TRACK 3 (Moy68-01-s01) Song 2: Happy (lerri) Song No. 1

This ‘happy’ (lerri) dance song was recorded by Alice Moyle at a tourist corroborree at Mandorah in 1968. Track 4 has a version of the same song recorded at a burnim-rag ceremony at Batchelor in 1988. As is often the case with lerri dances, the tempo is fast and the song comprises a high proportion of vocables (see previous discussion in chapters 4 and 5).

Here, the section in Mendhe (text phrase 3) is an exhortation to dance to the section in vocables (text phrases 1 and 2) that precedes it. Dancing with hands above head is a characteristic of women’s dancing and was mentioned in Muluk’s song ‘Pumandjin’ (chapter 5, track 9). The sounds of dance-calls and the dancers’ feet beating on the ground can be heard during the instrumental sections on this recording.

Song structure summary

VOCAL SECTIONS 1-5

Melodic section 1

Text phrases 1-2

Rhythmic mode 5a (fast even)[beating wholly or partially suspended in vocal sections 3, 4 and 5 (rhythmic mode 5a (var)]

nye nye nyelene nye nye nye nye

nye nye nyelene nye nye nye nye

Text phrase 3

Rhythmic mode 5a (fast even beating)

Let’s both always keep dancing (with our hands above our heads)

that song of his, yakarre

INSTRUMENTAL SECTIONS 1-5

Rhythmic mode 5a (fast even beating)