Firing Up the Bolinder
by Dusty Miller
Once a jolly boatman tied along the Bugbrooke Pound
Under the shade of an old elm tree
And he sang as he watched as he waited till his kettle boiled
Who’ll come and fire up the Bolinder with me?
Chorus:
Fire up the Bolinder, fire up the Bolinder,
Who’ll come and fire up the Bolinder with me?
And he sang as he watched as he waited till his kettle boiled,
Who’ll come and fire up the Bolinder with me?
Down came some pheasants to drink at the water’s edge
Up jumped the boatman and grabbed them with glee,
And he sang as he stowed them down in the engine hole,
You’ll come and fire up the Bolinder with me.
Chorus: You’ll come ... etc
Down came the farmer along side his gamekeeper,
Down came the policemen, two, three and four,
Where’s that brace of pheasants you hid in your engine hole,
You’ll go and fire up your Bolinder no more.
Chorus:
Up leaped the boatman and jumped into the old canal,
Drowning himself by the old elm tree
And his ghost may be heard as you boat along the Bugbrooke Pound,
Who’ll come and fire up the Bolinder with me?
Chorus:
Dusty Miller wrote this having been inspired by Dave Illingworth. Both offer apologies to the great 'Banjo' Paterson
who wrote the song upon which this is based - 'Waltzing Matilda'.