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about

This is a humorous work about a man who collected recycled bottles to fuel his drinking habits. I incorporated beer bottles and jawharp to add to the sense of humor.

lyrics

Bottle ‘O Man

I ain't the kind of bloke as takes to any steady job;
I drives me bottle cart around the town;
A bloke what keeps 'is eyes about can always make a bob -
I couldn't bear to graft for every brown.
There's lots of handy things about in everybody's yard,
There's cocks and hens a-runnin' to an' fro,
And little dogs what comes and barks -
we take 'em off their guard
And we puts 'em with the Empty Bottle-oh!

[So it's any "Empty bottles! Any empty bottle-oh!"
You can hear us round for half a mile or so.
And you'll see the women rushing
To take in the Monday's washing
When they 'ear us crying, "Empty Bottle-oh!" ]

I'm drivin' down by Wexford-street and up a winder goes,
A girl sticks out 'er 'ead and looks at me,
An all-right tart with ginger 'air, and freckles on 'er nose;
I stops the cart and walks across to see.
"There ain't no bottles 'ere," says she, "since father took the pledge;"
"No bottles 'ere," says I, "I'd like to know
What right 'ave you to stick your 'ead outside the winder ledge,
If you 'aven't got no Empty Bottle-oh!"

[chorus]

I sometimes gives the 'orse a spell, and then the push and me
We takes a little trip to Chowder Bay.
Oh! ain't it nice the 'ole day long a-gazin' at the sea
And a-hidin' of the tanglefoot away.
But when the booze gits 'old of us, and fellows starts to "scrap",
There's some what likes blue-metal for to throw:
But as for me, I always says for layin' out a "trap"
There's nothin' like an Empty Bottle-oh!

[chorus]

credits

from Aussie Art Song - Banjo Paterson Edition, released February 13, 2020

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Niq Reefman Sydney, Australia

Niq trumpets like a singer, keyboards like a bass player, sings like a narrator and ukuleles like an electric guitar - his musical performance is best described by picturing “Tim Minchin, flying a trumpet through a thunderstorm”.
He spreads songs of beauty, mirth, camaraderie, inspiration and action to a world that craves the social zest of an Irish pub and the hopeful melodies of nature.
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