From the recording Bellbirds & Blackboys

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Lyrics

TEN YEARS IN COCKATOO
© 2007 Craig Stewart
Played in G with capo on 2nd Fret

INTRO D A D A D A
A D A D
I was born a convict’s son, back in 1835
A D A D
A boy from the bush on a squatter’s run, breakin’ horses to survive
A D
But then they sent my brother to the Maitland yards
A D
With a herd of cattle and a river in flood
A D
As we buried him deep I heard the boss man say
A D A D A D
At least we made the sale, anyway…

So I vowed to give ‘em a sale of the like they’ve never seen before
We drove seventy five horses south, but then we fell foul of the law
And now they’ve got me bound in iron chains
Starin’ down the barrel of a life in vain
At the age of twenty met the cat ‘o nine
A D A/C# D A/C#
As the judge stood up I broke down and cried, he said…

CHORUS
D E A E/G# F#m
Ten years in cockatoo, is all I’ll have to offer you
D E F#m
Now take this man for there’s a price to pay
D E
Ten long years I heard him say
A E/G# F#m
But I swear by God, they’ll regret the day
D E A D A D
They tried to throw old Thunderbolt away

You see Mary-Ann was my right hand man, and a woman to behold
She came walkabout just to bust me out, then we hit the Northern roads
Bail up for a wanted man,
I’ve got a price on my head and a gun in hand
But you’ll never know I couldn’t shoot ya down
A D A/C# D A/C#
‘Cos it’s me and you against the King & crown, that said ..

(CHORUS)
SOLO
F#m D A E F#m D A E

MIDDLE 8
D A
Well, six summers passed before one final act of shame
D A E
Shot down like a dog, the papers loudly claimed
D A
But hold ya tears, ‘cos it’s time to hear a few claims of mi’ own
D A
Ya see I stood right back & watched ‘em plant another man beneath mi’ stone
D A
And I’ll bet ya won’t hear mention of the twenty thousand pounds
D A D E A
Or a clipper bound, for California, down in Sydney Town, Oohhhhh

(CHORUS)

OUTRO
A D A D
I was born a convict’s son, back in 1835
A D A D A
A boy from the bush livin’ on the run, just tryin’ to survive …