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)

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/

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

Stories and Songs of Boundary Street 2010

Good news, the West End Live Festival director, has offered us 20 minutes on the Culture Stage at the 2010 West End Live Festival on the 19th September.

The project involves working with local storytellers, poets, musicians and multimedia artists to create new stories and songs and then perform them with the Transformer Choir on stage.

We'll be dividing Boundary Street up into 4 precincts from north to south to discover and explore and collate new stories.

So if you have any stories about Boundary Street - personal stories, community stories, historical events or just some information you would like included - come along to one of our West End Stories regular community sessions or post a comment to this blog.

Meetings
6:30pm - West End Community House, 4 Norfolk Rd, West End - Tuesday 25th May, 22nd June
2:00 pm - Crocquet Club Building, Musgrave Park, Cordelia Street - Monday 7th June

There are lots of opportunities to help out, contribute and help keep West End's culture alive.

westendstories@storytell.com.au

Documenting Street Art in West End

Wow! Paul Rollo is documenting street art in West End. You can have a look at his collection on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/23178306@N00/2812376159/

This is a shaggy one from Thomas St. where the wild things are.

Save West End

We posted a story about the group on Save West End website last night.

We would love to hear your stories about West End as well. Come along on the 4th Tuesday of this month, the 27th and share some of your stories - 4 Norfolk Road, 6:30pm.

Lionel's story about the Gap Storm

The storm hit the Gap very badly and a lot of houses were damaged. I went up there and volunteered on Sunday and gave a hand to clean up.

I used a chain saw with a twelve inch blade. I showed them how to use the chain saw really quickly and easily and safely, so no one would get electrocuted by the power lines or anything else.

They got 3 heavy duty cranes in to lift up the logs from the power lines. Then I showed them how to put the straps on the ends of each log and how to leave a gap for the chainsaw. Then I cut it in half so the log wouldn't go back on the power lines. Then I said: " Right boys I've showed you how to do it, quick and easy so you won't get electrocuted.' One of the guys said: "Good idea."

Then I said: "Here boy, have a go" - I watched him and he did it the way I showed him. It was pretty good.

I didn't think he would have the guts to use the chainsaw and cut the log but I was glad to see he did and that I had shown him how to do it.

I hope all the people up there go back to their own homes.

4AAA Kiosk Community Interviews - Wed 8th Oct - 2:00pm

On Wednesday 8th October at 2:00pm we'll be collecting stories about places and spaces in West End as part of our West End Digital Story Spaces Project.

We need your stories about the special places and spaces of West End so please drop down to the 4AAA Kurilpa Kiosk, 195a Boundary Street (opposite the Goanna) around 2:00pm and donate a story.