​The Captain's Story

​My port was Hannibal Missouri
A quaint little town
On the Mississippi
The captain told his story
To Bluey and Curly
Over a beer one night

Why'd ya come to Australia
Curly had asked often
This time I'll tell you
A story I'm not proud of
I had a full life
After leaving home at 14

I was Captain of the ChrissyM
Been on the river for 10 years
We'd go south to Memphis
Up to Wisconsin in the summer
It was a good life for sure
Out in the mid-west

Old Man River flows fast
Must do 10 knots
Tom Finn was drunk
Fell in the river
His body got to New Orleans
In just over a week

I shot a pirate one day
They called it bloody murder
I sold the ChrissyM to Mallory
I was gone before dark
Headed west over the mountains
To San Francisco California

There was a ship leaving
In two days for Australia
I signed on as crew
But only to Sydney
That'd be my new home
They won't find me there

Sitting in a saloon
Pondering my future
Over whiskey and beer
I needed money fast
Only had 200 dollars
That wouldn't get me far

It was time to join the ship
Still didn't have a bankroll
Passing the First Union Bank
I checked my gun
Ten minutes later I got aboard
Five thousand dollars richer

Arriving in Sydney
I didn't like the place
People everywhere
Thieves on every corner
I headed south to Melbourne
Got as far as Albury

Bought the Mississippi Belle
For three thousand pound
That was 23 years ago
I'm a bloody Australian now
Will be until the day I die
Now go and get me a beer