Slim Dusty – Australian Bushmen (Guitar)

      C                                                 F
I'm a plain Australian bushman and I've drifted far and wide,

                         C                                 G
I'm a jack-of-all-trades in the bush - and I say that with pride,

    C                                         F
I'm only one of many who are batt'ling in the scrub,

                      C               G                  C
Workin' for an honest wage, may-be to splash in some old pub

       F                                  C
We are ringers, fencers, shearers, we are drovers on the track,

       F                                C               G
We are miners and road builders op'ning up the great outback,

     C                                               F
Hard drinkers and hard workers and we give but never lend,

                      C                   G                 C
And we wander 'cos we know our goal lies 'round the distant bend.

    C                                               F
Our wives are mostly stickers so they sacrifice and save,

             C                               G
In lonely isolation, understanding, true and brave,

     C                                                       F
They rouse and scold and nurse us when we're getting off the spree

                      C                          G       C
And I wonder why such women stick to blokes like you and me

       F                                     C
We are pressed as cooks and rousers thru and brumby shooters too,

      F                                  C               G
Horse breakers and truck drivers, taking pride in all we do,

     C                                                F
Hard drinkers and hard fighters and we give but never lend,

                      C                   G                 C
And we wander 'cos we know our goal lies 'round the distant bend.

        C                                                 F
We take pride in our possessions which are mostly old and few,

                         C                                 G
And we plan while we are workin' how we'll start our life anew,

    C                                                         F
But plans and cheques are slaughtered when we hit the nearest pub,

                           C                 G               C
Then it's back out bush to work and plan and rough it in the scrub

           F                                  C
Oh, we are ringers, fencers, shearers, we are drovers on the track,

       F                                C               G
We are miners and road builders op'ning up the great outback,

     C                                               F
Hard drinkers and hard workers and we give but never lend,

                      C                   G                 C
And we wander 'cos we know our goal lies 'round the distant bend.

       F              C                   G                 C
Yes we wander 'cos we know our goal lies 'round the distant bend.