Dave Clayton Geoffrey Hales. Jim Nevin. and Dave Gray

Transcription

1 Musical Director Graeme Isaac (cast) Neville Singing Professor Band Members Microphone Conway Garth Meade Jim Nevin Dave Clayton Geoffrey Hales Music Recording ATA Studios Music Mix EMI Studios 301 Music Engineer Christo Music & Sound Mixing Facilities United Sound Original Music Original Lyrics Songs sung by Brass arrangements Synthesiser and Keyboards Music for 'Side Show Alley' by Graeme Isaac and Jim Nevin Microphone Conway Microphone Conway Dave Clayton Jim Nevin Microphone Conway and Dave Gray Molly can claim one of the more bizarre novelty songs to emerge in company with an Australian feature film. The song, which features Reg Lye and Molly the singing dog, and introduces Kerry Wyld, is thoughtfully included on the Umbrella DVD, as a video clip/promo item with this closing title: Like the film, the song did no business when it was released as a 45: Festival K

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3 Side A: Molly (Most Dogs Sing) (2'40") (Aust. Comp.) ( C. Neal - P. Roope) (Troplisa-Matthews) (Inspired by the Australian Film "Molly") Reg Lye and Molly - The Singing Dog (Introducing Kerry Wyld) Produced and Engineered by Chris Neal Executive Producer Phil Matthews Side B: Circus of Dreams (3'22") (Aust. Comp.) (M. Conway - G. Isaac - J. Niven) (April/Troplisa Matthews) (From the Australian Film "Molly") Microphone Conway Produced by Graeme isaac Brass Arrangement Dave Clayton Engineer Christo Graeme Isaac, who is credited as music director, and with Jim Nevin, composer of the original music, had previously worked with director Ned Lander on the feature film Wrong Side of the Road. Ronin, which still has some Isaac films in its catalogue, provided this brief CV for Isaac here: Graeme Isaac has worked over 25 years in a wide variety of roles within the Australian film industry, as a writer, producer, script editor, and music producer. His films have won many awards both here and overseas. His last documentary DHAKIYARR VS THE KING won the 2004 Rouben Mamoulian Award at the Sydney Film Festival, and was a finalist in the World Documentaries Competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Graeme has an extensive background in cross-cultural projects and has produced many films in collaboration with Aboriginal communities and with Aboriginal filmmakers. He has also worked in Indonesia and facilitated the post production in Australia of 3 Indonesian feature films, the first and only Indonesian films to have screened at the Cannes Film Festival. In the 70's he was a member of the Australian Performing Group (Pram Factory), a founding member of Circus Oz, and played with the band Captain Matchbox. (Below: Graeme Isaac) (Below: Ned Lander and Graeme Isaac)

4 Mic Conway - credited in those days as Microphone Conway - is featured in a couple of numbers. One a bit of jug band music before the opening credits, another more in the Weimar Republic style, with lyrics about the demise of Side Show Alley, and the third a song which wraps up the show as Conway ascends into the big top on a suspended crescent moon shape. Conway is well known as a musician, initially with jug band tendencies, and with the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band. He sprang from a vaudeville family and was one of the founding members of the alternative Circus Oz. He later re-invented himself as a children's performer and joined forces with The Wiggles as the Wags the Dog character. Conway has his own website here: (Below: front page of Conway's website as of January 2015)

5 He also has a wiki listing here. (Below: Conway as he appears in the film's final number, Circus of Dreams)

6 (For more shots of Conway in the film, and other musicians performing as part of the circus live act, see this site's photo gallery). Lyrics for the Circus of Dreams, sung by Microphone Conway, the final number as the end credits roll. The song featured as the B side on the 45: Now you see us and now you don't First you'll be it, but then you won't 'Cause you're in the circus of dreams You're on a tightrope all alone Step into the danger zone Take a chance, take a chance Step right up to the circus, the circus of dreams my friend Maybe the man in the moon Is a cardboard cut out loon Things ain't always what they might seem Life is magic, why not believe Why there's nothing, nothing up my sleeve 'Cause we're all in the circus of dreams The whole wide world goes round and round and round Yes folks with half of it upside down But we're all in Mr Sandman's white fantasy yes we are Keep on smiling through stormy weather Because you know that rainy days won't be forever And remember there's a rainbow in the circus of dreams (credits begin to roll) The painted clown is driving by The wheels go round, he'll start to climb a moonbeam That moonbeam to the big top The bees hah hah (There's an old circus sketch featuring bees in the final circus act in the film). Life is magic Why not believe No, there's nothing, nothing at all up my sleeve 'Cause we're all in the circus of dreams (Circus style instrumental music then carries over the rest of the end titles) Lyrics for the A side of the 45, which is actually a spin off that doesn't appear in the film. This is a novelty song, which was put together with a music clip filmed in the Australian countryside. A kid on the back of a farm ute approaches Reg Lye and Molly. A dog howls. Reg Lye and Molly end up in the back of the ute with the kid, presumably the "introducing Kerry Wyld" in the 45's credits. As the ute rocks through the Australian countryside, the following dialogue and song unfolds: (spoken) Kid: Hey, what's up with this dog mister? Reg Lye: She's singing Kid: Dogs don't sing. Reg Lye: You want to bet on it?

7 (Lye then sings): There's Windsor the warbling wolfhound from Warrnambool Bowser the bank full Bedlington from Bourke Donald the dulcet Doberman from Dunedoo Barry the basset busker back in Broome (Then with kids' chorus): Most dogs sing, there's more than a few But there's only one who's really true blue She's a great Aussie dog, she comes in on cue If you believe in her she'll sing for you (Kids' chorus: Molly) (Spoken): Kid: Tell me another one Reg Lye: Erh, don't mind if I do (Lye singing): Terry the tuneful terrier from Taree Soot the symphonic spaniel from Sawtell Andy the Afghan artiste from Armidale Snug the singing setter's there as well (With kids' chorus): Most dogs sing, there's more than a few But there's only one who's really true blue She's a great Aussie dog, she comes in on cue If you believe in her, she'll sing for you (Kids' chorus: Molly) (Spoken): Kid: You're from the bush. Reg Lye: I am not. Kid: Well how'd you teach her then? Reg Lye: Well believe it or not, she taught herself. Kid: Oh go on. Reg Lye: Oh most kind (Reg Lye singing): Curley the kelpie crooner left Corangamite (sounds like Corangabite) Percy the purring Pete performs in Perth Molly the musical mutt moved to Miramar Now Willy whips it up for all he's worth (With kids' chorus): Most dogs sing, there's more than a few But there's only one who's really true blue She's a great Aussie dog, she comes in on cue If you believe in her, she'll sing for you (Kids' chorus: Molly) (Dog howls) (Spoken):

8 Kid: What kind of dog is she? Reg Lye: Well Molly's a singing dog of course Her ancestors were bred to sing Sing before the Pharaohs of Egypt thousands of years ago Kid: Oh really, how did you know? Reg Lye: (fading out) Oh a strange story, you see I met this older gentleman Abdul, a camel driver he was way out the back of Bourke And he says, hey mate, you want a dog? (The ute and its passengers disappear down the road). (Below: some shots from the novelty musical clip on the Umbrella DVD, to give a flavour of the presentation. The inimitable number is best watched, and stands as a tribute to that old trouper Reg Lye's willingness to give anything a go. If the film had been made in the same spirit as the clip, it might have been more successful).

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