Please note: This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.
Botany Bay - Noel McLaughlin
Bm
Farewell to your bricks and mortar,
G A D
Farewell to your dirty lies.
Bm
Farewell to your gangways and your gang planks,
E A
And to hell with your overtime.
D Bm G A D
For the good ship Ragamuffin is lying at the Quay,
Bm
For to take out Pat with a shovel on his back
A D
To the shores of Botany Bay.
While on my way down to the quay where the ship at anchor lays
To command a gang of navvys that I was told to engage
I stopped in for to drink awhile before I go away.
For to take a trip on an emigrant ship to the shores of Botany Bay.
Well the boss came up this morning, and he said "Well Pat you know
If you didn't get those navvys out I'm afraid you'll have to go "
So I asked him for my wages and demanded all my pay
And I told him straight, we would all emigrate to the shores of Botany Bay.
And when I reach Australia I'll go and search for gold.
There's plenty there for digging up, or so I have been told.
Or else I'll go back to my trade and a hundred bricks I'll lay
Because I live for an eight hour shift on the shores of Botany Bay.