Digital Tradition Mirror

Cockies of Bungaree 2

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Cockies of Bungaree 2

Now all you blokes take my advice and do your daily toil
But dont go out to Bungaree to work in the chocolate soil
For the days they are so long me boys, they'd break your heart in two
And if ever you work for Cocky Bourke, you very soon will know

cho: Oh we used to go to bed you know a little bit after dark
     The room we used to sleep in it was just like Noah's Ark
     There were dogs and cats and mice and rats and pigs and poulteree
     But I'll never forget the time we had while down in Bungaree

Oh the first thing Monday morning sure to work we had to go
My noble cocky says to me "Get up you're rather slow"
The moon was shining gloriously and the stars were out you see
And I thought before the sun would rise I'd die in Bungaree

oh he called me to my supper at half-past eight or nine
He called me to my breakfast before the sun did shine
And after tea was over all with a merry laugh
The old cocky says to me "We'll cut a bit of chaff"

Now when you are chaff cutting boys isn't it a swell
Yes by jove it is says I and it's me that knows it well
For many of those spells with me they disagree
For I hate the jolly night work that they do in Bungaree

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------

This version collected by Norm O'Connor from Simon McDonald of Creswick,
Victoria.
In his biography of McDonald "Time Out of Mind"  Hugh Anderson was told by
the singer "I've been told off a bit by some of the cockies about that song.
They dont like it, they're a bit ashamed of it these days, but it's pretty
true of my younger days".
     A.L.Lloyd sings another version. See 'Cockies of Bungaree'
MG
apr97

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!