Listen for a moment lads And hear me tell my tale
How o'er the sea from England shore I was condemned to sail
The jury found me guilty, sir And said the judge, said he
"For life, Jim Jones, I sentence you Across the stormy sea"
But take my tip before you ship To join the iron gang
Don't be too gay in Botany Bay Or else you'll surely hang
"Or else you'll surely hang," says he "And after that, Jim Jones
High up upon the gallows tree The crows will pick your bones"
You'll have no chance for mischief there Remember what I say
They'll flog the poaching out of you Out there in Botany Bay
The waves were high upon the sea, the wind approached in gales
I'd rather drowned in misery Than gone to New South Wales
The waves were high upon the sea When the pirates came along
But the soldiers on our convict ship Were full five hundred strong
They opened fire and somehow drove That pirate ship away
I'd rather joined that pirate ship Than gone to Botany Bay
And one dark night, when everything Is quiet in the town
I'll kill you b******s one and all I'll gun the floggers down
I'll give them a little shot Remember what I say
They'll yet regret they sent Jim Jones In chains to Botany Bay
////
Now day and night and the irons clang And like poor galley slaves
Toil and toil, and when we die Must fill dishonored graves
By and by I'll break my chains iand to the bush I'll go
And you'll be dead behind me, John, when I get to Mexico
How o'er the sea from England shore I was condemned to sail
The jury found me guilty, sir And said the judge, said he
"For life, Jim Jones, I sentence you Across the stormy sea"
But take my tip before you ship To join the iron gang
Don't be too gay in Botany Bay Or else you'll surely hang
"Or else you'll surely hang," says he "And after that, Jim Jones
High up upon the gallows tree The crows will pick your bones"
You'll have no chance for mischief there Remember what I say
They'll flog the poaching out of you Out there in Botany Bay
The waves were high upon the sea, the wind approached in gales
I'd rather drowned in misery Than gone to New South Wales
The waves were high upon the sea When the pirates came along
But the soldiers on our convict ship Were full five hundred strong
They opened fire and somehow drove That pirate ship away
I'd rather joined that pirate ship Than gone to Botany Bay
And one dark night, when everything Is quiet in the town
I'll kill you b******s one and all I'll gun the floggers down
I'll give them a little shot Remember what I say
They'll yet regret they sent Jim Jones In chains to Botany Bay
////
Now day and night and the irons clang And like poor galley slaves
Toil and toil, and when we die Must fill dishonored graves
By and by I'll break my chains iand to the bush I'll go
And you'll be dead behind me, John, when I get to Mexico