We recently had the lyrics to Wee Eric Bogle's serve at Aussie apathy "She'll be Right". I reckon we should look at the 1950s New Zealand song that inspired a whole swag of "She'll be Right"s in the 1970s - as well as endless extra verses to the original during the 1960s ... even one by me in the 1980s!

This comes from the "Singabout" section (which I edit) of the Bush Music Club's "Mulga Wire" # 46, Sydney, December 1984. I warn - it goes on ... and on!

SHE'LL BE RIGHT
Original verses and tune by Peter Cape
1/
When you're hunting in the mountains and your dog puts up a chase,
And this porker's coming at you, and he doesn't like your face,
So you're running, and he's running and he's crowding on the pace,
Well, don't worry mate, she'll be right.
Chorus:
She'll be right mate, she'll be right.
Don't worry mate, she'll be right,
You can get your feed of pork, when he slows down to a walk,
So don't worry mate, she'll be right.

2/
When you're logging in the saddle and you're driving down the bluff,
With a thousand feet of timber, bouncing right behind your chuff,
And the clutch has started slipping, and the brakes are worse than rough,
Well, don't worry mate, she'll be right.
Chorus:
She'll be right ...
Give her all that you can give her, and she'll fly into the river, ...

3/
When you've walked out on your missus and you've gone to watch them race,
And you took her shopping money, and you didn't get a place,
And you're coming home flat stony, and she sees it in your face,
Well, don't worry mate, she'll be right.
Chorus:
She'll be right ...
You can save a lot of trouble, if you say you won the double, ...

4/
When you've had the copper going and you've boiled a ton of hops,
And you've brewed your brew and bottled it and hammered on the tops,
And your missus keeps on asking where you've left your footy socks,
Well, don't worry mate, she'll be right.
Chorus:
She'll be right ...
Shove a shot of metho in, and you'll swear your drinking gin ...

5/
When they've polished off your forwards and your backs are wearing thin,
And the second spell's half over, and you've forty points to win,
And this hulking wing three quarter's got his teeth stuck in your shin,
Well, don't worry , mate, she'll be right ...
...You won't worry who's the loser, when you meet them down the boozer ...

6/
When you're busking down on Broadway and the crowds are gathering round,
Throwing money in the hat, and loving every sound,
Then the Hare Krishna's open up, and you're completely drowned,
Well, don't worry mate, she'll be right.
Chorus:
She'll be right. ...
Wave that Lagerphone about, Aussie music with a clout!
And don't worry mate, she'll be right!

Some of the myriad extra verses (remembered by Bill Worsfold - singer who went back to NZ ~ 1984):
7/
Well, you're sitting in the lecture room and you're busy taking notes,
And he's waffling about spinal cords, and intercourse in goats,
Then he speaks of fornication and it raises all your hopes,
Well, don't worry, mate, she'll be right ...
... Take your Sheila out tonight, and prove his theories right ...

8/
Now you're standing in a bar, and you're supping on a beer,
And this burly great big copper comes and whispers in your ear,
Says "You're under twenty, lad, you shouldn't be in here",
Well, don't worry, mate, she'll be right
Just finish off your beer, and punch him in the ear
Or( ... Just kiss him on the ear, dear, and tell him you're a queer)

9/
You've been drinking in the boozer since about a half past three,
And you stopped off at the piecart for a pie and cup of tea,
And you are standing in the unit, and you're busting for a pee,
Well, don't worry, mate, she'll be right ...
... If you stand out by the door, you can do it on the floor ...

10/
When you've taken out this Sheila and she's got a pretty face,
And you've got her in the bedroom and you're crowding on the pace,
And you go and get your fingers stuck all in a mess of lace,
Well, don't worry, mate, she'll be right ...
...You can take it as an omen for your hands to stop their roaming ...
Or ( ... It's your own damn stupid fault, if you can't find the vault ...)

11/
You're out behind the breakers and you're crowding on the sail,
And the glass has started falling and she's coming up a gale,
And the bilge is overflowing, and the pump's about to fail,
Well, don't worry, mate, she'll be right ...
... When you're ten days overdue, they'll send the airforce out for you ...

12/
When you're out among the breakers and you're riding down the curls,
On another fellow's board and you're impressing all the girls,
You're hanging ten across the nose and suddenly she pearls,
Well, don't worry mate, she'll be right ...
... Shove some wax into that ding and don't say a flaming thing ...

13/
National's gone and got the country, in a hell of a mess,
And Labour is no better than them, I will confess,
And parliament's got to be dissolved, 'cos it's all a bloody mess,
But don't worry, mate, she'll be right ...
... Next election, vote informal and we'll soon get back to normal ...

Verses 1 to 5 are Peter Cape's original verses, Verse 6 is by Bob Bolton, Verses 7 to lO are by Sam Sampson, Verse 13 (and the alternative ending for verse 8) are by Phil Garland; Verses 11 and 12 are anonymous,.

Verses are about:
1/ Hunting pigs (in NZ)
2/ Cutting timber (in mountainous NZ)
3/ Betting, unwisely, on horseracing (in NZ ... or Australia or ...)
4/ Home-brewing beer - a popular pastime in the antipodes
5/ Playing (Rugby Union) Football (in NZ)
6/ Busking (in Sydney, Australia)
7/ Attending boring university lectures (in NZ)
8/ Drinking beer (whilst under legal age, in NZ)
9/ The lack of facilities at sporting venues, or public places (in NZ)
10/ Cherchez la femme (anywhere)
11/ Blue water sailing pigs (off NZ)
12/ Surfing (in NZ)
13/ Politics (in NZ ... in the 1970s)

Tune in MIDIText

MIDI file: shell-br.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 128 (468750 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0720 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 61 080 0144 0 61 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 73 080 0048 0 73 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 73 080 0048 0 73 064 0012 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0576 0 62 064 0144 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0072 1 69 080 0384 0 69 064 0096 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0576 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0576 0 66 064 0144 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 73 080 0048 0 73 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 73 080 0048 0 73 064 0012 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0576 0 62 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=128
K:C
^F15/2G/2|A3/2A/2A3/2A/2d3/2A/2A3/2A/2|B3/2G/2G3/2B/2A2^F3/2^F/2|
G3/2G/2E3/2G/2^F3/2D/2D3/2^F/2|E3/2D/2^C3/2D/2E2^F3/2G/2|
A3/2A/2A3/2A/2d3/2d/2d3/2^c/2|B3/2B/2B3/2^c/2d2B2|
A2^F3/2A/2G2^F3/2E/2|D6^FG|A4^F2E3/2^F/2|
G8|E2E3/2^F/2G2A3/2G/2|^F6^F3/2G/2|A3/2A/2A3/2A/2d3/2d/2d3/2^c/2|
B3/2B/2B3/2^c/2d2B2|A2^F3/2A/2G2^F3/2E/2|
D19/4||

Enjoy,

Bob Bolton