Old Barker Rugby Song (William Tell)

from the source: Jack Brislee

Here is the tale of how William Tell became the club song. This is needed before it gets lost in the mists of time and myth.

A group of us were staying at Packsaddlers in Megalong Valley. I remember Rob McCourt had brought a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label – a very expensive drink in those days.

We were drinking it with creek water which tasted great at the time.

I began singing the theme William Tell, a popular TV show in the 60’s. I made a bit of a hash of the words – a tradition that has endured in the club to this day.

To hear the real words check the YouTube video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfZP5_SCW0o

You can see I got the mistel and the sleeping brook completely wrong.

Anyway I taught these erroneous words to Rob, Geoff Fowler, Andy Thorburn, Steve Rouvray and a few others, and I think it was Steve who said this would make a great club song.

We liked the idea because it had nothing to do with rugby, and was therefore likely to confuse the opposition.

And that is the (true) story of William Tell.

Regards
Jack Brislee