Why Did I Think Of London Bus ??

Here's an idea for a topical collection: postmarked covers from towns & places found in song titles & lyrics. They could include Pasadena CA, Winslow AZ, Miami FL, and all the towns from "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash

or how about mail from famous prisons such as Alcatraz...

"I've Been Everywhere" was written by Australian Geoff Mack, and it first became a hit in 1959 for Lucky Starr.

Here's the original lyrics. Good luck collecting covers from all of THESE towns! (I live in one of them, so I can help out with that one!)

Well, I was humpin' my bluey on the dusty Oodnadatta road,
When along came a semi with a high and canvas-covered load.
"If you're goin' to Oodnadatta, mate, um, with me you can ride."
So I climbed in the cabin and I settled down inside.
He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand, I said
"Listen, mate, I've travelled ev'ry road in this here land."

Cause I've been everywhere, man,
I've been everywhere, man.
'Cross the deserts bare, man;
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

"Been to . . "

I've been to Tullamore, Seymour, Lismore, Mooloolaba,
Nambour, Maroochydore, Kilmore, Murwillumbah,
Birdsville, Emmaville, Wallaville, Cunnamulla,
Condamine, Strathpine, Proserpine, Ulladulla,
Darwin, Gin Gin, Deniliquin, Muckadilla,
Wallambilla, Boggabilla, Kumbarilla,
I'm a killer.

I've been everywhere, man.
'Cross the deserts bare, man;
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

"Yeah but listen here, mate, have you been to..."

I've been to Moree, Taree, Jerilderie, Bambaroo,
Toowoomba, Gunnedah, Caringbah, Woolloomooloo,
Dalveen, Tamborine, Engadine, Jindabyne,
Lithgow, Casino, Brigalow and Narromine,
Megalong, Wyong, Tuggerawong, Wangarella,
Morella, Augathella, Brindabella, I'm the feller.

I've been everywhere, man.
'Cross the deserts bare, man;
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

"Yeah, I know that, but have you been to..."

I've been to Wollongong, Geelong, Kurrajong, Mullumbimby,
Mittagong, Molong, Grong Grong, Goondiwindi,
Yarra Yarra, Bouindarra, Wallangarra, Turramurra,
Boggabri, Gundagai, Narrabri, Tibooburra,
Gulgong, Adelong, Billabong, Cabramatta,
Parramatta, Wangaratta*, Coolangatta, what's it matter?

I've been everywhere, man.
'Cross the deserts bare, man;
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

"Yeah, look that's fine, but how about..."

I've been to Ettalong, Dandenong, Woodenbong, Ballarat,
Canberra, Milperra, Unanderra, Captain's Flat,
Cloncurry, River Murray, Kurri Kurri, Girraween,
Terrigal, Fingal, Stockinbingal, Collaroy and Narrabeen,
Bendigo, Dorrigo, Bangalow, Indooroopilly,
Kirribilli, Yeerongpilly, Wollondilly, don't be silly.

I've been everywhere, man.
'Cross the deserts bare, man;
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.
I've been here, there, everywhere, I've been everywhere.

"Okay, mate, you've been ev'ry place except one,
and ya don't need my help t'get there . . ."

jubilee,
I had know idea. I've learned something new today. Thanks.

But does the train keep a movin down to San Antone ? When I was in Mississippi 1958/59 in tech school there was a country band playing in one of the watering holes and I asked them to play Folsom Prison Blues..but they didnt know it..so a kid from apple knocker upstate New York..after a few 25 cent bottles of Dixie beer had to demonstrate !!

**giggling uncontrollably**

That's a ripper Jubille,
saw a documentary a few years ago re that song,
it was a reject until Lucky Starr decided to record it,
and apparently took him 3 weeks to memorise the towns
before recording.

The song has one weakness however, there is not one single town in Western Australia.

Obviously he hadn't been there!

Massachusetts maximum security prison is in South Walpole, MA. The facility is called Cedar Junction and it is NOT where I would want to spend 15 years of penal philately (but somewhere else might be nice).

Well, Phil, it is interesting to note that the town of Folsom, CA is cited by some as the end of the line for the Pony Express.

Ya just have to love Australian place names!

France appears to take the silly name Oscar,
according to our favourite show "QI"
with Stephen Fry.............


Stephen
They might, if you're lucky. They are, in fact, French place names; they're all places in France. Which would be called, I suppose [French accent] Sil-ly and Pri-vy and Pus-sy, but that's how they're spelt. There are in fact, ooh, six places called Silly, thirteen called Billy and one called Prat. There are also some places--[counting them off on his fingers]--called Chilly, two called Pissy, one each of Corny, Punchy, Misery, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Other French names include Ham, Clam, Condom, Bus, Eccles, and Nancy . . . Erm . . .

I taught a student once called Budda (pronounced like butter) who had two brothers called Ham and Jam. These were not French names but Lebanese. They were all abbreviations for something longer. The other students called them the "Sandwich" family.

Apologies to the people concerned,
but that <is> amusing!

I taught once with a fellow from Trinidad of Egyptian extraction with the very Arabic last name of Muhammed. His wife was of Indian (Hindi) extraction. They had a son before they came to Canada and the only really good school in their community in Trinidad was Catholic run. In order to assure his ability to enter the school, he was christened .....

Peter Paul Muhammed.

What, no Mary ???