Another fantstic song from the Rumjacks. Yes they do exist at: www.therumjacks.com.au
Based off the Gangs of New Holland version however i'm pretty sure the
Hung, Drawn and Portered version is pretty similar.
There is tremelo on some of the intro notes but i really couldn't be bothered
seeing as it's just a rough guide.
Have fun, Olly.
Melody for the Banjo/Mandonlin intro
Am G Em
e|---------------------5----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------5-6-5--8-----8--5----------------------------------------------|
G|----4-5----------------------7-5-4----------------------------------------|
D|-7------7-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Am G Am
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------5-6-5--5---------5---------------------------------------------|
G|----4-5-------------7-5-4-----7-5-4---------------------------------------|
D|-7------7-----------------7-----------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse
Am G Em
My Daddy he were just a boy when he walked outta school,
Am G Am
His Mammy said there’d soon be one more hungry mouth to fill,
Am G Em
He said ‘the learnin’ and the schoolin’ wurnae bad for them that could,
Am G Am
Tho’ I can read & write my bloody name & sign it where I should’,
Chorus
And he said..
Am G Em
‘If I had my time again, I know I’d be a learned man,
Am Em Am G Am
An artisan in high demand, a Doctor or a Teacher,
Am G Em
As sure as guns are made of iron, I were born a workin man,
Am Em Am G Am
I’d live & die right where I stand if I’d my time again’.
Verse
Am G Em
He went wide eyed down tae Johnny Brown, he were a big lad for his years,
Am G Am
And there he worked so long if he ever cried there’d be iron ore in his tears,
Am G Em
He’d tumble in of a Friday night a Haddie for yer tea,
Am G Am
And he’d sing to me their dirty songs & diddle me on his knee,
Chorus
And he’d sing..
Am G Em
‘If I had my time again, I know I’d be a rovin’ man,
Am Em Am G Am
I’d rove away to far Japan to court the Emperors daughter..’
Am G Em
As sure as guns are made of iron, I were born a workin man,
Am Em Am G Am
I’d live & die right where I stand if I’d my time again’.
Verse
Am G Em
With his mates he’d belt the plates on fleets of shining awe,
Am G Em
To carry all the well-to-do to golden foreign shores,
Am G Em
They all coughed themselves to an early grave half filled with bloody rain,
Am G Am
As the people sang ‘The Long Black Limousine’,
Chorus
We all sing!..
Am G Em
‘If I had my time again, I know I’d be a fightin’ man,
Am Em Am G Am
In far Malay or Vietnam, tho’ I am more a lover..’
Am G Em
As sure as guns are made of iron, I were born a workin man,
Am Em Am G Am
I’d live & die right where I stand if I’d my time again’.
