by Mary W Maxwell
Please listen to Elvis’ video and then see what we did with his song. Elvis featured prominently at our 2015 Adelaide Fringe show. (Remember “Hate Me Tender”?)
The song below is a friendly tribute to Malcolm R Hughes who has been doing his bit for God, king, and country since 2003 in regard to Port Arthur. The power of a postage stamp!
Of course it’s also a dig at those who returned his letters. In Elvis’ rendition of the song it’s his girlfriend who tries to dump him by rejecting his approaches. Well, she has every right. But the prime minister, federal police, and Governor-General did not have a right to ignore an urgent call from a citizen.
And don’t get me started on the editors of all the capital cities’ newspapers, to whom Mal sent his letter of concern.
The Mal Hughes Song (“Return to Sender”)
1. Mal sends a letter to John Howard, about the Bryant case He raises critical questions, a little bit in-your-face.
“Return to sender/ I don’t wanna know.
Tell that Hughes-boy/ Where to go.”
So he sends it to editors, all the media spots
They throw it in the trashcan — wouldn’t that tell you lots?
2. Hughesie mails his letter off again, this time to the feds
He gets a threatening e-mail, they’re messin’ with his head.
“Return to sender/ Don’t waste our time
ASIO’s protected/ They don’t do ‘crime.’”
“Mal, you keep crying, about the Bryant bloke
The rest of us are laughing – it’s just an inside joke.”
3. Hughes refuses to be put off; he tries his writing again
This time he’s got the G-G, in the sights of his ballpoint pen
He gets an answer! “It’s up to each State
If Tassie is draggin,’ You’ll have to wait.”
Mal’s not the waitin’ type/ As all of us know
He returned it to sender/ Wrapped up in a pretty bow.
4. Said “I know what I am doin’ Gov, I’m streets ahead of you
I’m gonna sort out Port Arthur” and see the bloody case thru.”
“I’m returning it to sender/ I’m ready to fight
Aussiemal’s angry/ And Aussiemal’s right.”
[Repeat] Is everybody ready? / We’re going to fight
Australians are angry/ Cuz Aussiemal’s right.
Elvis’ song, written by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott
(adapted by Mary W Maxwell)
OMG!
Mal Hughes just sent me this email:
I thank you for the lovely THOUGHTS, Mare,
I think your MUsic’s fine,
But in regard to those LYRics, there,
You ain’t no HAM-MER-STEIN.
If I’m formally presented with a statement of fact and contention and I don’t issue a counter-statement doesn’t that mean that I concede the respective matters ?
Dee doesn’t want me to put Elvis stuff in my articles but she can’t control the comments.
Elvis 1938-1977.
[…] putting more life into our enterprise. Early in the year Mal Hughes joined us — he of “Return-to-Sender” fame. I refer to the letters he wrote to officials, over many years, in an attempt to get some […]