take me koala back, Jack Take me koala back He lives somewhere out on the track, Mack So take me koala back All together now Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Let me abos go loose, Lou Let me abos go loose They're of no further use, Lou So let me abos go loose All together now Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down And mind me platypus duck, Bill Mind me platypus duck Oh, don't let him go running amuck, Bill Just mind me platypus duck All together now Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Play your didgeridoo, Blue Play your didgeridoo Oh, like keep playing till I shoot through, Blue Play your didgeridoo All together now Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred Tan me hide when I'm dead So we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde And that's it hanging on the shed All together now Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down Tie me kangaroo down, sport Tie me kangaroo down |
Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" is a song written by Rolf Harris in 1957 which became a hit
across the world in the 1960s. Inspired by Harry Belafonte's calypsos, it is about an Australian
stockman on his deathbed. The song is one of the best known and most successful Australian
songs.
Rolf Harris offered four unknown backing musicians 10 percent of the royalties for the song,
but they decided to take a recording fee of 28 pounds between them because they thought
the song would be a flop[1]
The recording of the song, with Rolf Harris, peaked at Billboard position #3 in 1963. Harris re-recorded it along with
The Wiggles in 2005. It is still popular today as a children's song.
The fourth verse was removed circa 1960, because of its use of the word Abo, a now offensive slang term for
Aboriginal Australians, and because of its implied racist context. (I did post it here in the song)
The verse appears to make light of Aboriginal servitude and captivity in that the stockman emancipated his captives
only at his death, when they were "of no further use" to him. In addition, because the rest of the song refers to
animals in captivity, some listeners might infer a comparison of Indigenous Australians to animals or their
characterization as subhuman. The offending verse did not feature in later versions of the song. In 2006 Harris
expressed his regret about the original lyrics.
The distinctive sound of Harris's original recording was achieved by the use of an instrument of his own design
called the "wobble board", which gives off a gloop-gloop sound, like water going down the drain.
The first wobble board
The first wobble board was created by Rolf when he was trying to dry the background board for a painting. The
painting was on hardboard and in an effort to dry the painting he used a heater to heat the hardboard and dry the
base paint. As it was drying Rolf felt the board and it was so hot he burnt his finger. To prevent the board busting
into flames Rolf picked up the board and held the board between his palms and wobbled it to cool it. Rolf kept the
painting wobbleboard and it toured the world with him. This all happened in 1957. In 1960 the wobble sound was
included on the record "Tie me Kangaroo down Sport" which became an instant international hit for Rolf. When the
orginal wobbleboard began to crack Rolf replacd it with the "Stairway to heaven" board currently in use.
Rolf's Website
What's a wobble board and how do you make one?
Rolf Harris gives this answer on stage and during interviews.
"The first wobble board was made of 2 foot by 3 foot 1/10th inch thick hardboard, although they can be made
slightly smaller. There is a slight indentation in the middle of each short side so the hands don't slip when playing.
This needs to be as wide as the hand and about 1/4 inch deep. It is played, not by gripping the board with the
fingers, but by propping it between the palms of the hands and bouncing it, accenting every second beat, or off
beat, as it's called. If you haven't got a really good sense of rhythm, don't try to play one.
across the world in the 1960s. Inspired by Harry Belafonte's calypsos, it is about an Australian
stockman on his deathbed. The song is one of the best known and most successful Australian
songs.
Rolf Harris offered four unknown backing musicians 10 percent of the royalties for the song,
but they decided to take a recording fee of 28 pounds between them because they thought
the song would be a flop[1]
The recording of the song, with Rolf Harris, peaked at Billboard position #3 in 1963. Harris re-recorded it along with
The Wiggles in 2005. It is still popular today as a children's song.
The fourth verse was removed circa 1960, because of its use of the word Abo, a now offensive slang term for
Aboriginal Australians, and because of its implied racist context. (I did post it here in the song)
The verse appears to make light of Aboriginal servitude and captivity in that the stockman emancipated his captives
only at his death, when they were "of no further use" to him. In addition, because the rest of the song refers to
animals in captivity, some listeners might infer a comparison of Indigenous Australians to animals or their
characterization as subhuman. The offending verse did not feature in later versions of the song. In 2006 Harris
expressed his regret about the original lyrics.
The distinctive sound of Harris's original recording was achieved by the use of an instrument of his own design
called the "wobble board", which gives off a gloop-gloop sound, like water going down the drain.
