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Grand Old Flag - third verse

Featured Replies

Calling all tragics & nuffies

My Dad was a Big Bob Johnson fan boy and during the 80s used to hire Big Bob's lamb-on-a-spit for his cricket club fundraisers.  He said Big Bob taught him and some fellow Demons the third verse of 'It's A Grand Old Flag'.  Apparently it was most uncomplimentary to Collingwood 😁

Many years and beers have been and gone since then and Dad can't remember the words - has anyone else ever heard of the third verse?

BigBob.jpg

 

Yeah, when I first joined the Redlegs supporters group in 1982 the fellow who ran it use to sing the third verse all the time after the games, if my memory serves correct he use to sing it every game win or lose.

Oh the team played fine

in the year ‘39

We’re the demons that no one can lick, lick, lick

and you’ll find us there

at the final bell

with spirit of 26, six, six, six 

Edited by Kick_It_To_Pickett

 

Doing a little searching my guess is that the third verse was an unofficial verse used within the club to "celebrate" the post war Melbourne v Collingwood rivalry.

The second verse was only added post 1939 (penned by Bluey Truscott after the 1939 premiership)

Certainly worth asking about among the last of the living 1964 players. History is often more about the little things

PS Posted just as KIP provided the answer (Not sure that the verse has stood the test of time but I can picture Kiss doing well with it)

Edited by Diamond_Jim

  • Author
27 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Doing a little searching my guess is that the third verse was an unofficial verse used within the club to "celebrate" the post war Melbourne v Collingwood rivalry.

The second verse was only added post 1939 (penned by Bluey Truscott after the 1939 premiership)

Certainly worth asking about among the last of the living 1964 players. History is often more about the little things

PS Posted just as KIP provided the answer (Not sure that the verse has stood the test of time but I can picture Kiss doing well with it)

That’s the one I’m hunting for, the ‘unofficial’ third verse that would’ve been sung by the players. 


49 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

Oh the team played fine

in the year ‘39

We’re the demons that no one can lick, lick, lick

and you’ll find us there

at the final bell

with spirit of 26, six, six, six 

This rather feeble verse, is the SECOND, not the third verse.

Could it have been something like this?

It's a sweet victory, men

cos we've done them again

Those boys in the black and the white

Oh they thought they could

But they're just Collingwood

With nothing to offer but sh*te

 

When I was in the cheer squad back in the '60's we sang (to Pies tune):

Good old Collingwood for never
They know how to play the game.
Bash, bash.
Side by side they stick together
To uphold their filthy name, for shame
Hear their barrackers a whinging
Like they always do
For the premiership's a cakewalk
For the good old Red and Blue.

 

(from the 'Red Fox' by Ben Collins.....)

 

After defeating Collingwood in the 1955 GF the team sang the following:

" Hugh McPherson also changed the lyrics of Collingwood theme song, Good Old Collingwood forever.  'When I sang this to Noel McMahon', McPherson recalled, ' he loved it and soon had every Demon singing it".  The altered words were:

Good Old Collingwood if ever

they knew how to play the game

Side by side they fell together

To the might of the Demons fame

 

Hear the barrackers a 'squealing

Like their barrackers do

For the Premierships a cakewalk

For the good old Red and Blue

 

Edited by george_on_the_outer

3 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

(from the 'Red Fox' by Ben Collins.....)

 

After defeating Collingwood in the 1955 GF the team sang the following:

" Hugh McPherson also changed the lyrics of Collingwood theme song, Good Old Collingwood forever.  'When I sang this to Noel McMahon', McPherson recalled, ' he loved it and soon had every Demon singing it".  The altered words were:

Good Old Collingwood if ever

they knew how to play the game

Side by side they fell together

To the might of the Demons fame

 

Hear the barrackers a 'squealing

Like their barrackers do

For the Premierships a cakewalk

For the good old Red and Blue

 

Great get, George! Did you remember it was there, or are you a dedicated (obsessive?) researcher?

Calling @deegirl, your answer is served!


5 hours ago, M_9 said:

When I was in the cheer squad back in the '60's we sang (to Pies tune):

Good old Collingwood for never
They know how to play the game.
Bash, bash.
Side by side they stick together
To uphold their filthy name, for shame
Hear their barrackers a whinging
Like they always do
For the premiership's a cakewalk
For the good old Red and Blue.

I remember it very well.

2 hours ago, MT64 said:

I remember it very well.

Cheer squad member when Malcolm Turner was in charge?

On 9/25/2023 at 5:15 PM, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

This rather feeble verse, is the SECOND, not the third verse.

On 9/25/2023 at 5:15 PM, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

This rather feeble verse, is the SECOND, not the third verse.

Just replying to the OP, who obviously the “it’s a grand old flag” part of the song as a second verse, not chorus - unless they are looking for a different answer?

1 hour ago, M_9 said:

Cheer squad member when Malcolm Turner was in charge?

Close

He was definitely there, old enough anyway 

myself on the other hand only joined a couple of years later with John Hartmann. RIP

Edited by 640MD


5 hours ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Great get, George! Did you remember it was there, or are you a dedicated (obsessive?) researcher?

Calling @deegirl, your answer is served!

Let's hope we can sing the above  on Sat. night.

But I like.... "Oh, the premiership's a pipedream, for poor old Collingwood!"

51 minutes ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

Let's hope we can sing the above  on Sat. night.

But I like.... "Oh, the premiership's a pipedream, for poor old Collingwood!"

the filth have lost 27 grand finals, and i am waiting eagerly for number 28.  biggest chokers ever.

next is essendrug with a distant 14 losses, then carlscum with 13 losses

mfc has just 5 losing grand finals

10 hours ago, M_9 said:

Cheer squad member when Malcolm Turner was in charge?

Guilty as charged.

8 hours ago, 640MD said:

He was definitely there, old enough anyway 

myself on the other hand only joined a couple of years later with John Hartmann. RIP

Get stuffed Rob. Haha

9 hours ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

Let's hope we can sing the above  on Sat. night.

But I like.... "Oh, the premiership's a pipedream, for poor old Collingwood!"

I like this and prefer the start of: 

‘Poor Ol Collingwood will never’ as taught by my Father.


2 hours ago, MT64 said:

Get stuffed Rob. Haha

Again “on the other hand”

we live on to see another flag, perhaps soon perhaps not do soon. 
cheers

unlike JH and other members from back then. 

Edited by 640MD

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