Slim Dusty - An independent bloke

N.C.

Yeah, he was a real dried up old gravel voiced bushie this feller. I Wonder where he is now? A7 D G

I was ^Gstandin' in line all the mornin’ To answer an ad that I ^Dsaw Re^Cgarding the job on the ^Gcouncil There was^A7 me and quite a f^Dew more A ^Cdried up ole bushie before^G me Pulled a ^Cbattered old tin from his ^Dcoat And from ^Cfine cut and Tally Ho ^Gpapers Pro^A7ceeded to ^Droll up a ^Gsmoke

A ^Ghairy young man in the office Rapped on the desk and said, ^D'Next!' The ^Cold feller stepped up before ^Ghim And ^A7gave him his name and ad^Ddress Then the ^Chairy one asked of the old ^Gbloke If he ^Chad any reference to ^Dshow If he’d ^Cever done manual ^Glabour Or had ex^A7perience ^Dout on the ^Groad

The ^Gold feller reared up and snorted And the cigarette hung from his ^Dlip His ^Chat was pushed back on his ^Gforehead His ^A7hands they were firm on his ^Dhips ^CHe looked the young feller all ^Gover ^CTook in the mode of his ^Ddress The ^Cpeaches and creamy comp^Glexion And I ^A7felt that he ^Dwasn't im^Gpressed

Then he ^Gpushed a big hairy paw under The young feller's lily white ^Dnose ^CSlowly he spread out his ^Gfingers, hey! And ^A7said "Take a gander at ^Dthose ^CThese are my reference for ^Gworking I was ^Cat it before you were ^Dborn And I'll ^Cbet you a quid even ^Gmoney I'll be ^A7at it long ^Dafter you're ^Ggone, you mug

I've ^Gplayed the mad pick and the banjo Done many a season in ^Dcane I've ^Cworn out a dozen good ^Gkellys While ^A7fencing out there on the ^Dplain I've ^Cworked for my board and my ^Glodgings In con^Cditions you’d not under^Dstand And by ^Chell I've brought in some good ^Gmoney With these ^A7very same ^Dbattered old ^Ghands.

Ex^Gperience out on the roadway Is something I learned all a^Dbout When the ^Cbanker foreclosed on the ^Gmortgage Just ^A7after the '65 ^Ddrought I ^Crolled up my swag and de^Gparted A ^Csorry but much wiser ^Dman With ^Conly my memories to ^Gshow for The ^A7years that I’d ^Dspent on the ^Gland

So I ^Gtramped and I travelled the highways And in bitterness cursed every ^Dmile But in ^Ctime I got over my ^Gtroubles And ^A7learned once again how to ^Dsmile It's the ^Clikes of you pen pushing ^Ggentry To ^Cbring out the laughter in ^Dme You ^Clittle tin gods of the ^Goffice ha ha You’re too ^A7pumped with ^Dpower to ^Gsee"

Then with a ^Ggood old Australian expression We were left in no doubt what he ^Dmeant He ^Cturned on his heel and he ^Gleft us ^E And ^A7God only ^Dknows where he ^Gwent ^G