Slim Dusty – The Swagless Swaggie (Guitar)

   C                           G7
This happened many years ago before the bush was cleared,

                                     C
When every man was six foot high and wore a flowing beard.

    F                        C
One very hot and windy day, along the old coach road,

  D7                                                 G7
Towards Joe Murphy’s halfway house a bearded bushman strode.

        C                              G
Now, he was a huge and heavy man, well over six foot high,

                                       C
An old slouch hat was on his head, and murder in his eye.

   F                                 C
No billy can was in his hand and, No heavy swag he bore,

    D7                                                  G7
But deep and awful were the oaths that swagless swaggie swore.

   C                                G
At last he reached the shanty door, into the bar he burst,

                                      C
He dumped his hat upon the floor, and cursed and cursed and cursed.

  D                                      C
A neighboring shed had just cut out; the bar was nearly full

   D7                                                G7
Of shearers and of bullockies who’d come to cart the wool.

     C                               G
They were a rough and ready lot, the bushmen gathered there,

                                    C
But every man was stricken dumb, to hear the stranger swear.

   F                                       C
He cursed the bush, he cursed mankind, the whole wide universe.

   D7                                                   G7
It even froze their blood to hear that swagless swaggie curse.

    C                              G
Joe Murphy seized an empty pot and filled it brimming full.

                                       C
The stranger raised it to his lips and took a mighty pull.

     F                                 C
This seemed to cool him down a bit; He finished off the ale,

    D7                                                 G7
And to the crowd around the bar then he told his awful tale.

   C                                     G
“I met the Ben Hall gang,” he said, “The bartards stuck me up!

                                                 C
They pinched me billy, pinched me swag, And they pinched me flamin’ pup!

     F                                 C
They turned me pockets inside out, And took me only quid!

  F7                                                         G7
I never thought they’d pinch me pipe, But swelp me gawd they did!

       C                             G
Now, I spoke to ’em as man to man, I said I’d fight ’em all;

                                        C
I would have broke O’Mealleys neck, And tanned the hide of Hall.

     F                                    C
They only laughed, and said good-bye, And rode away to brag

   D7                                                G7
Of how they stuck a swaggie up And robbed him of his swag.

 C                            G
“I never done ’em any harm, I thought ’em decent chaps.

                                   C
But now I wouldn’t raise a hand To save ’em from the traps.

    F                                    C
I’m finished with the bush for good, and I’m off to Wagga town

      D7                                              G7
Where they won’t stick a swaggie up Or take a swaggie down.

        C                             G
Now the bushmen were a decent lot, As bushmen mostly are.

                                             C
They filled the swaggie up with beer and the hat went round the bar.

    F                                  C
The shearers threw some blankets in To make another swag,

        D7                                           G7
And the rousey gave a billy can And brand new tucker bag.

    C                                         G
And Joe Murphy gave a meerschaum pipe that He hadn’t smoked for years.

                                            C
The stranger was too full of words, and His eyes were dim with tears.

    F                                   C                   A7
The ringer shouted drinks all round And then, to top it up,

    D7                                                     G7
The babbling brook, the shearers cook, Gave him his kelpie pup.

        C                                 G
Oh next day, an hour before the dawn, The stranger took the track

                                     C
Complete with billy can and pup, His swag upon his back.

 F                             C                 A7
Along the most forsaken roads, Intent on dodging graft,

   D7             G7                                                                    C  F  C
He headed for the Great Nor' West, And he laughed, and he bloody laughed and he laughed.