[Intro]
[Verse]
Well, the weather had been sultry for a fortnight s time or more
The shearers had been battling might and main
And some had got the century as never did before
And now all hands are waiting for the rain
[Verse]
The boss is getting rusty and the ringer s caving in
His bandaged wrist is aching with the pain
And every second man, I fear, is going to make it hot for him
Unless we get another fall of rain
[Instrumental]
[Verse]
Well, the sky is clouding over and the thunder s muttering loud
The clouds are driving eastward o er the plain
And I see the lightning flashing followed by an awful crash
And I hear the gentle patter of the rain
[Verse]
So, lads put on your stoppers and let us to the hut
We ll gather round and have a friendly game
And some are playing music and some play ante-up
And some are gazing outward at the rain
[Instrumental]
[Verse]
Well, now the rain is over, let the pressers spin their screws
Let the teamsters drive their wagons in again
And we ll block the classer s table by the way we push them through
Since now all hands are merry since the rain
[Verse]
And the boss won t be so rusty when the sheep have all been shorn
And the ringer s wrist won t ache so with the pain
Of pocketing a season s check for fifty pounds or more
And the second man will drive him hard again
[Verse]
So boss, bring out the bottle and we ll wet the final flock
For the shearers here may never meet again
And some may meet next season and some not even then
And some they will just vanish like the rain
