Call of the Bellbird

I've been a wayward wanderer, but found I like to rest

In a home up in the mountain, the place I love the best.

I'd wander to the City in search of gayer times

But now I am returning to my home up in the pines.

So ring your bell, bellbird, you're calling me back home

To my home up in the mountains no more will I roam

For there will be contentment, and my heart will be at ease

Where the bellbird's call at evening floats on the mountain breeze.

So ring your bell, bellbird, you're calling me back home

To my home up in the mountains no more will I roam

For there will be contentment, and my heart will be at ease

Where the bellbird's call at evening floats on the mountain breeze.

Ring ting-a-ring-a ring ting-a-ring-a bellbird

Ring ting-a-ring-a call me back home

Ring ting-a-ring-a ring ting-a-ring-a bellbird

Ring ting-a-ring-a call me back home

Ring ting-a-ring-a call me back home

You make talk of your whiskey

Your rum or your beer

There's something much better that's waiting us here

It sits by the fire beneath the gum-tree

Blackened and boiled and billy of tea

So fill up your tumblers high as you can

Don't you dare tell me it's not the best plan

You can let all your beer and your spirits run free

I'll stick to my darling old billy of tea

Then the fire I make and the water I get,

And corned beef and damper in order I set,

But I don't touch the grub, though so hungry I be -

I wait till I've brewed up a billy of tea

So fill up your tumblers high as you can

Don't you dare tell me it's not the best plan

You can let all your beer and your spirits go free

I'll stick to my darling old billy of tea

Here's a tale of a girl named matilda

A story, sad but true

Who fell in love with a swaggie

And the swagman loved her too

Not swaggie joe the swaggie

Had only his love to give

And he vowed when he married matilda

That he'd love her as long as he lived

Oh matilda went a walking

A-walking she did go

Yes matilda went a walking

As mrs swaggie joe

But the years they did not tally

And the story we are told

Is of the deep affection

As the swaggie joes grew old

And then one night they settled

Beside a river bed

Old joe woke up next morning

And found matilda dead

He buried there his loved one

Beneath an old gum tree

Then softly he said to his ?

My matilda now you'll be

And soon the other swaggies

Who walked the wallabies

Why they called their swags matilda

In matilda's memory

Oh matilda's still a-walkin

A walkin she still goes

Yes matilda's still a-walkin

With a thousand swaggie joes

I've been to cities

That never close down

From new york to rio

And old london town

But no matter how far

Or how wide I roam

I still call Australia home

I'm always travelling

I love being free

So I keep leaving

The sun and the sea

But my heart lies waiting over the foam

I still call Australia home

All the sons and daughters

Spinning round the world

Away from their families and friends

But as this world gets older

And colder, you know where your journey ends

Someday we'll all be together once more

When all the ships come back to the shore

You know I realise something

I've always known

I still australia

Still call australia

Still call australia home