Few songs capture the essence of Australian outback humor and culture quite like Rolf Harris’s “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport.” This quirky tune, first recorded in 1960, has become an iconic piece of Australian music history, blending playful lyrics with local imagery. However, the song has also sparked conversations about its deeper meanings and challenged modern audiences to reconsider its context.
This blog dives into the lyrics of “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport,” dissecting each verse to uncover its meaning, cultural significance, and controversies. Whether you’re simply curious about this Australian classic or want a better understanding of its themes, you’re in the right place.
An Introduction to “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport”
Written and performed by Rolf Harris, “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” originated as a comedic folk-style song. Its rhythmic pattern and repetitive chorus made it memorable, while its imagery of Australian wildlife and slang captivated listeners globally. The tune became a significant international hit and marked a career highlight for Harris.
Meaning of “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” by Rolf Harris
“Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” by Rolf Harris is a lighthearted folk song that captures a distinctly Australian flavor through its whimsical lyrics and rhythmic style. Written in 1957, the song features a dying stockman giving lighthearted instructions to his friends about caring for his surroundings and animals after his passing. It cleverly incorporates Australian slang and cultural references, such as native animals like kangaroos and wallabies, to create a playful and amusing narrative. Despite its humorous tone, the song also provides a glimpse into the rural life of Australia, portraying elements of camaraderie and concern for the natural world. Over time, it has become an iconic piece of Australian music history, though aspects of its lyrics have been critiqued and revised in response to changing societal values.
Lyrics
[Spoken Intro]
There’s an old Australian stockman lying, dying
He gets himself up onto one elbow and he turns to his mates
Who are all gathered around and he says:
[Verse 1]
Watch me wallabies feed, mate
Watch me wallabies feed
They’re a dangerous breed, mate
So watch me wallabies feed
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
[Verse 2]
Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl
Keep me cockatoo cool
Ah, don’t go acting the fool, Curl
Just keep me cockatoo cool
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
[Verse 3]
An’ take me koala back, Jack
Take me koala back
He lives somewhere out on the track, Mac
So take me koala back
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
[Verse 4]
Let me Abos go loose, Lou
Let me Abos go loose
They’re of no further use, Lou
So let me Abos go loose
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
[Verse 5]
And mind me platypus duck, Bill
Mind me platypus duck
Ah, don’t let ‘im go running amok, Bill
Just mind me platypus duck
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
[Verse 6]
Play your didgeridoo, Blue
Play your didgeridoo
Ah, like, keep playin’ ’til I shoot through, Blue
Play your didgeridoo
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
[Verse 7]
Tan me hide when I’m dead, Fred
Tan me hide when I’m dead
So we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde
And that’s it hangin’ on the shed
All together now!
[Chorus]
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Breaking Down the Lyrics
Here’s a verse-by-verse look at the lyrics and their significance:
Spoken Intro
“There’s an old Australian stockman lying, dying
He gets himself up onto one elbow and he turns to his mates
Who are all gathered around and he says:”
The spoken introduction sets the stage for the narrative. It humorously portrays the stockman’s final moments as a time for making strange, heartfelt, and often absurd requests. It immediately establishes the quirky tone of the song.
Verse 1
“Watch me wallabies feed, mate
Watch me wallabies feed
They’re a dangerous breed, mate
So watch me wallabies feed”
The stockman starts by asking his companions to care for his wallabies—Australia’s iconic kangaroo-like marsupials. By emphasizing their danger, this line pokes fun at the kind of exaggerated stories about Aussie wildlife that are typical of outback humor. The verse playfully reminds the listeners of the country’s rich and unique fauna.
Chorus
“Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down”
The catchy chorus acts as the anchor of the song. The phrase “sport” is colloquial Australian slang, akin to calling someone “mate” or “buddy.” The refrain doesn’t carry any deep metaphorical meaning—it simply adds a humorous image and rhythm to the song that lingers in your mind.
Verse 2
“Keep me cockatoo cool, Curl
Keep me cockatoo cool
Ah, don’t go acting the fool, Curl
Just keep me cockatoo cool”
Here, the focus shifts to a cockatoo, another species emblematic of Australia. “Keep me cockatoo cool” is a humorous way of asking someone to care for his pet in his absence.
Verse 3
“An’ take me koala back, Jack
Take me koala back
He lives somewhere out on the track, Mac
So take me koala back”
Another animal request follows, this time involving a koala. While mostly adorable, it subtly hints at an appreciation for animals being where they belong—in the wild (“out on the track”).
Verse 4
“Let me Abos go loose, Lou
Let me Abos go loose
They’re of no further use, Lou
So let me Abos go loose”
This verse presents a major point of contention for modern listeners. The term “Abos” is a dated and offensive abbreviation for Aboriginal Australians. While its inclusion may have originally aimed at casual humor, it is now widely considered inappropriate and disrespectful to Indigenous Australians, diminishing their culture and humanity.
Verse 5
“And mind me platypus duck, Bill
Mind me platypus duck
Ah, don’t let ‘im go running amok, Bill
Just mind me platypus duck”
The humor continues with this request about caring for a platypus, a rare and unusual mammal unique to Australia. It adds whimsy to the roster of animals, consistent with the playful tone of previous verses.
Verse 6
“Play your didgeridoo, Blue
Play your didgeridoo
Ah, like, keep playin’ ’til I shoot through, Blue
Play your didgeridoo”
Here, the song references the didgeridoo—a wind instrument traditionally used by Aboriginal Australians in ceremonial rituals. Pairing this with phrases like “shoot through” (Australian slang meaning “leave”) merges cultural references with the stockman’s wish to hear music as he fades away.
Verse 7
“Tan me hide when I’m dead, Fred
Tan me hide when I’m dead
So we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde
And that’s it hangin’ on the shed”
The final verse emphasizes the humor and absurdity that underscores the song. The imagery of tanning the narrator’s hide posthumously and hanging it on a shed pushes the exaggerated Aussie humor to the extreme.
Cultural Significance and Controversy
Initially heralded as a celebration of Australian culture, “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” became a global hit, even reaching No. 3 on the US Billboard charts in 1963. The song’s charm lay in its lightness, its catchy chorus, and its use of Australian slang and references.
However, its portrayal of Aboriginal Australians in Verse 4, along with the use of the term “Abos,” has led to significant criticism. Recognizing its offensiveness, Rolf Harris removed this verse from later performances, and the song continues to reflect evolving cultural awareness.
A Humorous Legacy with Lessons
“Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” remains a peculiar piece of Australian pop culture. While it carries the charm of playful storytelling and a unique musical style, it also highlights the importance of reexamining historical works through a contemporary lens. Whether appreciating its humor or acknowledging its flaws, the song is an enduring reminder of how art reflects its time—and how it can adapt to be more inclusive.