Thursday, October 16, 2008

Shed singers: John Williamson

The canon of songs about sheds is not a vast one - after Nick Drake's lovely Man in a Shed and Bob Davidson's I'm Gonna Live in My Shed you have to start scratching around a bit (if any of you know of more shed songs then please do leave a comment). However, Emma Townshend recently alerted me to a recording by Australian balladeer John Williamson (pictured) called The Shed. Lyrics below, you can buy a copy from his site: it's really nice and I'm listening to it as I type.
Hey, did you ever wake up in the morning
On the wrong side of the bed
I bit confused and yawning
You go straight out the back to your shed

Yeah, all Australian boys need a shed
A place where he can go, somewhere to clear his head
To think about the things his woman said
Yeah, all Australian boys need a shed

A joint to learn to read an' write, to work on his bike at night
To grow up as he likes, to grow anything under lights
A place to keep his tools, nuts and bolts and drills
To hang a hide, to hide the dry or hang to pay the bills

Well my old shed, she leaks a bit, the roof is caving in
Nothing that a bloke can't fix with a few spare sheets of tin
The beams are old telegraph poles, white ants have eaten them
She creaks and sways on windy days and leans towards the sound

Yeah, all Australian boys need a shed

At the back of the shed where the dogs are fed near last years bails of lucern
Sticky tall green leaves came up from thrown out seeds
All it took was bantam poop, I watered 'em once and they grew some
They should be prime 'bout Easter time if no nosy neighbour steals 'em

Yeah, all Australian boys need a shed
To weld up broken gates, a place for all his mates
To come 'round Sunday arvo' for a gin
A place to make a racket, to find the pipe and pack it
To think about the things his woman said
Yeah, all Australian boys need a shed

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:55 AM

    Hi Alex,
    The one I like is one called 'My Garden Shed' - sung to the tune of 'Lady in Red' By Chris De Burgh.

    Never seen a building look as lovely as you do tonight
    glistening in the pale moonlight
    mm mm mm mm

    Never would this married man
    not appreciate what you do
    looking for a place to run to
    when I'm IN the poo
    I have never seen you more inviting
    or receptive to my need to find some peace
    from the bloke police

    My garden shed
    Is waiting for me
    by the creek
    Nobody here
    Just you and me
    and a plasma TV
    I can't forget
    these comforts you provide
    Broadband internet
    is where I'll be tonight

    (instrumental)

    Never seen you looking so gentle as you do tonight
    minding all my tools inside
    You are amazing
    Never have I wanted so much
    to be sitting inside
    and when I turned the key tonight
    my troubles went away
    I have never had such a feeling
    like this feeling of such masculine content
    as I do tonight

    My garden shed
    is comforting me
    loyal - ly
    There's nothing else
    just you and me
    and a Nick Cave CD
    Volume down low
    My wife will never know
    and I won't forget
    the friend you've been tonight

    I'll have a cigarette
    and bunk here overnight

    Found at http://www.amiright.com/parody/80s/chrisdeburgh3.shtml

    John
    www.secrets-of-shed-building.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Magnificent AK47s
    (from Ashton Keynes, average age 47 ~ we wish )
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkeM8BUxVjw

    ReplyDelete