BURNS AND SQUIRE FIGHT Imperial songster 1908

SQUIRES VERSUS BURNS (Tune: Wearing of the Green) Imperial Songster 1908. Anon

LES DARCY Music hall song. Published Imperial Songster 1917

 

The chorus of this song mentions all the famous boxers of the period. By Ernest Chappell and especially written in consideration of the Burns/Johnson fight. Brad Tate collected a version of this song in Newcastle.

CHRISTENING THE BABY (Tune: Wearing of the Green and chorus: The Baby's Name) 1909 Imperial Songster no 87.

COLLECTION OF CUTTINGS ON BOXING

F769.830994
Made by Bert Cox and includes 76 volumes.

Stadiums in Sydney

Penrith	Marrickville	Carton	Leichhardt Coronation
Ryde	Bronte	Auburn	Parramatta
Sydney	Camperdown	Newtown	Daceyville
Five Dock	Belmore	North Sydney	Hippodrome

Note by 'Solar Plexus' and from 'The Boxer' on Larry Foley

(refer song: Foley & The Green)
Foley boasted that never once in his career was he knocked down.
For many years subsequent to when the end of his pugilistic rope had been reached, the great ex-champion earned the reputation of being Champion Demolisher of Sydney buildings. He it was who supervised the pulling down of the old George Street Markets, and also the Benevolent Asylum's large building on Devonshire Street, to make room for our up-to-date central Station.

FIST-CUFF FIGHTING

Evening Star 1879
The weekly newspaper quoted a Sydney news report that 'Two men have been arrested for prize-fighting at Marrickville'

It should be noted that Queensbury's Rules were introduced in 1862 after the notoriously bloody fight between Heenan and Sayers (refer to song in AFU Joe Watson collection). Fist-cuff prize fighting was a familiar sight on the goldfields despite being against British and therefore Colonial law.


This sporting song is one of several set to the popular song that 'was all the rage'. It mentions many of the famous Australian sportsmen. J.L. is John L Sullivan and 'Paddy' is Paddy Slavin, both prize boxers.

TA RA RA BOOM DEE AY Australian Melodist No 20 Mitchell library 784.8/A New version by Bert Royle

PETER JACKSON AND FRANK P. SLAVIN Australian Melodist No 20 Mitchell library 784.8/A Specially sung by HARRY ALLNUTT Written by Pat Finn.