Remember Port Melbourne

Remember Port Melbourne on Saturday night

At the pub that they call Molly Bloom’s?

Remember the sailors, the drunks and the fights,

And the band at the end of the room?

And do you remember the first time we met?

You soon had me under your spell.

It was one of those moments I’ll never forget,

Oh yes, I remember it well.

CHORUS

They sang Waltzing Matilda, they played The Wild Rover,

Pat Reilly and Molly Malone they were there.

The band kept on singing it over and over

Oh don’t you remember my dear.

Old Gentleman Jim had his place by the bar,

A silver topped cane in his hand.

Big Eddie he borrowed the singer’s guitar

And he strummed out the Black Velvet band.

We were lost in the music, swept up by the sound,

We knew all the words to the songs.

When the man on the banjo sang Rain Tumbles Down,

The whole of the bar sang along.

I met you at Molly’s on Saturday night,

I was nervous and shy, you were young.

So I went to the bar and I bought us a pint

And the alcohol loosened our tongues.

We spoke of the present, we honoured the past,

The words began flowing like wine;

We savoured each moment like it was the last,

While the band played along all the time.

LAST CHORUS

They sang Waltzing Matilda, they played The Wild Rover

Ned Kelly, and Henry, and Banjo were there.

The band kept on singing it over and over -

Oh don’t you remember my dear?

Remember Port Melbourne: R. Fairburn

Rob Fairburn’s memory of Port Melbourne appears to be fairly finely focused – on Molly Bloom’s pub.  “The pub” has been an important part of social life in the city as well as the country.  This is one of our few urban songs.  Sung by Phil Roeterdink it was introduced to us by Phil Gray, and is still a favourite.