Evan Mathieson header

THE CASUALS

Lyrics and Music: Harry Robertson

Down way down in the big dry dock — concrete floor and walls of rock
Sit twenty-thousand tons of steel — on four-foot blocks beneath her keel
Waiting there for beauty care — from the men of the ship repair.

Chorus
Hurry quickly on your way,
There’s work in the dock for us today,
De didley I, dum do di day.

Down way down in the big dry dock — work me lads around the clock
Shipwright men and the fitting crew — welders and the dockers too
Fit and weld and scrape and clean — salty old hag becomes a queen.

Chorus

Down way down in the big dry dock — welders flash and hammers knock
Inside, outside, up and down — are working men of Brisbane town
Down aft where the rudder goes — the prop sticks out the parson’s nose.

Chorus

Down way down in the big dry dock — watch the boss and watch the clock
At the blocks beneath her keel — crouch beneath that roof of steel
Work left for a day or two — pay off for the casual crew.

Chorus

Down way down in the big dry dock — water flows in through the lock
Sailing on the morning tide — snobbish in her painted pride
Leaving men who made her trim — waiting for the next ship in.

Chorus

© Harry Robertson,
and subsequently ©1995 Mrs Rita Robertson, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
Registered with APRA-AMCOS   www.apra-amcos.com.au

Play the TrackClick to play the song

Track 8 "Harry’s Legacy” CD: Evan Mathieson: Vocals and acoustic guitar.