Six White Boomers

I feel the need... the need for ... a spot of Festive explanation.

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I put up a new header for December with a bit of a bush Christmas twist. But I realise that for those who aren't .. well... Aussie, it may require a little more description for the line used to make sense.

"Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun..." comes from a song written by the incomparable Rolf Harris (name me one other songwriter who can also paint like a demon and was a champion backstroker?). The song is called 'Six White Boomers', and describes an Australian Christmas including reference to our very non-snow-like climate and replaces the reindeer with some warm-blooded creatures a little more able to stand the heat.

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Boomers refers to male kangaroos - and yes I had to look that up myself. We don't go round pointing out the boomers in the paddock (I tend to think of Axel's offerings as stinking boomers in the houseyard, but that's a whole nother blog post!). I do remember singing this song as a child though - at a night-time event called a "Christmas Tree" all lined up on stage with my classmates. The event was for the neighbourhood kids in a tiny little unlined timber hall in our blink-and-you'll-miss-it 'town'. I recall absolutely loving this particular item on our playlist - an early taste of the irreverence that tickles me so.

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Here are the words (and below them is the Rolf Harris version for you to sing along to!).

I do apologise to anyone remotely serious about photography and Photoshop for my bodgied-up image of some local roos and a Santa silhouette.

Hey, I tried (it was late, OK?). Heh.

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SIX WHITE BOOMERS

By Rolf Harris & John D. Brown .
(Introduction)
Early on one Christmas Day, a Joey Kanga-roo,
Was far from home and lost in a great big zoo.
Mummy, where's my mummy, they've taken her a-way,
We'll help you find your mummy son, hop on the sleigh.

Chorus:
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
.. On his Aus-tra-lian run.

Verse:

Up beside the bag of toys, little Joey hopped ,
But they had'nt gone far when Santa stopped.
Un-harnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why,
Then he heard a far off booming in the sky.

Chorus: Six white boomers ...

Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat,
Took his fur-lined boots off to cool his feet.
Into one popped Joey, feeling quite OK,
While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh.

Chorus: Six white boomers ...

Joey said to Santa, Santa, what about the toys,
Aren't you giving some to these girls and boys.
They've all got their presents son, we were here last night,
This trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight.

Chorus: Six white boomers ...

Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Marble Bar,
Slow down there, cried Santa, it can't be far.
Come up on my lap son, and have a look around,
There she is, that's mummy, bounding up and down.

Chorus: Six white boomers ...

Well that's the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had,
Curled up in mother's pouch all snug and glad.
The last they saw was Santa headed northward from the sun,
The only year the boomers worked a double run.

Chorus: Six white boomers ...

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Ready to sing now?

The following clip is slightly disturbing (there's an animated bit which freaks me out slightly) but ignore that and belt it out with me...

What's your local spin on something Christmassy?

(And is 'Christmassy' even a word?)