Old Man Drought

Hard hit by drought in Queensland and all the neighbouring states
I learned how bad things really where from a couple of ringer mates.
And every word they told me I'd like you all to hear
The following stories told to me will give you some idea.
In the western town of Boulia conditions are so grim
The frogs are rising ten-year-old and haven't learned to swim
While waiting for the drought to break they're not contempt to lie
But climb and jump from the nearest
Tree in the hopes they'll learn to fly
There's a place called Heartbreak Corner so dry there are no tears
Lived a boundary rider and his son a lad of sixteen years
A raindrop smacked him on the brow he cleared out just because
And we caught him up at the ten mile bore, he didn't know what it was
And the further out the worse it gets it's well beyond a joke
So dry in fact they're smoking pipes they can't lick down a smoke
And sticky tape holds down the stamps on letters outward bound
The drought is on and men can't sweat in a dehydrated town
A city chap come to the bush to analyse the drought
At Bourke he asked a squatter how his stock where hanging out
Six years of drought how were his stock he'd drive this pest away
They were both alright when I seen 'em last and that was yesterday
Old man drought and searing heat take jokes from bad to worst
What a fool I'll look with this here song if the seasons in reverse
But the time will come when hungry stock can only chew their cud
It's a well know fact out in the west they seen all drought and flood