The Ballad Of Queenie And Rover

paul kelly ( the ballad of ) queenie and rover Em G queenie was born on the banks of the D C great ord river , 1930 , maybe Em G D C her mother was black , her Daddy white Em G papa was a fine horse - breaker D C mama sang the songs of the old lawmakers Em G she used to hide young queenie in the bush D C and rub black charcoal all over her hair and her face Em G every time the police came around D C looking for any blond haired , brown skinned children Em G D C to round Em up and take Em on down town Em G D C shine on , shine on , immortal one , aha Em G D C shine on , shine on , immortal one , aha Em G rover was born in the desert , D C he lived out there til his mother died Em G D C then he moved around a lot from place to place Em G D C bedford downs , bow river , lissadel , wyndham Em G D C building fences , working as a stock man Em G then he had a series of dreams D C he started painting what he’d heard and he’d seen Em G C D rainbow serpent , krill krill , cyclone tracy , the killing fields Em G D C everything that lives and breathes Em G D C ride on , ride on , immortal one , aha Em G D C ride on , ride on , immortal one , aha Em G D C your story will always run Em G when rover and queenie were young D C they met out on new texas down station Em G D C she worked as a cook there for a long , long time Em G she said , hey , cowboy later on she said D C Em G D C nice boy , good worker , top rider , lucky one , that one Em G one day a mean horse ripped the scalp from his head D C she stitched him up with a boiled needle and thread Em G good as any doctor , they were friends ever after D C she said , i want to paint , " he said , ill teach ya Em G D C they died within months of each other Em G D C ride on , ride on , immortal one , aha Em G D C shine on , ride on , immortal one , aha Em G D C ride on , ride on , immortal one , aha Em G D C shine on , ride on , immortal one , aha Em G D C your story will always run , Em G always run , D C will always run Em G forever run , D C forever run , Em G forever run D C forever young , Em G D C Em forever young