h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A very quiet weekend, if a little cold

Thanks for explaining

We can't choose the associations we make, can we ? I use to play the word association games here on h2, I often have no idea how people get from one given word to the word they post - different background and language barriers, I suppose, but then they probably wonder about some of mine, too

And oddly enough, we've had a friekishly-mild week-end. Weird year or so of weather everywhere, eh?

And even more surprising is that I am familiar with Rolf Harris. I recall a variety show, an Emu-puppet and his wobble-board, from maybe the mid-70s. Very entertaining chap.

And of course an up-shot to this recent chatting. A tune I was taught in perhaps the 6th or 7th of school ....

Once a jolly swagman camped by a Billabong
Under the shade of a Coolabah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me'".

Up rode the Squatter a riding his thoroughbred
Up rode the Trooper - one, two, three
"Where's that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".

But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the Billabong,
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Thank you, Nick The song has its own colorful history as well as describing a iconic period of our past but my memory of Watlzing Matilda is singing it with a bunch of rowdy Brits in a small pub in Croydon near London.

Rolf was a character, wasn't he? Do you recall "Six White Boomers" the kangaroos who tow Santa Claus "through the Australia sun" and give the reindeer a break?

Only passively. You have to remember it was quite some time ago. Nearly 2 life-times ago for me, if you look at marriages, careers, etc. Do you know of any good links to perhaps some audio or a/v clips of his? A lot of classic stuff is now on-line somewhere.

As to the tune, we learned it in conjunction with some of our history lessons. Here, we learned history of all corners of the world, not just our own piece of the thing. So while I never knew a LOT, a smattering of nearly every populated zone as of the early 70s.

Whoops, did that date me a bit?

Whoo-hoo. A fun and light one for a change ...

When I was just a wee little lad,
Full of health and joy,
My father homeward came one night
And gave to me a toy.
A wonder to behold it was
With many colors bright
And the moment I laid eyes on it,
It became my heart’s delight.

Refrain:
It went zip when it moved and pop when it stopped,
Whirrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.

The first time that I picked it up
I had a big surprise
Cause right on the bottom were two big buttons
That looked like big green eyes
I first pushed one and then the other,
Then I twisted it’s lid
And when I set it down again, here is what it did:

(refrain)

It first marched left, and then marched right
And then marched under a chair
And when I looked where it had gone
It wasn’t even there
I started to cry, but my daddy laughed
’cause he knew that I would find,
When I turned around my marvelous toy
Would be chugging from behind.

(refrain)

The years have gone by too quickly it seems,
I have my own little boy
And yesterday I gave to him
My marvelous little toy:
His eyes nearly popped right out of his head
And he gave a squeal of glee!
Neither one of us knows just what it is
But he loves it just like me!

It still goes... (refrain)

Awwww, what have you done - now I'm humming Waltzing Mathilda

Now don't you start ME! I just lost it, in favour of a cuter tune.

I've got it on a tape somewhere - my mother once sent it to me, with the sister-in law of my aunt singing it,too

I see, that bit of a family and personal touch too. Nice.

yes, but I have no idea where I put it

Well, I won't tell your Mom if YOU don't.

- I'm relieved to hear that

She probably wouldn't understand me anyway, would she? My completely accent-free English.

Actually, I think she would understand you, but I'll just not tell you her address

Just don't trust me, do you?

As far as I can throw you

Off now, back later

Now it's Burl Ives !!!!

A little bitty tear let me down, spoiled my act as a clown
I had it made up not make a frown, but a little bitty tear let me down.

You said you were leaving tomorrow
That today was our last day
I said there'd be no sorrow,
That I'd laugh when you walked away.

A little bitty tear let me down, spoiled my act as a clown
I had it made up not make a frown, but a little bitty tear let me down.

I said I'd laugh when you left me
Pull a funny as you went out the door
That I'd have another waiting
And I'd wave goodbye as you go.

A little bitty tear let me down, spoiled my act as a clown
I had it made up not make a frown, but a little bitty tear let me down.

Everything went like a planned it
And really put on quite a show
In my heart I felt I could stand it
Till you walked with your *grip* through the door.

A little bitty tear let me down, spoiled my act as a clown
I had it made up not make a frown, but a little bitty tear let me down.

That is an oldie. I remember him doing 'The ugly bug ball'

For our first (wedding) dance, I wanted his tune "I'm the boss" (Don't tell ME how the dishes should be done !!!)

Cheryl didn't quite agree.