The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402   Message #4074802
Posted By: Stewie
08-Oct-20 - 08:06 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook
Subject: RE: Rise Up Mudcat Songbook - Australia
WHERE'S YOUR LICENCE
(Charles Thatcher - Tune 'The Cavalier')

The morning was fine,
The sun brightly did shine
The diggers were working away
When the inspector of traps
Said now my fine chaps
We'll go licence hunting today
Some went this way, some that
Some to Bendigo Flat
And a lot to the White Hills did tramp
Whilst others did bear
Up towards Golden Square
And the rest of them kept round the camp

Each turned his eye
To the holes close by
Expecting on some down to drop
But not one could they nail
For they'd give 'em leg bail
Diggers aren't often caught on the hop
The little word 'Joe'
That most of you know
Is a signal the traps are quite near
Made them all cut their sticks
And they hooked it like bricks
I believe you, my boys, no fear

Now a tall, ugly trap
He espied a young chap
Up the gully a-cutting like fun
So he quickly gave chase
But 'twas a hard race
For mind you, the digger could run
Down the hole he did pop
While the bobby up top
Says - 'just come up', shaking his staff
'Young man of the crown.
If yer wants me come down
For I'm not to be caught with such chaff'

Of course you'd have thought
The sly fox he'd have caught
By lugging him out of the hole
But this crusher no fear
Quite scorned the idea
Of burrowing the earth like a mole
But wiser by half
He put by his staff
And as onward he went sung he
'When a cove's down a drive
Whether dead or alive
He may stay there till doomsday for me'

Youtube clip

--Stewie.