Words to My Boomerang Won’t Come Back
Way back in the 1960s, a tiny British comedian named Charlie Drake had a surprise hit on the pop music hit parade with this song, ‘My Boomerang Won’t Come Back’.
Here is the video clip, (the actual lyrics to My Boomerang Won’t Come Back are printed out below the video).
The lyrics
In the bad bad lands of Australia,
Many years ago…
The Aborigine Tribe were meeting
…Were having a big Pow Wow.
(Sounds of Tribe chanting… Hookaya Heya. Hookaya Heya.)
We got a lotta trouble, Chief
On account of your son, Mac.
‘My son, Mac? Why, what’s wrong with him?
My boomerang won’t come back.
Your boomerang won’t come back?
My boomerang won’t come back.
My boomerang won’t come back.
I’ve waved the thing all over the place,
Practised ’till I was black in the face…
I’m a big disgrace to th’ Abrigine race.
My boomerang won’t come back.
I can ride a kangaroo (Yeah, yeah.)
Make kikaju stew (Yeah, yeah.)
But I’m a big disgrace to th’ Abrigine race.
My boomerang won’t come back.
They banished him from the Tribe there
And sent him on his way.
He had a back-less boomerang,
So here he could not stay.
(Imagine some silly bush animal sound effects… Weeep, weep! Woosh Woosh!)
This is nice, ain’t it? Getting banished at my time of life. What a way to spend an evening. Sitting on a rock in the middle of the desert with me boomerang in me hand. I shall very likely get bushwhacked…
(More bush animal sound effects.)
Get out of it! …Nasty bushwhacking animals. I think I’ll make a nice cuppa tea.
(Spring-bouncy sound effects: Boinggg, Boinggg, Boinggg!)
Good garacious! There goes a kangaroo. I must have a practise with my boomerang.
(Boingggg! Boing! Boungggg!)
Hit him right behind the left ear-hole. Now then, slowly back…
(Kangaroo speaks: IF YOU THROW THAT THING AT ME, I’LL JUMP RIGHT ON YOUR HEAD!
Sounds of Kangaroo bouncing away… Boinggg! Boing! Boinggg!)
Ain’t it marvellous? Got a land full of kangaroos, and I had to go and pick that one.
(Tribe sings together:)
For three long months he sat there,
Or maybe it was four,
When an old old man in a kangaroo skin,
Came knocking at his door.
Now I’m the local witch-doctor, son.
They call me George Elvis Black.
Now tell me, what’s your trouble boy?
My boomerang won’t come back.
Your boomerang won’t come back?
My boomerang won’t come back.
My boomerang won’t come back.
I’ve waved the thing all over the place,
Practised ’till I was black in the face…
I’m a big disgrace to th’ Abrigine race.
My boomerang won’t come back.
Don’t worry, boy. I know the trick, And to you I’m going to show it.
If you want your boomerang to come back…
Well, first you gotta throw it!
Oh yes. (Giggles.) Never thought of that.
Daddy will be pleased… Must have a go.
Now then, slowly back… And throwWWWW.
(Sound effects: First of boomerang wooshing through the air, and then an airplane motor. The plane’s in a death dive. Down, down… Louder and louder. Explosion and flames.)
Oh My Gawd, I’ve hit the Flying Doctor!
Can you do First Aid?
Don’t you talk to me about First Aid, boy. You owe me 14 chickens already.
Please, don’t ask what Kikaju Stew is. The songwriter must have made that one up.
And, by the way, there isn’t just one Aborigine tribe, there are many of them, and the tribes have many different languages, art and cultural traditions. Many of these languages are threatened with becoming lost, because only a few old people can still speak them, and there is no written language to record them.
And now that you have enjoyed a good chuckle, you can learn a little bit about real Australian Aboriginal culture in this article here – Aboriginal art.
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