An Independent Bloke (1992 - Remaster)
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I was standing in line all the morning
To answer an ad that I saw
Regarding a job on the council
There was me and quite a few more
A dried up old bushy before me
Pulled a battered old tin from his coat
And from fine cut Tally Ho papers
Proceeded to roll up a smoke
A hairy young man in the office
Rapped on the desk and said "Next"
The old fellow stepped up before him
And gave him his name and address
Then the hairy one asked of the old bloke
If he had any reference to show
If he'd ever done manual labour
Or had experience out on the road
The old fellow reared up and snorted
And the cigarette hung from his lip
His hat was pushed back on his forehead
His hands, they were firm on his hips
He looked the young fellow all over
Took in the mode of his dress
The peaches and creamy complexion
And I felt that he wasn't impressed
Then he pushed a big hairy paw under
The young fellow's lily-white nose
Slowly he spread out his fingers (hey)
Said "take a gander at those
These are my reference for working
I was at it before you were born
And I'll bet you a quid, even money
I'll be at it long after you're gone (ya mug)
I've played the mad mick and the banjo
Done many a season in cane
I've worn out a dozen good kellies
While fencing out there on the plain
I've worked for my board and my lodgings
In conditions you'd not understand
And by hell I've brought in some good money
With these very same battered old hands
Experience out on the roadway
Is something I learned all about
When the banker foreclosed on the mortgage
Just after the '65 drought
I rolled up my swag and departed
A sorry but much wiser man
With only my memories to show for
The years that I'd spent on the land
So I tramped and I travelled the highways
And in bitterness cursed every mile
But in time I got over my troubles
And learned once again how to smile
It's the likes of you pin-pushing gentry
That bring out the laughter in me
You little tin gods of the office (haha)
You're too pumped up with power to see"
Then with a good old Australian expression
We were left in no doubt what he meant
He turned on his heel and he left us
And God only knows where he went