The first wobble board
The first wobble board was created by Rolf when he was trying to dry the background board for a painting. The
painting was on hardboard and in an effort to dry the painting he used a heater to heat the hardboard and dry the
base paint. As it was drying Rolf felt the board and it was so hot he burnt his finger. To prevent the board busting
into flames Rolf picked up the board and held the board between his palms and wobbled it to cool it. Rolf kept the
painting wobbleboard and it toured the world with him. This all happened in 1957. In 1960 the wobble sound was
included on the record "Tie me Kangaroo down Sport" which became an instant international hit for Rolf. When the
orginal wobbleboard began to crack Rolf replacd it with the "Stairway to heaven" board currently in use.
Rolf's Website
What's a wobble board and how do you make one?
Rolf Harris gives this answer on stage and during interviews.
"The first wobble board was made of 2 foot by 3 foot 1/10th inch thick hardboard, although they can be made
slightly smaller. There is a slight indentation in the middle of each short side so the hands don't slip when playing.
This needs to be as wide as the hand and about 1/4 inch deep. It is played, not by gripping the board with the
fingers, but by propping it between the palms of the hands and bouncing it, accenting every second beat, or off
beat, as it's called. If you haven't got a really good sense of rhythm, don't try to play one.
Kangaroe-eiland Dit is het geluid van een haastige kangoeroe Radeloos, redeloos, reddeloos Want tijdens haar middagtukkie Is zoonlief uit 's moeders buidel geslopen Nieuwsgierig naar de wijde wereld Nu gaat ze rond bij haar buurvrouw, en ze vraagt Heije Henkie gezien, Sien Heije Henkie gezien Nee, maar misschien tante Stien, Mien Heit die Henkie gezien En met z'n allen nou Op een kangoeroe eiland, waar je kangoeroes vindt Zoekt een kangoeroe moeder naar d'r kangoeroe kind Ach wat is dat kind snel, Nel Ik sloot m'n ogen een tel En toen zonder vaarwel, Nel Kroop 'ie uit m'n buidel En met z'n allen nou Op een kangoeroe eiland, waar je kangoeroes vindt Zoekt een kangoeroe moeder naar d'r kangoeroe kind Laatst nog kreeg 'ie een jojo In m'n buidel cadeau Hahaha, nou ik sprong als een vlo, Jo Dat ding dat kriebelde zo En met z'n allen nou Op een kangoeroe eiland, waar je kangoeroes vindt Zoekt een kangoeroe moeder naar d'r kangoeroe kind Oh, ik ben toch zo ongeruus Truus Ik ben toch zo ongeruus Pa gooit me zonder excuus Truus Als ik zo leeg thuis kom uit huus En met z'n allen nou Op een kangoeroe eiland, waar je kangoeroes vindt Zoekt een kangoeroe moeder naar d'r kangoeroe kind Oh kijk nou weer eens aan, Sjaan Wat 'ie nou weer het gedaan Hij was, en dat lapt 'ie me nou altijd Tussen m'n voering gegaan En met z'n allen nou Op een kangoeroe eiland, waar je kangoeroes vindt Gaat een kangoeroe moeder met d'r kangoeroe kind Met d'r kangoeroe kind Harris/André Meurs |
Wallabies.
Cockatoo
Koala congo line
Australian Aboriginals
Platypus duck
Didgeredoo
Rolf Harris and his "Stairway
to Heaven" Wobble board.
to Heaven" Wobble board.
Rolf Harris
Kangaroo island The words are quite different, and kind of funny, so I did a quick translation. Sonja This is the sound of a rushed kangaroo Desperate, irrational, lost Because during her midday nap Junior sneaked out of his mothers pouch. Curious about the outside world. Now she is going to all the neighbors, and she asks: Did you see little Henry, Sien Did you see little Henry No, but maybe aunt Stien, Mien did she see little henry And now all together On a kangaroo island, where you will find kangaroos A kangaroo mother is looking for her kangaroo child Oh, what is that child fast, Nel I close my eyes for a second And then without a fare well, Nel He sneaked out of my pouch And all together now On a kangaroo island, where you will find kangaroos A kangaroo mother is looking for her kangaroo child Recently he got a yo-yo in my pouch as a present Hahaha, that made me jump like a flea, Jo That thing tickled so much And all together now On a kangaroo island, where you will find kangaroos A kangaroo mother is looking for her kangaroo child Oh, I am so worried, Truus I am so worried Pa, throws me without any excuse, Truus out of the house if I come home so empty And all together now On a kangaroo island, where you will find kangaroos A kangaroo mother is looking for her kangaroo child Oh look now at this, Sjaan What he has done again He was, and he does it all the time in between my lining And all together now On a kangaroo island, where you will find kangaroos Goes a kangaroo mother with her kangaroo child With her kangaroe child |
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