“There’s an old Buchan bus made of bubble-gum and rust along the road to Orbost High. The radiator’s hissing and half the motor’s missing, the fuel tank’s nearly dry. There’s water in the petrol and sand in all the gears and it hasn’t seen a garage for more than thirty years! If she ever reaches home, no longer will I roam along the road to Orbost High”
~ Song the kids used to sing on the Buchan-to-Orbost school bus. We recorded the kids from Buchan Primary School singing this song for the album.
Thanks to the students and teachers of Buchan Primary School * (Credits below)
4. Captain of the Bus
Jim Harley - driver of the Buchan-to-Orbost School bus from 1955 - 1969 with his family
Image Source: Thank you to the Harley family
Freezing outside the Roadhouse - early morning
Dusty bus rattles down the road , he’s on time again
Hugging hot water bottles , and a rug for the frost
Lurch along the gravel road, heading to Orbost
Girls sit in the back, boys in the front
When Jim Harley’s captain of the bus x 2
Mary’s cocoa warms our bones as she measures our hems
Rain pours outside the window, Jim’s gonna get bogged again!
Reading comics, passing notes, kids gossip gettin’ loud
Jim says its study time, no noise allowed!
Girls sit in the back, boys in the front
When Jim Harley’s captain of the bus x 2
High School kids on Jim Harley’s Buchan-to-Orbost School bus
Image Source: Thank you to Joanne Harley-Dreja
Drives us through floods and fires, fallen tree comes into view
Bush telegraph gonna begin so Jim gets his axe and he chop us through yeah!
Wayne lights up a penny bunger, meant to go out the window
It flies back in, next to Jim so he pulls over as it explodes!
[Spoken word] Right kids, I told you before, the next person to light a cracker on this bus is walking home.
GUESS WHAT WAYNE?!
That means you buddy, you’re walking home
Girls sit in the back, boys in the front
When Jim Harley’s captain of the bus…
All lyrics © Raven & the Dove
KIDS FROM BUCHAN PRIMARY SCHOOL WHO SANG THE BUCHAN-TO-ORBOST SCHOOL BUS SONG FOR THE ALBUM:
Oliver F, Robert G, Hope De W, Zoe C, Jack McA, Skye De W, Noah M, Grace McA, Campbell M, Roman M, Luca W, Ashleigh L, Archie G, Edward K., Thomas H, Noah B, Jackson M, Kai K, Fletcher S, Lachlan C and Campbell H.
THANK YOU LEGENDS!