My Boomerang Won't Come Back
Charlie Drake
Written by Max Diamond and Charlie Drake
As recorded on UA single # 398
Master number 1511 Running time 2:43
Piccadilly Music company
Peaked on the Billboard Pop chart at # 21 in 1962
Accompaniment directed by Jimmy Spence
*
In the bad, bad lands of Australia many years ago
The Aborigine tribes were meeting, having a big pow-wow
"We've got a lot of trouble, Chief, on account of your son Mac! "
"My boy 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
Practiced till I was blue in the face
I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't come back
I can ride a kangaroo (yeah yeah)
Make kinkajou stew (yeah yeah)
But I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't come back
They banished him from the tribe then and sent him on his way
He had a backless boomerang, so here he could not stay
"This is nice, isn't it? Getting banished at my time in life. What a way to spend an evening. Sittinī on a rock in the middle of the desert with me boomerang in me hand!"
For 3 long months he sat there, or maybe it was 4
Then an old, old man in a kangaroo skin came a-knockinī at his door
"Uh, I'm the local witch doctor, son. They call me Joe Joseph 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
Practiced till I was blue in the face
I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't come back
"Don't worry, boy, I know the trick and to you I'm
gonna show it . If you want your boomerang to come back, well, first
you've got to throw it! "
"Oh yes, never thought of that. Now then, slowly back
and.. throw! "
My boomerang won't come back
My boomerang won't come back
I've waved the thing all over the place
Practiced till I was blue in the face
I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't come back
I can ride a kangaroo (yeah yeah)
Make kinkajou* stew (yeah yeah)
But I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborig
END OF THE VERSION THAT CHARTED IN THE USA
Transcriber's Note: * Try as I could, I simply cannot learn what this sound is :( Thinking it may be some sort of an Australian instrument, I made inquiries around the Internet. The only conclusion I reached it that it is definitely NOT a didgeridoo!! To this amateur ear, it sounds like the croak of a bullfrog the size of a Mack truck!! It may well turn out NOT to be a true "instrument" at all but merely a synthesizer-produced sound. I have a small MP3 file of this sound and will send it to anyone who volunteers to help ID it.
source: Robin Hood, with a BIG thanks to Bill Griggs,
without whom this would not have been possible
TRANSCRIBER'S ADDED NOTE: Apparently Drake did more than one version, perhaps for the international market. Below is another...
---------
My Boomerang Won't Come Back
Charlie Drake
(low chanting)
In the bad bad lands of Australia many years ago
The Aborigine tribes were meeting, having a big pow-wow
(chanting)
(low voice):
We've got a lot of trouble, Chief, on account of your son Mac!
(midrange voice):
My boy Mac, what's wrong with him?
(high-pitched voice, young prince):
My boomerang won't come back!
(low voices):
Your boomerang won't come back?
CHORUS:
(prince):
My boomerang won't come back
My boomerang won't come back
I've waved the thing all over the place
Practiced till I was black in the face
I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborigine race
My boomerang won't back
I can ride a kangaroo (yeah yeah)
Make kinkajou* stew (yea yeah)
But I'm a big disgrace tī the Aborigine race
My boomerang wonīt back
They banished him from the tribe then & sent him on his way
He had a backless boomerang, so here he could not stay
(shrieks of animals)
(prince):
This is nice, isn't it?
Getting banished at my time in life.
What a way to spend an evening.
Sittinī on a rock in the middle of the
desert with me boomerang in me hand.
I should very likely get bushwhacked.
(animal shriek)
(prince):
Get out of here, nasty bushwhackin' animal! Think I'll make a nice cup of tea.
(boing boing boing)
(prince):
Good gracious! There goes a kangaroo!
I must have practice with me boomerang.
Hey, right behind the left elbow, then slowly back...
(kangaroo):
If you throw that thing at me, I'll jump right on your head!
(laughs)
(prince):
Ain't it marvelous!
In a land full of kangaroos I might not get that one!
For 3 long months he sat there, or maybe it was 4
Then an old old man in a kangaroo skin came a-knockinī at his door
(old man):
I'm the local with doctor, son.
They call me Joe Joseph Black.
Now tell me, what's your trouble, boy?
(prince):
My boomerang wonīt come back!
(old man):
Your boomerang wonīt come back?
(chorus)
(old man): Don't worry, boy, I know the trick & to you I'm gonna show it
If you want your boomerang to come back, well, first you've got to throw it!
(prince):
Oh yes, never thought of that.
Daddy will be pleased.
Must have a girl...
(old man):
Excuse me. Now then, slowly back...& throw!
(sound of boomerang flying)
(What comes next depends on which version of the song you're listening to.)
VERSION 1:
(old man):
Oh my God! Avit the flying doctah!
He-he-he-he!
(prince):
Can you do farther eat?
(old man):
Don't talk to me about first taste boy;
you owe me 14 chickens for teaching
you to throw the boomerang;
first things first.
(prince):
Yes, I know that, but I mean, I think, on this occasion, you know ...& fade
VERSION 2:
(chorus, fading)
* A kinkajou is an Australian animal
source: Collins Crapo
(
geocities.com/hollywood/academy/3225/60s_and_70s) (
geocities.com/hollywood/academy/3225) (
geocities.com/hollywood/academy) (
geocities.com/hollywood)