Tuesday, July 27, 2010

G'Day Dorothy Day Recording

Have a listen to the working version of 'G'Day Dorothy Day'. It'll be one of the songs we'll be performing in West End Live on September 19th. We need singers, musos, poets and some more songs about Boundary Street West End.


G'Day Dorothy Day

Lyrics - 'Best End of West End'

Some people like starting with the story and moving to the lyrics and then the music others prefer the reverse.

Here's a song that started with some music. Not surprising really given the number of local musos and singers involved in our project.

Next came the chorus and we started thinking that maybe the verses could be about a range of different people you might come across from one end of West End to another. Ted Jones gave us a good idea for the first verse. We've got some good ideas for a second or third verse but we really would like your ideas about who they should be about. Come along on Saturday 2:00pm - 4:30pm at the Croquet Club Community Hall, 91 Cordelia St, West End to help out.

'Best End West End'

chorus
The best end of West End
is it in the middle

The best end of West End
is it near the top

The best end of West End
is it all over

Or the best end for West End
be no end at all


I saw Ted the Big Issue seller walking down Boundary Street
He was looking for the best place, best place to sell his magazines

He sat by the Lizard in the shade of the fig tree
His eyes turned to the sky and he thought back 10 years

He said, 'Phil from St Andrews trained me for two hours
And I said 'Hey Ted lets have a chat now'

I said, 'What's it like?'
He said, 'It's like being a gypsie,'
I asked 'Where is the best place to sell?'

The best end of West End
is it in the middle?

The best end of West End
is it near the top?

The best end of West End
is it all over?

The best end for West End
He said 'There's no end at all.

Lyrics - 'G'day Dorothy Day'

Here's the lyrics of one of our Stories and Songs of Boundary Street songs. We were telling stories about some of the communal households that existed in the 1970's, 80's and 90's and the various social justice projects that have abounded in West End. Anne Parker regaled us with some of her experiences living in Dorothy Day House and volunteering at Justice Products and this is the result.

G'Day Dorothy Day


G
G'day Dorothy Day
.......C ..................................... G
My goodness what would she say
...................................................................... D
about the mayhem at the Catholic Workers House?
.........G
They never made any money
.......... C ................... G
but by God wasn't it funny
........... ........................................... G
all the characters who shared that house (that wild house)


................. C ................................... G
There was Bernie Maloney saying 'G'day cobber'
D .............................................. G
Wearing his feathered sombrero
C ................ G
Terry Yates cooking up his hot Curries
Am ............. C ................. D
bringing the tears to our eyes


Anne and the crew worked at Justice Products

Fair Trade was the only policy

Jim and Anne were good Marxist Catholics

Donating to the household 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7


Bm ................... C ....... G
Dunveer would shovel down those hot curries
......... D
while Sharkbait relished his takeaways way way way
C ................. G ...................... D
Roy chasing Jim singing out 'I'll kill him!'
F ........................................................... D
There are no boundaries in Boundary Streeeeeeeet


(created Sat, 10th July, 2010, Stories and Songs of Boundary St Project members)

Monday, July 12, 2010

Two new songs underway

Stories and Songs of Boundary Street is well underway. We've had two workshops at the Croquet Club now and have 2 new songs almost complete, well, 'sort of' almost complete. The first is 'West End - Best End'. There's a great chorus that the first group put together with the help of Yani and Chris Anderson in particular. I suspect that this is going to be a song about the changes happening along Boundary Street over the years and, of course, right now. 

 I had to laugh the other day, I had arranged to meet with a colleague to talk about digital stories at a local coffee shop but, surprise, surprise, when I turned up at 10:00 o'clock at Cibo's, it had been gutted. There was a sign on the door saying they had closed with regret and the builders were already turning it into a commercial blank slate. Oh well. 

The second project song is much further along the way. We were swapping stories about Boundary Street and I remembered that Anne Parker had once told us all about her living in one of the Catholic Workers households and helping out at Justice Products. Well, Anne told us the story again and all sorts of people chipped in with their memories and suggestions and, before we knew it, some lyrics were under way. 

Getano Bann was in great form. His guitar was running hot. Helen Abrahams dropped in and made some great contributions to the song as well. Everyone was joining in with much enjoyment and fun. The working title is 'G'day Dorothy Day'. I can see it might evolve a little as more people hear it and make comments, especially some of the people currently mentioned by name. I reckon it can make a great Digital Story based around that area of Boundary Street so it would be good to start working on that. 

Anyone up for it? Next session will be 2:00 pm Saturday 17th July at the Croquet Club. Please bring: - gold coin donation - contribution to afternoon tea (home baked cake would be wonderful) - photos or videos of West End (especially Boundary St) if you have any - poems about West End - your voice or musical instrument Looking forward to seeing you there, Daryll Stories & Songs of Boundary Street Project westendstories@storytell.com.au (07) 3846 3135 mob 0417 478 408 PO Box 5300, West End, Brisbane, Qld 4101 www.facebook.com/westendstories www.westendstories.blogspot.com/

Friday, July 9, 2010

Stories and Songs of Boundary Street Project

Our latest 2010 project is - 'Stories and Songs of Boundary Street'.

We'll be:
- collecting and telling stories about
- creating, singing and performing new songs about
- creating, projecting and uploading new digital stories about

Boundary Street West End.

So if you live in West End, or there abouts, and would like to help us get this project really singing, please come along to:

The Croquet Club Community Hall,
91 Cordelia Street (in Musgrave Park),
West End

from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm most Saturdays till the West End Live Festival on Sunday the 19th September, 2010.

We need:
- musicians,
- poets,
- storytellers,
- historians,
- social networkers,
- singers,
- chair movers,
- publicists,
- fundraisers,
- friends and good people.

Gold coin/s donation to cover costs of hall hire and tea and coffee.

For more information ring:
Daryll Bellingham on 07 3846 3135 or text 0417 478 408
Kat Ogilvie on 07 3846 2114
or email westendstories@storytell.com.au

Follow us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/westendstories