The Follies of Pollies
CD by John Dengate
Reviewed by Alex Bainbridge
I first saw John Dengate perform live in 1987 at the National Folk Festival in Alice Springs. He presented a workshop titled: "No matter how you stir the dunny can, the shit always floats on top". It was about postwar Australian politics.
John Dengate has made a name for himself as a larrikin writer and singer of satirical political songs. This album continues in that tradition. He is critical of US foreign policy, Japanese and US "takeover" of Australia, Liberal governments and such like.
The title song on the album is even critical of the leaders of the ALP! (You get a sense of how this goes with lines like: "I want a republic, but Keating's so mean/ I feel just a twinge of support for the Queen".)
Dengate also writes songs about aspects of everyday life: the traumas of catching a "Train to Guildford", the experience of "Skin Cancer Blues" and "Songs of the Sheet Metal Worker". In all of these, he brings his own witty style.
This album has some of Dengate's best and most popular songs, like "Bare-Legged Kate" and "Bill from Erskineville". It also has some newer ones, like the "Super League Song" in defence of ARL.
This album — packed with 17 songs — is representative of Dengate's music. If you like the "left"-nationalist traditions of the Australian labour movement that Dengate promotes, then this album fits the bill.