The Overlanders
Traditional
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[ V.1 ] Now there's a trade you all know well it's bringing the cattle over
I'll tell you all about the time that I became a drover
I wanted stock for Queensland to Kempsey I did wander
And bought a mob of duffers there and began as an overlander
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.2 ] Well, when the cattle were counted and the outfit ready to start
The lads were all well mounted with their swags left in the cart
I had all sorts of men there, from Germany, France and Flanders
Lawyers, doctors, good and bad, in the mob of the overlanders
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.3] The very next morning I fed up where the grass was green and young
And the squatter said he'd break my snout if I didn't push along
Says I, “My lad you're very hard, but don’t you raise my dander
For I'm a regular knowing card, a Queensland overlander”
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.4 ] It’s true we pay no license, and our run is rather large
Not often can they catch us, so they cannot lay a charge
They think we live on store beef, but I'm no flamin' gander,
If a fat little stray should come our way, he’ll do the overlander.
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.5] If ever our horses get done up of course we turn 'em free
And you can't expect a drover to walk if a pony he can see
So now and then we bone a prad … believe me it's no slander
To say there's many a clever trick done by an overlander
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.6 ] Now I would scorn to prigl a shirt 'tis all me mates can say,
But if we chance to pass a town, all on a washing day,
The dirty brats of kids would shout, and quickly raise me dander,
Crying, “Mother quick, bring in the clothes, here comes an overlander.”
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.7 ] In town we drain the whiskey glass and go to see a play
We never think of being hard up, nor how to spend the day
We shear up to them pretty girls, who rig themselves with grandeur
And as long as we spend our cheque, my lads, they love the overlander
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander
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[ V.8 ] A little girl on Sydney side, said, “ Don’t leave me lonely “
I said, “ It's sad but my old prad has room for one man only ”
So now I must be jogging on, this pony she's a goer
We'll pick up a job with a crawling mob along the Maranoa
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[ CHORUS ] So pass the bottle round, boys ,
don’t you leave it stand there
For tonight we'll drink the health of every overlander,
of every overlander
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