Songs mentioning kangaroos in the title or lyrics - #8 - Tie me Kangaroo Down Sport – Rolf Harris
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325798)
Rockingham, Australia
November 21, 2017 7:12am CST
Number 8 in my series of songs mentioning ‘kangaroo’ in the title or lyrics is Rolf Harris’ Tie me Kangaroo Down Sport. Perhaps more people will recognise this as opposed to some of the others. While Australia was once very proud to call Rolf Harris ‘son’, he has had an incredible fall from grace and now languishes in jail.
There is no disputing that the kangaroo is an highly recognisable Australian icon. It features on some of our coins. Products grown or made in Australia are entitled to use the Australian Made logo which shows a gold kangaroo in a green triangle. Our national rugby league team are known as the Kangaroos while the rugby union team is the Wallabies. Our airline, Qantas, has a bounding kangaroo as its logo. The kangaroo and emu feature on our coat of arms. Interestingly, neither of these beasts can move backwards.
TIE ME KANGAROO DOWN SPORT. The song "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport" is sung by Rolf Harris.
17 people like this
19 responses
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Nov 17
This was a super obvious choice.
6 people like this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Nov 17
I was going to say that's good (to have to find another one) as I have three more songs and only two more spots but then I realised one of the three is another Rolf Harris number. I'll have to use it as other less-biased people might like it. I'll mark it 'not for your attention'. How 'bout that? 
3 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
21 Nov 17
it was terribly sad to find out what a monster Harris really was @JudyEv
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62147)
• United States
22 Nov 17
@JudyEv -- hadn't he even been commissioned to paint an official portrait of the Queen at one time?
And Aussies weren't the only one who found it "hard to stomach."
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Nov 17
@FourWalls He did a lovely portrait of the Queen. There was a TV programme showing some of the sitting sessions. When he was arrested the painting was returned. What a slap in the face that must have been. When we were on the Queen Mary for a cruise, many of his paintings were in their art gallery. I guess they've all been hidden away in some warehouse now.
3 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7083)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
21 Nov 17
Ha! I remember that song! I thought it was pretty cute. I didn't know there even were eight songs with "kangaroo" in the title. I also didn't know Rolf Harris was in prison. I'm going to have to look that up and see what's up with that.
I've never been to Australia, but I do associate it with very different wildlife than we have here in the U.S. And the colorful birds like budgies and cockatiels. I have them as pets, two budgies and one cockatiel. They are fun as pets. The budgies are so playful and the cockatiel is sweet and affectionate.
I'm going to go look at your other kangaroo songs and see if I've ever heard of them.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Nov 17
Another one caught with his pants down - so to speak. I had to settle for 'kangaroo' being in either the title or the lyrics as I couldn't find ten with 'kangaroo' in the title. Budgies and cockatiels are popular pets here too. It is wonderful to see a flock of budgies flying in big groups in the wild but they do seem to take to aviary life well. In the wild you only see the green ones.
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
21 Nov 17
I didn't know there were any songs about kangaroos. Thanks for sharing all the information about them. They have a small kangaroo habitat at the local zoo, and I always love to see them, especially the little ones.
3 people like this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
22 Nov 17
@JudyEv That would be so amazing.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169966)
• United States
22 Nov 17
This is one I have actually heard of! I think it was popular all over the world.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6114)
• United Kingdom
23 Nov 17
I personally think Rolf Harris has been harshly treated. He hasn't raped anyone and some of the accusers have been discredited. Shame such a popular person here in the UK is now looked on with contempt. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62147)
• United States
22 Nov 17
That was a cute song when I was little.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Nov 17
I was waiting for this one to appear.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
21 Nov 17
The song still unknown to me but I can relate now to the sports
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Nov 17
I think you might be the only one to comment who hasn't heard of the song before.
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Nov 17
@ilocosboy Some songs catch the imagination while others don't I guess.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
22 Nov 17
Which I think I need to press that youtube button here.
1 person likes this
@catsholiday (460)
• Derby, England
2 Dec 17
I still find it hard to believe Rolf Harris did that. I remember him at the Commonwealth games ceremony In Brisbane .. he was so proud
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 17
@catsholiday A lot of our artists have had to go overseas to make a name for themselves. Then they come back and we're happy to acknowledge them as famous. It's as if we think if it's Australian it can't be that good - a big inferiority complex about our self-worth.
@catsholiday (460)
• Derby, England
3 Dec 17
@JudyEv I think we all did Australian or not. He was popular in the UK and had a show for years before Australia kind of accepted him back for the Commonwealth games opening ceremony in Brisbane
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Nov 17
Have you read the lyrics to any of the others of this series? None of them make any sense. I have no idea what any of them are about. 
But I didn't let that put me off! If it mentioned 'kangaroo' somewhere, it was fair game - so to speak.
But I didn't let that put me off! If it mentioned 'kangaroo' somewhere, it was fair game - so to speak.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Nov 17
I'm sure that's very true. They're synonymous with Australia.
