Each week during the footy season, the Almanac’s rugby league editor, Ian Hauser, writes a newsletter to a group of about 45 RL tragics with commentary on the state of the code as well as providing links to our regular Almanac columnists Rabbit in the Vineyard and Prop in the Canefield. One of the recipients of that email is Karl Dubravs (aka Almanac contributor Moondance). Over a period of time, Karl has provided a series of articles on cover versions of Bob Dylan songs, his last contribution appearing as recently as Tuesday of this week. Today we share Karl’s recent correspondence with Ian about the intersection of the world of rugby league and Dylan covers. Who’da thunk it?
Hi Ian,
It certainly is an interesting season of NRL. The Dragons impressed last night and the Origin victory by Qld was well deserved.
One of my interests is Bob Dylan covers and in digging deep into Dylan covers by Aussie artists I was ‘over the moon’ to discover this album and to find a Dylan cover therein:
Image courtesy of Karl Dubravs.
The track list is:
Peter Walsh (Wests), Brian Cook (Wests) – Macho Man
Eric Grothe (Parramatta) – The Letter
Ken Wolffe (Penrith) – Blue Bayou
Mitch Brennan (St. George) – Quinn The Eskimo
Chris Luckman (Nth Sydney) – Danny Boy
John Gray (Manly-Warringah) – Twenty Miles
Lloyd Martin (Balmain) – Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town
Joe Reaiche (Eastern Suburbs) – You’re Such A Fabulous Dancer
Steve Gearin (Canterbury Bankstown) – Hard Rock Cafe
Joe Squadrito (Souths) – So You Win Again
Jim Walters (Newtown) – Who’s Sorry Now
Greg Cox (Cronulla-Sutherland) – I Can See Clearly Now
I have previously posted an article on the Footy Almanac site with the above album listed. My commentary follows:
“For lovers of rugby league, the album cover is an historic record of itself – revealing that time before ‘super league’/team demise & forced mergers/national expansion/excessive commercialism. Rugby League was simple back then – just 12 Sydney based sides with all six games played on Saturday & Sunday; and the furthest one had to travel to see a game was about 2 hours by train – from Penrith to Cronulla (both clubs joining the league in 1967).
This album contains Eric Grothe’s version of ‘The Letter’ which is available on you tube and was a minor hit in its day.
As for the album’s inclusion in a Dylan cover song list – here’s why…..
Side 1, track 4: Quinn The Eskimo sung by Mitch Brennan (St George winger)
Now there is an intriguing history to Mitch Brennan playing for St George – however that may be best left for another article. Suffice to say, that his selection of ‘Quinn The Eskimo’ on this album is a direct reference to his St George centre partner Graeme Quinn. They were both important members of the St George team that two years previously (1979) had won the premiership – the 15th in its illustrious history and the last as a stand-alone team.”
I understand that a lot of the FA members on your email list are long-time followers of rugby league and I thought maybe I could share this historic piece of RL memorabilia. (Maybe someone has the album?)
Cheers, and may the season continue to deliver quality footy & a few surprises.
Karl
So, are we able to trace any more copies of this oddity of an album? Reply via the Comments section below.
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About Karl Dubravs
I was born in 1956 to Latvian parents who migrated to Australia in the late 1940's following WWII. My career was mostly in Human Resources within University and Public Service settings & allowed me to work & live in Sydney, Cabramurra (Australia's highest township), Townsville, Bathurst, Canberra & Shellharbour. I have now left paid employment & settled in the Blue Mountains. My true passion, ever since I was 16, has been songwriting - and my anthology is creeping towards 400 songs. In 2019, I unexpectedly crossed paths with a talented music producer & musician, who helped to produce my one & only album - 'Life & Love'.
thanks for sharing this, Karl.
what a collector’s item this record would be!! (No, not I’m writing to say I have a copy!)
As a rusted on South Sydney member, I reckon I had the Joe Squadrito 1983 Scalans footy card (when I was in Year 11!)
One of THE great rugby league names – 58 games in the cardinal & myrtle
https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/joe-squadrito/summary.html
Thanks Russell
Glad that the article & album cover brought back fond memories.
I got a thrill out of seeing Steve Gearin’s name…his try in the 1980 Grand Final was the best of that era.
Steve Gearin’s try in 1980 … absolutely!
Canterbury-Bankstown as the “entertainers” in that era … that Gearin try summed up that approach!
(very different to the Warren Ryan era!)