Steeleye Span – Van Diemens Land (Guitar)

  A                             G             D
I am a girl from England, Susan Summers is me name

    A                                   G              D
For fourteen years transported, was for taking of some game

   A                           G           D
As for us wretched females, we never see a man

                             G            A  G     A
Though there's twenty to one woman on Van Diemen's Land

        A                                    G                 D
There's poor Tom Brown from Nottingham, Jack Williams and poor Joe

          A                          G                 D
They were all daring poachers as the country well does know

   A                                 G              D
At night they were trap-ended by the keepers out of hand

                        G             A  G     A
For fourteen years transported to Van Diemen's Land

     A                            G             D
When we set sail from England, we landed in the bay

       A                            G                D
We had rotten straw for bedding, we dare not to say 'nay'

    A                              G               D
Our cots were fenced with wire, we slumber when we can

                  G               A  G     A
To drive away the wolves upon Van Diemen's Land

     Em7                                  D     G
Come all you gallant poachers, give ear unto me song

   A                                           G
It is a bit of good advice, although it is not long

Em7                                 D        G
Lay by your dog and snare, to you I do speak plain

C               G                               Em7
If you knew the hardships, you'd never poach again

    A                    G              D
The first day we landed upon that fatal shore

    A                                  G                D
The planters they came flocking round, twenty score and more

     A                               G                D
They dragged the men like horses and sold them out of hand

                     G                 A  G     A
And yoked 'em to the plough all on Van Diemen's Land

A                              G               D
Sometimes when I'm sleeping, I have a pleasant dream

        A                         G                D
With me dear one I'm sitting down by some pearling stream

        A                         G                 D
With me friends telling stories, around me they all stand

                     G              A  G     A
But I wake up broken hearted on Van Diemen's Land

     Em7                                  D     G
Come all you gallant poachers, give ear unto me song

   A                                           G
It is a bit of good advice, although it is not long

Em7                                 D        G
Lay by your dog and snare, to you I do speak plain

C               G                               Em7
If you knew the hardships, you'd never poach again

A                           G               D
God bless our families, likewise that happy shore

     A                               G               D
That isle of sweet contentment, that we shall see no more

      A                                 G                 D
For a planter's bought me freedom, he's married me out of hand

                     G               A  G     A
Good usage then I'll give him on Van Diemen's Land