Devil-May-Care

Words: Will H Ogilvie
Tune: Traditional (Villikins and his Dinah)



Well known on the border, tall, handsome and straight
A reckless hard liver, but true hearted mate
What his name was I'm not in position to swear,
But we called - and it suited him - Devil-may-care.

He was fond of the women, ah, that you may think,
Love, dancing and women go mostly with drink,
He had eyes for the dark ones and lips for the fair,
And a careless gay gallant was Devil-may-care.

But there came to our hero, as mostly to those
Who expect to go scatheless, a wound of love's woes,
An armful of roses and ruddy gold hair,
Set the love stars a-reeling for Devil-may-care.

At night in the camp where the tired cattle lay,
And the drovers keep double night watch till the day
The boss took the road on his ambling bay mare
And the girl in the moonlight met Devil-may-care.

They met and they parted, a kiss for a troth,
And the world seemed a fairyland built for them both,
When some late laggard passing caught sight of the mare,
And true-heart no longer met Devil-may-care.

They took her away for her good to the south,
With the rebel's wild kiss on the rosy child mouth
"Ah, why should I worry, it's only my share,
Goodbye and God bless you" said Devil-may-care.


A version of an Ogilvie poem. Collected by Ron Edwards from Jack Parveez in Charters Towers on 12 October, 1966.