Click go the Shears

-Traditional Australian

6/8

Out on the board the old shearer stands

Grasping his shears in his thin bony hands

Fixed is his gaze on a bare bellied yoe

Glory if he gets her, won't he make the ringer go

Click go the Shears boys, click, click, click

Wide is his blow and his hands move quick The

ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow and

curses the old bugger with the bare bellied yoe

In the middle of the floor in his cane bottomed chair

Sits the boss of the board with his eyes everywhere

Notes well each fleece as it comes to the screen

Paying strict attention that its taken off clean

The colonial experience man, he is there of course

With his shiny leggin's on, just got off his horse

Gazes all around him like a real connoisseur

Scented soap, and brilliantine and smelling like a whore

The tar-boy is there waiting on demand

With his blackened tar pot in his tarry hand

Spies one old sheep with a cut upon its back

Hears what he's wiating for its 'Tars here JAck!

Now the shearing is over, we've all got our cheques

So roll up your swags and its off down the trrack

The first pub we come to its there we'll have a spree

And everyone that comes along its "Have a drink with me"

There we leave him standing shouting for hands

Whilsat all around him everyt shouter stands

His eye is on the keg which now is lowering fast,

He works hard, he drinks hard, and goes to hell at last

- submitted by Mike Hiltonwood