Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox by Jim Davidson's Dandies and Dick Cranbourne

‘Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox’ is a popular foxtrot for voice and piano with words by 'Alf', and music composed by Jack O’Hagan. It was first recorded and released by Jim Davidson’s Dandies with vocalist Dick Cranbourne on the Regal Zonophone label.

The subject of the song is an Australian historical monument and tourist attraction, located at Snake Gully near the NSW town of Gundagai. The recording features Jim Davidson’s Dandies, one of the most popular dance bands of the 1930s, and the comic voice of Dick Cranbourne (1905–1971), musician, vocalist and later radio broadcaster.

James (Jim) Hutchinson Davidson (1902–1982) was a drummer who began leading his own orchestra in the 1930s. In 1936 Davidson signed a contract with the Australian Broadcasting Commission, expanding his orchestra to form Jim Davidson’s ABC Dance Band, broadcasting over the national network to all states on Friday and Saturday evenings and touring Australia.

O'Hagan wrote several songs about the town of Gundagai, including 'Along the Road to Gundagai' (1922) and 'When a Boy from Alabama Meets a Girl from Gundagai' (1942).

Cover image: Jack O’Hagan with his wife, standing next to the statue of the Dog on the Tuckerbox at Gundagai, 1956. NFSA title: 791768.