Old Man Emu

In the wake of my last post, and it’s Aussie-centric references to the classic song ‘Old Man Emu’ I thought I might post the lyrics and a clip to help my international visitors out.

Written (and performed) by legendary country music performer John Williamson, this song was part of the fabric of my childhood – interwoven with lots of Slim Dusty, Charlie Pride and (to add variety and some sophistication to the playlist) Val Doonican and Englebert Humberdink.

(Yes I know – I had a whole section of my life where Country and Easy Listening music were completely banned.)

Anyway, here is the promised clip – I should warn it is a bit of an ‘ear worm‘.  It WILL get stuck in your head!

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OLD MAN EMU

Let me tell you of an interview with an Old Man Emu
He’s got a beak and feathers and things, but the poor old fella ain’t got no wings
“Aren’t you jealous of the wedge-tail eagle?” – dom ba da little da da da

(Spoken in tempo) “While the eagle’s flying round and round, I keep my two feet firmly on the ground
I can’t fly, but I’m telling you, I can run the pants off a kangaroo”.

doo dee ba doo doo doo , boo da da doot doo doo doo
He can’t fly, but I’m telling you, he can run the pants off a kangaroo.

Well he was the model for the fifty cents – oom ba da little da da da
The designer should have had more sense – oom ba da little da da da
If you take a look, it’ll prove to you, I ran the pants off that kangaroo.

Doo dee ba doo doo doo…Boo da da doot doo doo..
Take a look it’ll prove to you, he can run the pants off the kangaroo.

You can’t loop the loop like a cockatoo – Oom ba da little da da da
Swoop and toss like an albatross – Oom ba da little da da da
“You silly galah, I’m better by far, than a white cockatoo or a budgerigar;
They squeak and squawk and try to talk, why me and them’s like cheese and chalk”
Ba da da Doo dee ba doo doo doo…Boo da da doot doo doo doo
He can’t fly but I’m telling you, he can run the pants off a kangaroo…

Well the last time I saw Old Man Emu – Oom ba da little da da da
He was chasing a female he knew – Oom ba da little da da da
As he shot past I heard him say “She can’t fly, but I’m telling you
She could run the pants off a kangaroo”. –

Ba da da Doo dee ba doo doo doo Doo dee ba doo doo doo…Boo da da doot doo doo doo
She can’t fly but I’m telling you, she can run the pants off a kangaroo

Well there is a moral to this ditty – Oom ba da little da da da
Thrush can sing but he ain’t pretty – Oom ba da little da da da
Duck can swim, but he can’t sing, nor can the eagle on the wing
Emu can’t fly, but I’m telling you, he can run the pants off a kangaroo.

Well the kookaburra laughed and said “It’s true, oom ba da little da da da,
Ha Ha Ha Ha Hah Hoo, He can run the pants off a kangaroo”

Words and Music by John Williamson

© 1970 for the World by JULY MUSIC, Melbourne, Vic. Australia

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Bet you were tapping along to that with a smile on your dial!

So with the above in mind, my offering for the speech bubble for this pic might be:

“Can’t fly?  Are you WATCHING John Williamson?’

Have a happy Monday y’all…

🙂