ps. both have been posted in the Mudcat Australia/NZ Songbook

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THE ROBOT SHEARER, by Alan Foster - tune Ryebuck Shearer

video - Ryebuck Shearer sung by Ted Egan

Based on the Australian traditional song "Ryebuck Shearer" and inspired by the fact that a robot has been invented which is supposed to shear sheep.

I come from a factory and my name is F.R.E.D.
With bolts in my guts and chips in my head
My atomic reactor is safely lined with lead
And of course I'm a Robot Shearer.

CHORUS: If I don't shear a tally before I go
My microchips I will surely blow
And straight back to the factory I'll go
To reprogram the Robot Shearer.

Well the acronym F.R.E.D. is not very nice
Ridiculous Electronic Device
What the F stands for you'll not have to guess twice
And they call me the Robot Shearer.

Well the ringer he's a great big red headed lug
He said, "I'll beat this bionic mug"
But he only won 'cause he pulled my plug
And disabled the Robot Shearer.

There's a long haired bloke by the name of Clyde
What he said about me well it wounded my pride
When last seen he was wearing short back and sides
That's one for the Robot Shearer.

It happened one day while shearing a ram
With the delicate touch of my metallic hand
That it didn't quite work out the way I planned
He'll not forget the Robot Shearer.

Whether wool or flesh I can hardly guess
So the sheep often leave in a state of distress
I once heard someone say that I was RS
Which of course stands for Robot Shearer.

LAST CHORUS: If I don't shear a tally before I go
My microchips I will surely blow
And straight back to the factory I'll go
To recycle the Robot Shearer.