The rivers are dry across the land and the farmers fields have turned to sand
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'Cause the rain hasn't come for two years going on three
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The topsoil's gone with the hot north wind, the crops won't grow and rust set in
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And the cruel south wind of winter brought no relief
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And the old men in the public bar talk of floods and droughts before
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And as the night goes on the conversations die
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But the battlers don't give up, it's written on their hands
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And in their eye-eye-eye-eye-eyes, and the spirit of the land survives
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And on Saturday night in the Royal Hotel, Hank the Dutchman plays guitar
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He sings country and western favourites and requests
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It used to be his second job, a bit of a laugh for a couple of bob
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Now it's all he's got 'cause his crops all died from thirst
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Then he spent his savings on cattle and sheep, he got some credit, got in too deep
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But stock won't graze on pastures turned to salt
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And then he tried to get work as a travelling man selling Rawleighs products from the back of his van
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But the cockies all shop in town where things are cheap
|
|
And the old men in the public bar talk of floods and droughts before
|
And as the night goes on the conversations die
|
But the battlers don't give up, it's written on their hands
|
And in their eye-eye-eye-eye-eyes, and the spirit of the land survives
|
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The school's all rundown, the roofs rusted and the paint's peelin'
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The playground's just a dustbowl, not a spot of green
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The kids still kick their footballs sending dust clouds to the sun
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And it's good to know the drought can't spoil the fun
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Spirit Of The Land
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| Redgum |
