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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
Alan of Australia Lyr Req: Van Diemen's Land (Christy Moore) (2) Lyr Add: VAN DIEMEN'S LAND 06 May 00


G'day,
There's a version in the DT, Click here.

And here's another version which might be closer to the Christy Moore version:-

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND

Me and three more went out one night
In the noble squire's park
We were hopin' we might get some game
The night bein' proven dark
It bein' our bad misfortune
They trepanned us with speed
And sent us down to Warwick gaol
Did cause our hearts to bleed.

Young men all be aware lest you be drawn into a snare
Young men all be aware lest you be drawn into a snare.

About the fifth of March me boys
At the bar we did appear
Like Job we stood with patience
Our sentence to hear there
But bein' old poachers standin'
Our case it did go hard
Our sentence was for fourteen years
Straightway bein' sent on board.

The ship that bore us from the shore
The Speedwell was her name
For full five months and onwards
We ploughed the ragin' main
We saw no land nor harbour
I tell you it's no lie
All around us one black ocean
Above us one blue sky.

About the fifth of August
It's then we made the land
At five o'clock next mornin'
They tied us hand to hand
To see our fellow sufferers
Filled me heart with woe
There's some chained to the harrow
And others to the plough.

To see our fellow sufferers
It filled me heart with care
For they'd leathern smocks and linsey shirts
Their feet and hands were bare
They tied them up two by two
Like horses in a dray
The driver he stood over them
With his Malacca cane.

They took me down to Sydney town
Without no more delay
Where a merchant he did purchase me
His bookkeeper to be
Unlike me occupation
Me master served me well
Me joy was without measure
The truth to you I'll tell.

There was a female servant
Rosanna was her name
For sixteen years a convict was
From Wolverhampton came
She often told her tale of love
When she was young at home
But now it's rattlin' of her chains
In a foreign land to roam.

Come all you wild and reckless youths
That listen unto me
Mark you well the story that I tell
Guard your destiny
It's all about transported lads
As you must understand
The hardships we did undergo
Goin' to Van Diemen's land.

Cheers,
Alan


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