Coming into public conciousness in 1968 with the Paul Newman film, "Cool Hand Luke" the song comedy gospel track 'Plastic Jesus' has become one of the most covered songs in history. Now known for songwriters adding and taking bits away, it may one of the folkiest folk songs in the truest sense of the word. This is my take, contributing new verses, tweaking words, toying with melody and doing my best to make it my own.

Plastic Jesus

This is the first song I've put out. It's called "Constitution Hill" and it came from wanting to write a song about where i grew up, being the snug pocket of suburbs in and around Blacktown, Parramatta and Castle Hill. If Skyhooks can name-check half of Melbourne, then surely I can have a crack? Anyway, in search of my own Straight Outta Compton/Sweet Home Alabama type song flag, I needed subject matter. 

Etched into the walls of Castle Hill Towers is the story of the (newly and correctly re-named) Castle Hill Rebellion that took place on the 5th of March, 1804. Initially irked by the thought of another bloody convict story, what is significant here is there was a real chance of British rule being overthrown. It was also the first and only major convict uprising in Australia history. Many of the convicts in the area were war hardened Irish exiles sent here without trial after their own rebellions in Ireland and were subject to harsh treatment.

The uprising began at the Castle Hill barracks and rebel forces had intended to re-group and meet up with convicts from the Hawkesbury area at Constitution Hill before marching on Parramatta. While the rebels initially had a numbers advantage, very little went right for them from here on in. Messages to convicts in Windsor, Parramatta & Sydney to act now never arrived, Informants ruined their element of surprise, several parties lost their way overnight between Castle Hill & Constitution Hill and many arrived at Constitution Hill drunk and dishevelled from a night of pillaging farms along the way.  

No signal ever came from Parramatta that internally it had been taken over, the re-inforcements never turned up and the rebels had no choice  but to back track in hope of gathering more recruits and meeting up with their missing forces. A one sided battle took place at Rouse Hill and the rebels were slain or captured

Constitution Hill, on the outskirts of Parramatta stands as the closest rebel forces got to overthrowing British Colonial rule.

The track was recorded back in 2015 at Electric Sun Studios in Arndell Park with Dave Petrovic, Wavetrain Acoustics in Taren Point with Tim Arney and Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand with Shane 'Buddha' Edwards. Buddha also mixed and mastered it. Special thanks to Frank Sultana and his merry band of Sinister Kids for being the backing band and to Jeff Pope for his cracking lead break.

Morton Choppers