by C.J.Dennis (1876 - 1938)
All audio files can be found on our catalog page: http://librivox.org/the-austra-laise-by-c-j-dennis/
Each fortnight a poem is chosen to be recorded by as many LibriVox volunteers as possible!THE AUSTRALAISE is a poem composed by C.J. Dennis, widely considered to the poet laureate of vernacular verse in Australia. It first appeared in his collection, Backblock Ballads and Other Verses, the first edition of which was published in 1913. A source from which Dennis drew inspiration was W.T. Goodge's poem The Great Australian Adjective, which first appeared in the Bulletin in 1898.
Designed to be sung to the tune of Onward Christian Soldiers, this poem features two prominent aspects of Australian literature - profanity and patriotism. While the profanity is extremely mild today's standards, the poem is still extremely appealing because of Dennis' mocking subversion of the grandiloquence that characterizes most national anthems.
(Summary by Algy Pug)
This fortnight’s poem can be found here.
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Wikipedia link to author: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._J._Dennis
Wikipedia link to text: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Backblock_Ballads_and_Later_Verses/The_Australaise
Please be sure that your recording software is set to the following technical specifications:
Channels: 1 (Mono)
Bit Rate: 128 kbps
Sample Rate: 44100 kHz
Have questions on "how"?
Check LV's Recording Notes thread before recording: http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6427#6430
If this is your first recording, you'll also find this useful: http://wiki.librivox.org/index.php/How_to_Send_Your_Recording
Begin your reading with the abbreviated LibriVox disclaimer:
(Please leave no more than 0.5-1 second of silence at the beginning of your recording!)
Then read the poem:The Austra--laise by C.J.Dennis, read for LibriVox.org by [your name].
[Add, if you wish, date, your location, and/or your personal url.]
At the end of your reading, leave a space and then say:
THE AUSTRA---LAISE
A Marching Song
Fellers of Australier,
Blokes an' coves an' coots,
Shift yer --- carcases,
Move yer --- boots.
Gird yer --- loins up,
Get yer --- gun,
Set the --- enermy
An' watch the *** run.
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
Have some --- brains be-
Neath yer --- lids.
An' swing a --- sabre
Fer the missus an' the kids.
Chuck supportin' --- posts,
An' strikin' --- lights,
Support a ---- fam'ly an'
Strike fer yer --- rights.
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
Joy is --- fleetin',
Life is --- short.
Wot's the use uv wastin' it
All on --- sport?
Hitch yer --- tip-dray
To a --- star.
Let yer --- watchword be
"Australi- --- -ar!"
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
'0w's the --- nation
Goin' to ixpand
'Lest us --- blokes an' coves
Lend a --- 'and?
'Eave yer --- apathy
Down a --- chasm;
'Ump yer --- burden with
Enthusi- --- -asm.
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
W'en old mother Britain
Calls yer native land
Take a --- rifle
In yer --- 'and
Keep yer --- upper lip
Stiff as stiff kin be,
An' speed a --- bullet for
Post- --- erity.
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
W'en the --- bugle
Sounds "Ad- --- -vance"
Don't be like a flock er sheep
In a --- trance
Biff the --- Kaiser
Where it don't agree
Spifler- --- -cate him
To Eternity.
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
Fellers of Australier,
Cobbers, chaps an' mates,
Hear the --- German
Kickin' at the gates!
Blow the --- bugle,
Beat the --- drum,
Upper-cut an' out the cow
To kingdom- --- -come!
CHORUS:
Get a --- move on,
Have some --- sense.
Learn the --- art of
Self de- --- -fence.
Choose your profanity!End of poem. This recording is in the public domain.
Where a dash (---) replaces a missing word, one of the following adjectives may be interpolated:
blessed
blinkin'
bloomin'
bloody
To replace (***) one of the following may be used:
blighters
bastards
buggers
Please leave 5 seconds of silence at the end of your recording.
* To insure accuracy you may wish to copy/paste the following filename and ID3 tag info.
Save your recording as an mp3 file using the following filename and ID3 tag format:
File name - all in lowercase: australaise_cjdennis_[your initials in lowercase].mp3 (eg. australaise_cjdennis_klh.mp3)
ID3 tags (Version 2):
Artist: C.J. Dennis
Title: The Australaise - Read by [YOUR INITIALS] (eg. The Australaise - Read by KLH)
Album: LibriVox Fortnightly Poetry
Comments: (optional) Recorded by [your name]
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If you wish to contribute, please have your readings submitted by 0600 GMT Sunday, January 27, 2013. (12:00am CDT)
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BC Admin
(And remember, anyone can suggest a poem for a certain week and/or coordinate an upcoming fortnightly poem! If you'd like to suggest a poem or coordinate a future Poetry project, please visit this thread.)
And in a bloody awful accent too! 
And I left in a comical bloody accident right at the bloody end 
, though I could edit the bloody thing out if you want. Now I'm going for a long bloody lie-down to let my bloody throat recover! 
