Hungry Years

A          G  D       A          G  D

D                                        A               G
Mama, mama, come and listen now and I’ll tell you what I saw
G                                 D
I was down by the railway gates – I was feeling bored
       G                     D
Then a goods train rolled up clickety-clack
G                      D
You say there ain’t no special in that
           A                    G      D
But it was crowded down, it was loaded down
     A               G        D
With men all wearing rags and frowns
       A                       G         D
And if you want to listen what I’ve been told
   A                G         D      G                    D
Tonight it’s on for young and old in our town, tonight in our town.

          G       D               G       D
Won’t you spare a smile, can’t you shed a tear
         A                   G                  D
In these sad times, in these bad times in these hungry years

     D                              A             G
Some say they are pickers, they are up for honest work
G                  D              A
Some they are just hard time men, a little bit down on their luck
   G                 D            G                   D
So why is it you are frowning dad, when I say they’re not that bad?
            A                     G    D
Oh they are tired men, they’re unhired men
     A                       G        D
They ain’t slept warm since who knows when
       A                      G           D
And if you want to listen, if you want to know,
     A              G            D        G                    D
It’s caution to the wind they’ll throw in our town, tonight in our town

          G       D               G       D
Won’t you spare a smile, can’t you shed a tear
         A                   G                  D
In these sad times, in these bad times in these hungry years

D                     A            G
We are very many, and you are very few
    G             D                         A
And if we want to steal your girls – that’s just what we will do
            G                 D               G                  D
‘Cause you drove us from your cities, and you drove us from your trains
           A               G     D             A               G   D
And we are down and out in Ouyen town, and you know we are Mildura-bound
       A                   G        D
And if you want to listen, use your brains,
A                   G         D         G                   D
You’d better let us join your train and leave this town – I hate your town

          G       D               G       D
Won’t you spare a smile, can’t you shed a tear
         A                   G                  D
In these sad times, in these bad times in these hungry years