Oh, come, ye townsmen, gather near,
And country dwellers, come ye, too,
And lend a sympathetic ear
The while I tell my story true --
Of Dad, and Mum, and Bill, and Joe,
And little Jim, and Nell, and Sue,
Who came to town to see the Show,
From far, from far Kalangadoo.
Oh, list, ye men of Oodnadatta,
Nantawarra, Boolcomatta,
Willo, willo, way-lee-o!
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo.
Now, Dad, and Mum, and Bill, and Joe,
And little Jim, and Nell, and Sue,
They travelled up to see the Show,
As simple country-folk will do.
Alas, the town they did not know --
They came from where the whiskers grew.
Hark ye, men of Murnpeowie,
Warrakimbo, Marachowie!
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo.
Happy were Dad, Mum, Bill, Joe,
Jim, and Nell, and Sue, until
Some rude man they didn't know
Snatched the carpet-bag from Bill.
William chased the fleeing foe,
Till he vanished from their view;
Leaving Dad, and Mum, and Joe,
Little Jim, and Nell, and Sue.
Hearken, men of Yudnapinna,
Men of Tidnacoordooninna!
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo.
Dad, and Mum, and Joe, and Nell,
Jim, and Sue, searched everywhere,
Till they missed their Nell as well,
In a crowded thoroughfare.
Lost their Nell and William, too --
How, or where, they did not know:
Leaving, lonely, Jim and Sue,
Poor old Dad, and Mum, and Joe.
List ye men of Parachilna,
Wergerowgerangerilna,
Pepegoona, Balkanoona,
Men of distant Mutooroo,
Hearken men of Booborowie,
Of Nepowie and Willowie.
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo!
Dad, and Mum, and little Jim --
Not forgetting Sue and Joe --
Walked till Joe - ah, pity him! --
Met a man he did not know;
Met a spieler, bold and bad,
One who lured him out of view,
To the lasting grief of Dad,
Mum, and little Jim, and Sue.
Hark ye, men of Dulkaninna,
Men of Killalapaninna,
Angipena, Karaweena,
Kangarilla, Kanmantoo.
List ye folk of Andamooka,
Wipipipee, Taltabooka,
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo!
Dad, and Mum, and Jim, and Sue,
Walked till they were fit to drop;
Susan, with a hat in view,
Ventured in a draper's shop.
Hours and hours they seemed to wait,
But then Susan did not come;
They were left all desolate,
Little Jim, and dad, and Mum.
List ye, men, of Arkaroola,
Winnininnie, Tantanoola,
Men of Yacka, Gumeracha,
Wirrawilla, Waukaloo.
Hark, ye men of Wangianna,
Men of Wintabatinyanna!
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo!
Dad, and Mum, and little Jim --
Sole survivors of the day --
Wandered in the twilight din,
Till a tramcar came their way.
Jimmy got aboard a car;
'Twas the wrong one - luckless lad;
Travelled to a suburb far,
Far from poor old Mum and Dad.
Oh, ye men of Thackarinya!
Populace of far Aldinga!
Men of Yarrah! Gomalara!
Oodla Wirra! Orroroo!
Patriots of Warrioota!
Oratunga! Kalioota!
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo!
Dad and Mum -- Oh, luckless day! --
(This is where the tale is sad)
Passed a bar-room on their way,
Where the liquor's strong and bad.
Dad went in to have a "taste,"
Lingered there to sample "some,"
Since, he never has been traced.
Luckless, longing, lonely Mum!
Rise, ye men of Edeowie!
Heroes, rise at Italowie!
Rise and fight, Kybybolite!
Great Bopeechee, hear my ditty!
Oh, the city! Oh, the pity!
Willo, willo, way-lee-o;
Alack, alack, Kalangadoo!
First published in The Gadfly, 11 September 1907
Author reference sites: C.J. Dennis, Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
See also.
