Somebody has expressed a fear that there is danger of Victoria's taking her Centenary too seriously.
Come, sing with a ring and a right good swing -
(Hey! Hey for a lilting lay!)
Any old silly, old jolly, old thing.
(For a lilting lay Hey! Hey!)
So long as it be merry
Does the method matter very -
(Sing hey, down derry!)
Does it matter what we sing?
Centenaries are far between,
And more than one few men have seen.
The sun is high, the fields are green -
Green, green! Oh, joyous scene!
(Hey for a lilting lay!)
A Royal Prince comes hence once more;
The loyal crowds with gladness roar;
The girls, agog, are bubbling o'er;
The ships are in and Jack's ashore.
(Then hey, down derry for the merriment in store!)
For a lilting lay sing hey!
Ho!
Hail the happee day!
An ode be blowed! We need no goad -
(Hey! Hey for a lilting lay!)
To urge us on our joyous road.
(For a lilting lay Hey! Hey!)
So long as it be jolly
With a touch of fun and folly -
(Sing ho, hi, holly!)
Who's to quarrel with the mode?
For Prince and poet, salts and seers
We hymn the tale of pioneers;
With eyes upon the future years,
Cheers, cheers are in our ears.
(For a lilting lay sing hey!)
We sing the song of a task well done;
Yet sing of labors scarce begun,
Still thro' the centuries to run.
We are the children of the sun!
(Then hey, down derry for a festival of fun!)
Sing hey for a lilting lay!
Ho!
Hail the happee day!
First published in The Herald, 15 October 1934
Author reference sites: C.J. Dennis, Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
See also.
