My Boomerang Won't Come Back
Encyclopedia
"My Boomerang Won't Come Back" was a novelty record by British comedian Charlie Drake
which became a surprise hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1961.
The tune concerns a young Aboriginal
lad (with Drake's signature Cockney
accent) cast out by his tribe due to his inability to toss a boomerang
. After months of isolation (and fighting off "nasty bushwackin' animals"), the local witch doctor
takes pity on Drake and informs him "if you want you boomerang to come back/well, first you've got to throw it!" He does, and proceeds to bring down an airplane, which crashes with a loud boom. "Oh, my Gawd," Drake says in horror, "I've hit The Flying Doctor
!" Drake and witch doctor argue over payment ("you still owe me fourteen chickens!") as the record fades out.
, even by 1961 standards. In the song, an Aboriginal meeting is described as a "pow-wow
", something more appropriate for Native Americans
, while their chanting sounds more African than Aboriginal. Most of all, Drake raised eyebrows with the chorus: "I've waved the thing all over the place/practiced til I was black in the face/I'm the big disgrace of the Aborigine race/My boomerang won't come back!"
After the BBC
refused to play the tune (despite its popularity in record shops), a new version was recorded, substituting "blue in the face"; this version (on Parlophone Records) entered the UK charts in October and eventually peaked at #14.
released the record in America, and, not wanting to deal with complaints like the ones in Britain, issued a 45
-only version that not only featured the line "blue in the face" but was considerably shorter than the UK version (which was 3:32), clocking in at 2:44. (The middle part was tightened up and the entire final bit about "The Flying Doctor" was excised, assuming American audiences would be unfamiliar with it; after the sound of the flying boomerang, the song goes back into the chorus and fades out.) The US version first hit the Billboard Hot 100
in January 1962 and peaked at #21 (a rare pre-Beatles hit for a British artist in the US), for what would be Drake's only American chart appearance. (Oddly, yet another version turned up on an American LP
release, which was the same length as the US 45 but again contained the line "black in the face".)
The record also did well in Canada
, reaching #3 there. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=9391
Charlie Drake
Charlie Drake was an English comedian, actor, writer and singer.With his small stature , curly red hair and liking for slapstick he was a popular comedian with children in his early years, becoming nationally-known for his "Hello, my darlings" catchphrase...
which became a surprise hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1961.
The tune concerns a young Aboriginal
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
lad (with Drake's signature Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
accent) cast out by his tribe due to his inability to toss a boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
. After months of isolation (and fighting off "nasty bushwackin' animals"), the local witch doctor
Witch doctor
A witch doctor originally referred to a type of healer who treated ailments believed to be caused by witchcraft. It is currently used to refer to healers in some third world regions, who use traditional healing rather than contemporary medicine...
takes pity on Drake and informs him "if you want you boomerang to come back/well, first you've got to throw it!" He does, and proceeds to bring down an airplane, which crashes with a loud boom. "Oh, my Gawd," Drake says in horror, "I've hit The Flying Doctor
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
!" Drake and witch doctor argue over payment ("you still owe me fourteen chickens!") as the record fades out.
Controversy
"My Boomerang" is not exactly a paragon of political correctnessPolitical correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
, even by 1961 standards. In the song, an Aboriginal meeting is described as a "pow-wow
Pow-wow
A pow-wow is a gathering of North America's Native people. The word derives from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader". A modern pow-wow is a specific type of event where both Native American and non-Native American people meet to dance, sing, socialize, and honor American...
", something more appropriate for Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, while their chanting sounds more African than Aboriginal. Most of all, Drake raised eyebrows with the chorus: "I've waved the thing all over the place/practiced til I was black in the face/I'm the big disgrace of the Aborigine race/My boomerang won't come back!"
After the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
refused to play the tune (despite its popularity in record shops), a new version was recorded, substituting "blue in the face"; this version (on Parlophone Records) entered the UK charts in October and eventually peaked at #14.
North American versions
United ArtistsUnited Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
released the record in America, and, not wanting to deal with complaints like the ones in Britain, issued a 45
45
Year 45 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Vinicius and Sabinus...
-only version that not only featured the line "blue in the face" but was considerably shorter than the UK version (which was 3:32), clocking in at 2:44. (The middle part was tightened up and the entire final bit about "The Flying Doctor" was excised, assuming American audiences would be unfamiliar with it; after the sound of the flying boomerang, the song goes back into the chorus and fades out.) The US version first hit the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in January 1962 and peaked at #21 (a rare pre-Beatles hit for a British artist in the US), for what would be Drake's only American chart appearance. (Oddly, yet another version turned up on an American LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
release, which was the same length as the US 45 but again contained the line "black in the face".)
The record also did well in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, reaching #3 there. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=9391