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The Willowdale Beer Store Song

For those of you who have forgotten here are the words to that famous Willowdale Beer song. Remember the boys who thrashed out from the Willowdale restaurant and the ONLY beer store, in the area which everyone called "the brewery" was north of the Prince Nova Restaurant, at I believe Wedgwood Ave. At that time there was only one stop light between the Willowdale Restaurant at Kingsdale Ave and the beer store and that was at Finch Ave.

If you were under 21 you had someone over 21 buy the beer for you or you got someone who looked like they were over age 21 buy the beer. The beer store was named "The Brewers warehouse" ( it should still be called that because that's what they are,, a warehouse) The song was written by Bob Boniface, Al Hepburn, John Dowson and I believe Bob Faulkner helped as well. Bob Faulkner was a member of a singing quartet called "The Doves" that included Danny Antionacic, Dave Starling and an unknown voice, they recorded at Fred Rose's music store on Bathurst street. The reference in the song to "Bunny" was a policeman named Bunn, who we all called "Bunny" He was always harassing the gang that hung out on the sidewalk. "move along now" etc. - John Dowson

The Willowdale Beer Store Song
(To sing along, click here: "Ghost riders in the sky")

A bunch of the boys went thrashing out about five to eight one night
And in the distance they could see that fateful Finch stop light
A bolt of fear went through as it turned from green to red
The shock was so great that they almost dropped dead.

Yippee a ye yippee I oh - the beer store ain't closed yet.

With there faces gaunt, their eyes all blurred, their shirts all soaked in sweat
There waiting for that Finch stop light, the beer store ain't closed yet
As Bunny pulled beside them, they heard him call their name
They put it into second gear and thrashed away again.

Yippee I a ye yippee I oh - the beer store ain't closed yet

They pulled into the Brewery doing thirty five at least
A drunken fart fell out the door and a voice yelled "get O'keefe"
With a case of Old Stock Ale, he came lumbering through the door
And the voice yelled "get back you fool we want two dozen more"

Yippee I a ye yippee I oh - the beer store ain't closed yet


The moral of this story is, if you're out after booze
Don't try and race that Finch stop light cause you are bound to loose
The beer store always closes, every night at eight,
Be sure you leave in lots of time or you'll arrive too late - Leave Early!

Yippee I a ye yippee I oh - the beer store closes at eight.

Written circa 1954
by Bob Boniface, Al Hepburn, John Dowson and Bob Faulkner







   © 2005 John Dowson Webmaster: Russ Strathdee This page last updated: