THE DAY THE PUB BURNED DOWN
Trad, Arr 'Cazna Gyp'
Main Vocal, Alan
'Cazna Gyp' or The Anzac Gypsies' were a trio of friends, Bob Edwards,(Described as 'A Swagger, Socialist & Song Writer) his friend Lew Williams, and Mr Williams' wife, whose name seems to have been left off every single reference to this trio of Kiwi song writers.*
Together they travelled around New Zealand in the mid 20th century, collecting stories that they set to music.
The tale of the fire that claimed the pub in 'Wapakiwi Town' is of course quite similar to the old British music hall song The Old Dun Cow, and bears a certain likeness to the Australian anthem Pub With No Beer.
lyrics
Pull up a stump and lend an ear
a story I'll relate.
About a sinful waste of beer
I will elucidate.
And tell of how calamity
struck Wapakiwi Town,
and caused a gruesome tragedy,
the day the pub burned down.
The boys had gathered at the bar
upon that fateful day.
By horse and foot and motorcar
they all had made their way.
While listening to Manuka Joe,
New Zealand's finest liar,
we heard the cry that chilled our bones,
'The flamin' pub's on fire!'
There'd been a drought for weeks and weeks,
the tanks and wells were dry.
No water flowed along the creek,
we had no town supply.
The blazing sun without relent,
turned all the green to brown.
Imagine our predicament,
the day the pub burned down.
Through smoke and flame we dragged the beer
to safety out the door.
Then thought of what we stood to lose
and rushed back in for more.
'Stand by, the fire brigade is here,
those men of high renown!'
'Oh firemen, firemen save the beer
and let the pub burn down!'
They stoved the tops of barrels in
while strong men knelt to pray.
They shoved their flippin' hoses in
and shouted 'Pumps Away!'
The fought with beer and lemonade
that raging fire to drown.
We cursed and fought the fire brigade,
the day the pub burned down.
Now morepork haunt the old pub site
round Wapakiwi Town.
And shikkers roam the hills at night
to hunt those firemen down.
They curse the cash they cannot send,
their raging thirsts to drown.
Dry horrors drove 'em round the bend
the day the pub burned down.
Dry horrors drove us round the bend..
The day the pub burned down!
credits
from Laugh While You May,
released June 19, 2021
Alan Knight - Vocals, Guitar
Ben Cobbett - Fiddle
Helen Cobbett - Tin Whistle
Sammy Leary - Backing Vocals, Banjo
Andy Spence - Backing Vocals, Bodrahn
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