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The Bonecrusher Song


SONG FOR A CHAMPION

In October 1986, just a week prior to Bonecrusher's historic Cox Plate victory Ellerslie builder Wayne Cann and his old mates Gordon Evans and John Scull  released what turned out to be their first and only hit record.

Their song ? Tribute to a Champion ? went under the label “Crusher Production”

It was launched at a special ceremony in Wellington to honor Ellerslie galloper Bonecrusher as a sports ambassador for New Zealand.

And with copies going to 46 radio stations in New Zealand it sure got some air play the same weekend when the champ contested the $A750,000 W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

But the record was not available in shops.

Fans had to send their $5.95 to the “Bonecrusher Song Child Cancer Appeal”, Freepost 1791, P.O. Box 152, Auckland.

Cann said at the time that $1 of every sale would go as a donation to the child cancer foundation.

"We’re hoping while people have their cheque books open they’ll add a few more dollars too.” he said.

The record sleeve features a full colour picture of Bonecrusher, and on the flip side Philip Leishman narrates a memento of the Big Reds’ three-year-old career.

The trio, who sang together as The Squires in the ‘60s, and ‘70s, are all friends of Bonecrusher’s owner Peter Mitchell and trainer Frank Ritchie.

“We went to Ellerslie school together, played footie and grew up together,” Cann said.

Inspiration for the song came at a victory bash after Bonecrusher’s Air NZ Stakes win in February 1986.

Cann, who had never written a song before, said he went home that night with a theme running through his mind.

“I was mucking around on the keyboard at 1am in the morning and I was obsessed with it for the next few months.”

Listen to the Bonecrusher Song
Real Media | Windows Media
Download the Bonecrusher Song
[MP3 format | Real Media | Windows Media ]

Now here’s a little story
That  we think should be told
About a famous Kiwi
Who is only three years old ?
He crushed his shoulder badly
Thought he’d never make it back
His courage saw him through
And now he’s stormin down the track

BONECRUSHER ? GOIN FOR THE GAP
BONECRUSHER ? COULD BE THE GREATEST SINCE PHAR LAP
BONECRUSHER ? CHAMPION HORSE IS HE
BONECRUSHER ? HE’S THE PRIDE OF ELLERSLIE

Sired by Pag Asa
Te Kuiti born and bred
A lively chestnut gelding
With his stable nick name Red
With Rider Gary Stewart
Together they can fly
And when-ere they take the track
Well you can here the cry

Went across the Tasman
And he won the Tancred Stakes
Showed them in the Derby there
That he’s got what it takes
When Gary said get goin
The Crusher forged ahead
What happened to them Aussies?
Well, that’s better left unsaid

Although our song is ending
Our hero’s just begun
He’ll go to many places
Many races he will run
And when his racings over
We’ll look back and all agree
For sure he had a great big heart
The pride of Ellerslie.

Updated on 05 Oct 2007




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