Denis O'Reilly

When first I left old Ireland’s shores
The yarns that I was told
Of how folks in Australia
Could pick up lumps of gold
How gold dust lay in all the streets
And the miner’s right was free
«Hurrah,» says I, «me lovin' friends
That’s just the place for me»
And when we came to Melbourne town
We all prepared to slip
All bar the captain and the mate
Oh, the crew abandoned ship
All the girls of Melbourne town
Threw up their arms with joy
Sayin' one unto the other
«Here comes me wild colonial boy»
With me swag all on my shoulder
Black billy in my hand
I’ll travel the bushes of Australia
Like a true-born native man