Aussie Jingle Bells, oh wait...there's more!

I'm not sure how I've lived in Australia for 8 years and missed this little gem until now. As I mentioned yesterday, my preschooler is learning the first verse of Aussie Jingle Bells for her Christmas concert. I just assumed that was all there was to the song. Oh no, my friends, there is more!!!

Inspired by loyal reader, Scintilla, who mentioned seeing a video of the song, I went searching on YouTube and found plenty of Aussies belting it out. To my astonishment, there were two more verses! I'm not sure if the newly discovered verses increase the classy factor or not, in fact, I'm sure they don't, but they are amusing nonetheless.

Have a listen as this bloke sings all the verses in a very colourful Aussie accent (and because I know most of my American readers will have no idea what he is saying even though he is speaking English, I've included the lyrics below with a few words explained--you can thank me later)





Dashing through the bush
In a rusty Holden Ute
Kicking up the dust
Esky in the boot
Kelpie by my side
Singing Christmas songs
It's summer time and I am in
My singlet, shorts & thongs

CHORUS:
OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
ON A SCORCHING SUMMER'S DAY

JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE
IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE

Engine's getting hot
Dodge the kangaroos
Swaggy climbs aboard
He is welcome too
All the family is there
Sitting by the pool
Christmas day, the Aussie way
By the barbecue!

CHORUS

Come the afternoon
Grandpa has a doze
The kids and uncle Bruce
Are swimming in their clothes
The time comes round to go
We take a family snap
Then pack the car and all shoot through
Before the washing up

CHORUS

So what do we think now? I told you, it doesn't get prettier, but it is amusing. For an explanation of the 1st verse, see yesterday's post. Here are the words I think worthy of explaining in the 2nd and 3rd verses:

Swaggy = short for Swagman. What's a Swagman you ask? I asked the Handsome Australian the same thing. He's familiar with the term "Swagman", but was unable to define it. Hmm...lucky my friend Wikipedia took my call. Here's what he said, "A Swagman is an old Australian term describing an underclass of transient temporary workers, who travelled by foot from farm to farm carrying the traditional swag." I think in America we'd say, "Hobo".

family snap = family photo (you probably already knew that one but just in case)

shoot through = depart quickly, or escape

So just in case you weren't paying attention, this is a Christmas song about a sweaty man and his dog in a rusty car who pick up hitch hikers while dodging kangaroos only to arrive at his family's Christmas gathering where the Esky from the boot is obviously unloaded and its contents consumed (how else can you explain Uncle Bruce in the pool with his clothes on?). Then when it's all said and done, he takes off and leaves the mess for everyone else to clean up.

Like I said, it's a gem!