| C | D | G | G |
[Verse 1]
G C D D
The muscles in these arms have gone weak now,
C D G G
they wouldn't hold a horse anymore.
C D G C G/B
But, girl, these hands were there when history formed its pages,
Am C D G G
back when this country was still ragged, rough and raw.
[Verse 2]
C D G G
Yes, I've sat tight on the best, my girl,
C D G G
back when the fire of youth be proudly in my breast,
C G/B Am G G
back when this body, now broken, down and useless,
C D G G
could ride all day and ring it with the best.
[Verse 3]
C D G G
Girl, I was droving on the Birdsville Track,
C D G G
when instinct was a man's only guide,
C G/B Am G G
where if you lost your bearings, the sand hills claimed your carcas
C D G G
when the sun had played the life of your hide.
[Chorus]
G C D Am
I thank you, girl, for list'nin' to this broken ringer's ravings,
C D G G
another sunrise, girl, I'll never know.
C D G C G/B
My mind is projecting a film of years long gone
Am C D G G
and I'm watching now my last picture show.
[Verse 4]
C D G G
Once again I see the blackened quart pots boiling,
C D G G
I can taste again the strong black billy tea,
C G/B Am G G
taste the damper from the ashes, smell the rib bones on the coal,
C D G G
see the saddle 'neath the tough old mulga tree.
[Verse 5]
C D G G
I can hear the cattle bellow and the cracking of the whips,
C D G G
again the harness jangles in these ears,
C G/B Am G G
I smell the smell of well oiled leather, feel the comfort of my swag,
C D G G
as my memory races back across the years.
[Verse 6]
C D G G
And there across the desert, a lonely team of camels,
C D G G
stretches slowly across the brightness of the sand.
C D G G
And there's old Gool Mohammad, Charlie and Gerard,
C D G G
nose leads hanging loosely in their hand.
[Verse 7]
C D G G
I can see the brumbies buckin', as Bob the breaker tries,
C D G G
once again to gain another working hack,
C G/B Am G G
and there's old "One-eyed Willie" the best tailor in the North,
C D G G
these were the men that made the great outback.
[End-Chorus]
G C D Am
So, I thank you girl for list'nin' to this broken ringer's ravings,
C D G G
there's no regrets, in fact I'm glad to go.
C D G C G/B
Old ringers are a breed that your world doesn't need
Am C D D G G
and I'll be glad to do some skitin' with those mates from long ago.
C D G C G/B
There's no one left who knew me, girl, when I had you to smile upon,
Am C D G C G
I've lost all my identity, 'cause all my mates are gone.
