Take Me Back To The City Streets 1908

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 9Apr2025
2025

A young man sat in a little bark hut,
where the waters of the Murray roam,
and he tried to write, by the candle light.
a letter to his friends at home.
He wrote, "Dear Dad, this country life
is not the life that people said,
for it's up with the lark
and when it's dark
there's no where to go but bed.

So
Take me back to the City streets,
back to the tramway cars,
back to the sound
of the Post Office clock,
back to the free lunch bars,
back to the friends who will welcome me,
whether I'm up or down
back to the City I love so well,
and that's dear old Melbourne Town."

Take me back to the City streets,
back to the tramway cars,
back to the sound
of the Post Office clock,
back to the free lunch bars,
back to the friends who will welcome me,
whether I'm up or down
back to the City I love so well,
and that's dear old Melbourne Town."

It's nine long months since I left the town,
and it seems like years to me.
Since I last heard the sound
of the tramway bell
and joined in a good old spree.
I know you'll say I'm a lazy turk
and at work I will not stay
but if you had a week here
at Waylack Creek
I think with me you'd say.

Well
Take me back to the City streets,
back to the tramway cars,
back to the sound
of the Post Office clock,
back to the free lunch bars,
back to the friends who will welcome me,
whether I'm up or down
back to the City I love so well,
and that's dear old Melbourne Town."

Take me back to the City streets,
back to the tramway cars,
back to the sound
of the Post Office clock,
back to the free lunch bars,
back to the friends who will welcome me,
whether I'm up or down
back to the City I love so well,
and that's dear old Melbourne Town."

You said I'd save more money on the land
than I would hanging round the town,
though I've been here just close on a year
I haven't saved a single brown;
It's a healthy life,
up here, no doubt,
and the sights they are good to see;
but the scenery around
dear old Melbourne Town
will do very well for me.

So
Take me back to the City streets,
back to the tramway cars,
back to the sound
of the Post Office clock,
back to the free lunch bars,
back to the friends who will welcome me,
whether I'm up or down
back to the City I love so well,
and that's dear old Melbourne Town."

Take me back to the City streets,
back to the tramway cars,
back to the sound
of the Post Office clock,
back to the free lunch bars,
back to the friends who will welcome me,
whether I'm up or down
back to the City I love so well,
and that's dear old Melbourne Town."

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Take Me Back To The City Streets 1908
Lyrics by George Cattlen & Leonard Nelson
Music by Fred Hall
© 1908 by Allan & Co.Pty.Ltd.
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Wednesday 9 April 2025 at 17.16
in association with Torquil Syme
*
James Pitt-Payne