Am G C Em F G Am

[Verse 1]
Am                G
Ward 8 at the QE, somewhere down Woodville
Am                    Em
Smokey grey Thursday, take out your sword
Am                         C
Stewie was born, there was blood on the sheets
G                        E7
Doctor was drunk and the sister was bored


[Verse 2]
Am                      G
Home was a weatherboard housing trust unit
Am                         Em
A low cyclone fence with a sparse gravel drive
Am                     C
Dad was a truckie from Adelaide to Melbourne
G                        E7
Two trips a week just to keep them alive


[Verse 3]
Am                        G
First sentence for Stewie was going to school
Am                         Em
In prison grey trousers he walked in the yard
Am                         C
His Mum shed a tear at his vaselined pushback
G                     E7
Clutching a ruler his name on a card


[Chorus]
     Dm              Am         G          Am
Step forward Stewart Bedson the headmaster said
   G                      Am
It seemed like Stewie was always in strife
     Dm              Am         G          Am
Step forward Stewart Bedson the magistrate said
G                   F    E7   Am
This time 10 years, next time life

(Flute)
G C Em F G Am

[Verse 4]
Am         G
Grades 1-7 passed pretty quickly
Am                       Em
Detention and caning and one million lines
Am                      C
Stewie could write just enough to get by
G                         E7
Stewie could read all the shoplifting signs


[Verse 5]
Am                           G
There was a bond for a biro, a fine for some fags
Am                        Em
Another kids bike leading up to a car
Am                            C
Photographs, fingerprints and juvenile courthouse
G                       E7
A year in McNallies for going too far


[Chorus]
     Dm              Am         G          Am
Step forward Stewart Bedson the magistrate said
G                                 Am
Over pine panelled wood leant the face of the law
   Dm             Am        G            Am
We think you're a threat to property and justice
G                    F        E7   Am
3 years up the creek while we make sure


[Verse 6]
Am                       G
Robbery and violence and retaliation
Am                               Em
For beatings and bashings at the hands of the screws
Am                   C
Time in and time out time and again
G                         E7
Is this what they mean by paying your dues


[Verse 7]
Am                      G
Some people have plenty while others have none
Am                             Em
For the same working week seen year after year
Am                         C
Worked over by coppers for tipping the scales
G                       E7
Life wasn't meant to be easy


[Chorus]
     Dm              Am         G          Am
Step forward Stewart Bedson the magistrate said
G                                 Am
Over pine panelled wood leant the face of the law
   Dm             Am        G            Am
We think you're a threat to property and justice
G                    F        E7   Am
3 years up the creek while we make sure


[Verse 8]
Am                G
Ward 8 at the QE, somewhere down Woodville
Am                    Em
Smokey grey Thursday, take out your sword
Am                         C
Stewie was born, there was blood on the sheets
    G                                    Am11
the doctor was drunk and the sister was bored