The Wind-up Gramophone

When I was a little girl I lived in a house that was typical of a farmhouse style for the mountain areas. The roofline was a particular shape, and typically it had a front room jutting out and a wrap around verandah. It was a small house, nice but not grand. The location was above the floodline of a creek. Most old houses were always out of harm's way like that.

It had a front door leading straight into the loungeroom. The loungeroom wasn't overly big, and had ornate pressed metal ceilings. Mum had a briquette heater first with a mantlepiece. Long windows on two sides, and lino she polished with a machine. We had a 20s style couch and two chairs, a laminex smokers table I suppose you would call it. Possibly one of those darling lamps with a pink skirt, a 60s light fitting, and a polished windup gramophone in the corner. Oh yes, and a TV, in between two bedroom doors. Another door led to the kitchen.

The 60s flouro light fittings I have revisited since my treechange. There are two shops with those fittings here.

When I did my family research I vagely remember being told that the gramophone was a special aquisition of my Great-Grandparents. It was a piece of furniture, and was in very good condition when my Mum had it. It had a grill on the front with flowers in it I think. Sometimes I had a little hour or two by myself where I played some songs.

Last night I was watching CMC, the Country Music Channel. I was at a bit of a loose end. I was watching a show called Australia Only and came across this song by Melissa Bajric called Too Long Between Drinks. I found her online and thought all the songs on her album Small Town Girl were great, as far as I could tell from the snippets of songs. Imagine how I felt when I came across the words to Wind-up Gramophone.

In the tiny craftroom
Of the farmhouse by the creek
Spending hours and hours on my own
Dreaming dreams and singing songs
That I learnt one by one
From the records on my Granny's gramophone
It was ... shining
In a cabinet made of wood

Melissa Bajric Wind-up Gramophone

Apparently it is a song by Joy McKean who is Slim Dusty's widow. I am probably going to buy Melissa Bajric's album this week. It has an old-time dance music feel to it. There is another video clip titled Luckiest Girl. Do you have any gramophone memories?



Comments

La Tea Dah said…
A lovely post --- tying in memories of the past with something new that touches you. Thank you for sharing from your heart.

And thank you for joining in the Gracious Hospitality WINTER blog-hop!!! It seems so funny to say that in July, but I do know it's winter down under --- very true.

Enjoy a wonderful day!
LaTeaDah
Hill upon Hill said…
Nice to hear from you again, thanks for visiting. Music is so evocative isn't it? Can you tell me whereabouts the photo is taken?
Linda said…
Near the Eastern end of the Murray Valley highway I think.
Melissa said…
Hello,

This is Melissa Bajric. I came across your blog today and am so glad that this song has sparked such lovely memories for you.

A friend of mine told me about this song when I was looking for songs for my album and invited myself and my family to his home to hear it. He had the song on an old record and told me he would play it on the gramophone.

As things would turn out there was a blackout that evening and we all sat by candle light listening to the original of 'The Wind-up Gramophone' being played on a classic old Gramophone. As the song played with that scratchy old sound, I fell in love with the song.

Thank you for your comments and I'm really happy that you like my music.

Kind Regards,
Melissa Bajric

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