The Convict Stain chords by Ted Egan
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Verse 1
(G major) Gradually, people began to
see themselves as Australians
rather than exiles from the other side
of the world.
Increasing protests saw the
end of the transportation system
to the eastern states in the 1850s,
but Western Australia,
desperately short of labour,
took convicts until 1868.
The longest surviving convict
died in 1938.
Far from being a badge of shame,
it's considered an absolute
bonus
to have a convict link
in one's ancestry. (D major) (G major)
Once upon a time out (C major) in Australi (G major) a,
we had to be so careful what we (D major) knew.
We couldn't (A major) have the tiny
(A minor) tots (D major) getting upset,
we (A major) couldn't have the breeding
who -who -who -who's (D major) -who.
No, we (G major) must not have the (C major) little
children (G major) worried that
Grandad might have
come out here in (C major) chains,
For that (A minor) grandma might have
(D major) been a scarlet (G major) harlot (E major)
(A minor) Transported (A major) to Aus (D major) tralia
for the (G major) gains,
I mean her (E major) pains
Transpor (A minor) ted (A major) to Aus (D major) tralia for the (G major) gains
We knew we must abstain
from re (C major) frains about the stain
That most dreadful (A major) blood of all,
the convict (D major) stain
Teach them (G major) of the kings and queens,
don't for (C major) get them might have been
Concen (A minor) trate on the in -betweens,
(D major) but not the (G major) convict stain (D major) (G major)
So we did not teach our
children (C major) any his (G major) tory
Other than of English kings and (D major) queens
Of (A minor) peasants as they dutifully
tugged their (D major) foreskins
And of (A major) Levites marauding the machines
Of (D major) the (G major) Romans as they (C major) came
and saw and (G major) conquered
The Dukes and Anglo -Saxons and the (C major) Celts
Of (A minor) the Huns and Picts and (D major) Goths
and the (G major) slippery slimy (E major) sloths
And the (A major) Boers who drank a
lager on the (D major) belts
Yes, we (G major) had to teach them
(C major) all about Cru (G major) saders
Who in the name of God had slain the (C major) wogs
Of (A minor) the Vikings who'd all
(D major) sailed off to Valhal (G major) la
(E major) And the (A major) pestilence of Napo
(D major) leon and the (G major) frogs
Yes, (E major) the (A minor) pestilence of Napo
(D major) leon and the (G major) frogs
We knew we must abstain
from re (C major) frains about the stain
That most (A major) dreadful blood of all,
the convict (D major) stain
Teach them (G major) of the kings and queens,
don't for (C major) get the might of beans
Concen (A minor) trate on the in (D major) -betweens,
but not the (G major) convict stain (D major) (G major)
But (D major) (G major) now, now, now, now, now,
now things are different
The time has come for us to
wield the (D major) whips
We'll have a (A minor) go, we'll give the
pawns (D major) some curry
Let's land (A major) -base them
with our quaint colonial grips
We've (D major) (G major) done an antibode (C major) deal for Teyvaji
(G major) We feel that we're like
finest midday (C major) swine
Selected (A minor) by the (D major) noblest English (G major) judges
Just (E major) put (A major) down to ma (D major) ture for a (G major) time
Just (E major) put (A minor) down to ma (D major) ture for a (G major) time
So should we still abstain
From re (C major) frains about the stain?
Was it (A major) really all that bad?
Was it a (D major) stain?
Who wants to (G major) know about
kings and queens
Or forget (C major) table mylophenes
And mediocre (A minor) in -betweens?
(D major) Let's hear it for the (G major) convict
stain! (D major)
(G major)
Uncaught, unfettered
(C major) Now we're (G major) free,
we'll show the world
Australia culturally
(D major) We're into (A minor) stubbies, tunes and thongs,
and (D major) esoteric songs
About (A major) chandering and the old Pacific Sea (D major)
(G major) Everyone's a (C major) pu tative first (G major) reader,
a comic background's
obviously a (C major) must
Every (A minor) one's great (D major) -grandma stole an (G major) apple,
(E major) a handker (A major) chief, a shilling or a (D major) crust
We'll fight (G major) to (C major) check through all the (G major) archives
of England, Ireland, Scotland and of (C major) Wales
To (A minor) learn about the (D major) various situ (G major) ations
that (E major) caused (A major) our ancestors
(D major) to leave their (G major) reigns
That (E major) caused (A major) our ancestors
(D major) to leave their (G major) reigns
So join with me in (C major) singing this refrain
We've for (A major) given Mother
England for all the (D major) pain
The Union (G major) Jack still waves on high
for English (C major) knighthood
We still buy our patron (A minor) saints at Charles
and (D major) die despite the (G major) convicts'
stain. (A minor) (D major) (G major) (D major) (G major)
The Convict Stain
Ted Egan
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