Mongrel Melodies — 63 Burlesque Ballads
Published by Sheep Thrills, 1997 — Send $9 per copy to 25 London St, Enmore 2042. Cheques to Greg Snook.
Phone (02) 9557 5924.
Review by Alex Bainbridge
As the title Mongrel Melodies suggests, this is a book of progressive, satirical parodies. The blurb on the back states, "Mongrel Melodies is a motley mixture of mildly malicious misdeeds masquerading as a miscellany of merry mimicry". The songs range in style from "left wing to right drumstick", we are told.
This is certainly an entertaining collection and those interested in the art of progressive parody would do well to spend $9 for the book and postage. While every song may not be for you, you're bound to find a good many that are.
Parody — the art of writing new words to popular songs — is one of the oldest and most effective ways of getting across a message. Parodies are easily learnt and sung by others, and at times of political upsurge can be quickly taken up by masses of people. Sometimes a parody can become more widely known than the original song: The Red Flag, for example, which is so well known that Leon Rosselson parodied it.
Many of the songs in this book could be sung at parties, as the blurb suggests. But there are also many that would be quite appropriate for demonstrations or concert performances. All of the songs are fairly contemporary (some of them might even date quickly), and most are very topical (although many are specific to events in NSW).
Twenty-one writers are represented, including popular Sydney folkies and Green Left Weekly supporters Geoff Francis and Peter Hicks, and Denis Kevans. Several of the songs from Francis and Hicks' album Union is Strength — dedicated to the Weipa workers — are included, along with a number of compiler Greg Snook's very good creations.
Parodies can be a wonderful cure for the terrible affliction of the words and tune of a reactionary song running around in your head. One of my favourites in the book, called Republic Transport, is sung to the tune of "God Save the Queen". It goes:
"Bob, save our precious trains!
Cyclists need separate lanes.
Roads just breed cars.
Train travel's glorious,
driving's laborious.
Thank God I never drove a bus.
Give us more light rail!"