DESCRIPTION:
A lesser-known Australian shearing song, this was printed in Stewart and Keesing's "Old Bush Songs". A. L. Lloyd said that he heard it in Cowra, New South Wales, when he was working there in the 1920s. The tune is from the well-known English song, "Polly Perkins".

Lyrics and chords:
…... G ....................................... D7 ........ G
I'm one of the has-beens, a shearer I mean.
.. D7 ................................ A7 .................... D7
I once was a ringer and I used to shear clean.
.............. G ............................................ Am ................. D7
I could make the wool roll off like the soil from the plough
............... G ............ Am .................. D7 .......... G
But you may not believe me for I can't do it now.

....................................…........................... Am .............. D7
I'm as awkward as a new chum and I'm used to the frown
............... G ................ Am ......................... D7 ........................ G
That the boss often shows me saying, “Keep them blades down.”

I've shore with Pat Hogan, Bill Bright and Jack Gunn,
Tommy Leighton, Charlie Fergus and the great roaring Dunn.
They brought from the Lachlan the best they could find,
But not one among them could leave me behind.

Still, it's no use complaining. I'll never say die,
Though the days of fast shearing for me have gone by.
I'll take the world easy, shear slowly and clean,
And I merely have told you just what I have been.

You can see a playlist of my Australian songs here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=PL0DE11C284435E7A2

Lyrics and chords of many of my songs are no longer available, as my website has expired. I am currently posting lyrics to the information panels on all my videos and those that are too long to post in full will be found on my new website: https://raymondsfolkpage.wordpress.com