HOW TO SPIN A YARN - WITH BILL CASE

We often get asked "what is the difference between a yarn and a joke"? Hopefully this video will answer the question as Bill Case (1917-2001) was a master Yarnspinner. John Harpley and I recorded this 15 minute yarn as part of a dance night that Bill played for at Don McBain's Barn in Nelson, Vic. Apologies for video quality but it shows the rapport that Bill had with the audience and how he held them.

 

I heard this yarn twice, the second time being at the Sharing the Harvest concert, a memorial for John Meredith in 2001. Bill captivated the audience there as well.

 

A few explanations - Bill's father ran a Pie Cart in Mount Gambier, SA, specalising in Pie Floaters, young Bill often helped him. Pie Floaters are very popular in South Australia and consist of a pie in a bowl of thick mushy peas. The peas are 'blue boilers' and, if too hard to boil, are softened by the addition of Bicarbonate of Soda, this is where Bill's yarn takes a twist.

Rob Willis

SHARING THE HARVEST – THE JAMBEROO RECORDINGS NOW ONLINE

Gay Charmers at Jamberoo

In 2001, the Jamberoo Folk Festival featured two concerts by traditional performers, including Bill Case, Lola Wright, Eileen McCoy and many more. Long sleeping in the National Library’s Oral History and Folklore Collection, the full recordings, together with interviews and talks by Edgar Waters, Mark Cranfield and Robyn Holmes are now available online at

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1664097

Edgar Waters, Mark Cranfield and Robyn Holmes, National Library of Australia

Click on the link above, then click on this logo"

 This will take you to a user agreement, at the bottom of which is a green ‘I accept’ button, click that and it takes you straight to the list of the sessions, starting with the first one. Just click on the arrow at the right-hand side of each item to hear the riches within.

Bill Case and Rob Willis