SONGS 2

This song quite possibly came out of the Great Fire at Anthony Horderns in 1901. It was accompanied with a note that readers could send for the 'beautiful set of 18 coloured slides of this great hit, for sale or hire'.

Heroes of Our Fire Brigade Imperial Songster No 87 Lyrics Grey, Milwood, Slater

Take Me Down the Harbour Imperial Songster No 87 Written by Gray and Bennett and composed Joe Slater

This one, obviously topical at the time, included the note "music from Fred Salier, Haymarket, Sydney" plus words by Alf Gray.

They Can't Hurt Paddy's Market By Changing Its Name (Tune: The Wearing Of The Green)

I've Chucked up my Push for the Donah SILVER Songster 1905

Nell at the Australia Hotel (Tune: Sweet Little Blue-eyed Nell)

Here's a piece of Sydney melodrama based around its most popular market. The reference to 'jew' is racist however it was not necessarily seen so at the turn of the nineteenth century and even jewish performers used the word freely. The spoken section at the end is now ridiculous but this too was acceptable at the time.

Paddy's Market on a Saturday (Tune: A Tale Of The Mile End Road)

This song is truly awful. Sentimental crap but included here because it concerns Sydney's electricity which was connected in 1904.

After Sydney Lamps are Lit Silver Songster 1905 (Tune: Ere the lamps Are Lit)

Now this is a peculiar piece of Sydney's social history. In the 1840s the mayor of Sydney decided to host an annual fancy dress ball. It became the subject of many songs, poems and stories and especially who was invited and what they wore. The uninvited list also received as much media attention.

The Lord Mayor's Fancy Dress Ball Aug 21 1844 ANON

The Dawn and Dusk Club Sydney Book called 'Those Were The Days' by George Taylor 1918

The following item is obviously WW1. A 'chrome' was a tart and 'stony' is broke, as in no money.

South of the Border (Tune: South of the Border, Down Mexico Way) Mitchell Library

Larrikin Ditty

Bondi is Becoming Very Popular THE BULLETIN 1891 FEB. 14

My friend Frankie Davidson, the singer, reveals that this canticle on Sydney's Cross was, in fact, recorded in Melbourne in April 1963. For the benefit of those who had not been to see Kings Cross pre-decimalisation, a "con man's swy" is a double-headed penny used for two-up, a "tenner" is ten pounds and a "zack" is sixpence. Another glimpse of the old Cross is given in the words originally intended for verse two ó "Or you could try the Chew and Chunder, you get three courses for a quid". The Chew and Chunder was the name given by patrons with affection, if not complete accuracy, to the worst eating spot in town. [- WF]

Have You Ever Been to See Kings Cross? Frankie Davidson recorded in Melbourne in April 1963

In Paddy's Market IMPERIAL SONGSTER - 1907 Sung by Johnny Gardener & Harry Sadler

The Fried Fish Man Alan Rattray. 1908 Mitchell Library

From a transcription of a talk in 1914 for the Aust historical Society and said to be an early ditty from the Kissing Point area with the informant saying he had heard the song shortly after Bourke's appointment.

General Bourke Alan Rattray. 1908 Mitchell Library Tune: Bow Wow Wow