Sixteen Thousand Miles From Home

Unknown



Well I'm sixteen thousand miles from home, my heart is fairly aching
To think that I should humble so; to come out here stone-breaking.
On the road I took to Castlemaine I met a sub-contractor.
He eyed me and studied me as a parson or a doctor.
With me hooral looral tiddy falooral, tiddy falooral li do.

Now I told him I was out of work, I wanted some employment.
Said he "You do, you stink with scent, you've had to much enjoyment.
Go over onto yonder hill, get from that bloke a hammer,
And nine and six it is your pay - and mind you now, use good grammar!"
With me hooral looral tiddy falooral, tiddy falooral li do.

So I battered and whacked the whole of the day, at evening I grew spiteful
With the sight - I didn't know what to do, I hadn't broke my hatful.
Just then the boss he came along, said he, "You'll have to alter,
You'll be getting no run of the store, by God, you haven't earned your salt, Sir!"
With me hooral looral tiddy falooral, tiddy falooral li do.

So I chucked my hammer down on the heap, with that I did consider.
Well, I knocked the dust from off my boots and I battered my old black beaver.
Bad luck then to my mum and dad, they reared me up so lazy,
With a silver spoon I'm a regular loon; with hunger I'm very near crazy!
With me hooral looral tiddy falooral, tiddy falooral li do.

Well I'll go and join the army, I'll go and enlist the rifle
And if I get shot I'll forget the lot, all hunger and all trifle!
With me hooral looral tiddy falooral, tiddy falooral li do.


From John Meredith's Penguin Australian Folk Song Book.