Gordon Bok – Broken Down Squatter (Guitar)

F
Come, Stumpy, old man, we must shift while we can

                      Bb          F     C
All your mates in the paddock are dead

        F
We must say our farewells to Glen Eva's sweet dells

        C                           F
And the hills where your master was bred

F
Together to roam from our drought-stricken home

                     Bb             F   C
Seems hard that such things have to be

         F
And it's hard on a horse, when he's naught for a boss

      C                         F
But a broken-down squatter like me

        Bb                         F
For the banks are all broken, they say

                               C
And the merchants are all up a tree

         F
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court

     C            Bb            F
What chance for a squatter like me?

F
No more shall we muster the river for strays

               Bb           F      C
Or hunt on the fifteen-mile plain

   F
Or dash through the scrub by the light of the moon

   C                      F
Or see the old homestead again

F
Leave the slip-railings down, they don't matter much now

                         Bb           F    C
For there's none but the crow left to see

         F
Perching gaunt on the pine, as though longing to dine

     C                         F
On a broken-down squatter like me

        Bb                         F
For the banks are all broken, they say

                               C
And the merchants are all up a tree

         F
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court

     C            Bb            F
What chance for a squatter like me?

F
When the country was cursed with the drought at its worst

                    Bb       F       C
And the cattle were dying in scores

       F
Though down on me luck, I kept up me pluck

         C                        F
Thinking justice might soften the laws

F
But the farce had been played, and the government aid

                  Bb             F    C
Ain't extended to squatters, old son

        F
When me money was spent, they doubled the rent

      C                          F
And resumed the best part of the run

        Bb                         F
For the banks are all broken, they say

                               C
And the merchants are all up a tree

         F
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court

     C            Bb            F
What chance for a squatter like me?