Gordon Bok – The Swag And The Shiner (Guitar)

     C                    D7         G
When I was a lad, well, I made up me mind

       F                    C         G
That I didn't belong to the labouring kind

   F              G           C        F
Me hands were too good and me body too fine

       C              D7       G      G7
And me brain, sure it was even finer

        C                         F             G
That to spoil them by working, it seemed such a shame

      C                           F         G
So, I learned all I could of this wayfarin' game

   C                    F           G
By way of Australia, to New Zealand came

       C           G            C       G    C  G
And hurrah for the swag and the shiner

    C                         D7           G
Now some folks drink tea, but water's less risky

         F                       C               G
And with some it's the sherry or beer makes them frisky

    F           G         C          F
But give me the Irish and Jamieson's whiskey

    C           D7           G      G7
The warmest and best stomach liner

    C                   F             G
And many's the infamous trick I've conceived

    C                        F        G
And many's the barman that's gladly believed them

   C                        F       G
Of many free whiskies, I've often relieved them

   C           G            C       G    C  G
Hurrah for the swag and the shiner

    C                     D7              G
One day as I tramped with my mate, Gypsie Lee

         F                         C              G
He looks down at the road, "A dead sparrow," says he

          F              G         C              F
"That's a skylark," says I, "And a free drink for me

          C          D7          G       G7
If you'll follow the scam of the Shiner"

        C                              F           G
"At the next pub we come to," I says, "You wait outside

     C                           F         G
But, stand by the door with your ears open wide

    C                        F             G
And at the right moment, you comes right inside

         C              G           C       G    C  G
But, you don't know the swag or the shiner"

      C                     D7           G
Well, at the next shanty, I swear it's a lark

          F                       C          G
"That's a sparrow" the barman was heard to remark

     F          G           C           F
Says I, "I'm so sharp I can tell in the dark

    C                 D7          G       G7
The difference 'tween Magpies and Minahs"

            C                  F                G
"Well, I'll wager a drink all around then" says he

          C                         F            G
"That the next man comes in here, a sparrow will see"

   C                         F             G
So in comes old Gyp, "Hey, a skylark" says he

      C            G            C       G    C  G
"Free drinks for meself and the shiner"

     C                      D7           G
Tall houses and mansions, I let them all be

         F                         C              G
For it's certain that working each day, ain't for me

       F            G           C        F
On the road with me swag, every day I am free

      C        D7        G      G7
And I pity the navvy and miner

     C                              F           G
Now, some folks don't like me, they think I'm a nut

     C                          F             G
And, some say I'm lazy 'cause I like the shortcut

      C                   F        G
But a regular job keeps a man in a rut

      C           G            C
So hurrah for the swag and the shiner