All My Mates Are Gone

| C | D | G | G | G C D D The muscles in these arms have gone weak now, C D G G they wouldn't hold a horse anymore. C D G C G/B But, girl, these hands were there when history formed its pages, Am C D G G back when this country was still ragged, rough and raw. C D G G Yes, I've sat tight on the best, my girl, C D G G back when the fire of youth be proudly in my breast, C G/B Am G G back when this body, now broken, down and useless, C D G G could ride all day and ring it with the best. C D G G Girl, I was droving on the Birdsville Track, C D G G when instinct was a man's only guide, C G/B Am G G where if you lost your bearings, the sand hills claimed your carcas C D G G when the sun had played the life of your hide. G C D Am I thank you, girl, for list'nin' to this broken ringer's ravings, C D G G another sunrise, girl, I'll never know. C D G C G/B My mind is projecting a film of years long gone Am C D G G and I'm watching now my last picture show. C D G G Once again I see the blackened quart pots boiling, C D G G I can taste again the strong black billy tea, C G/B Am G G taste the damper from the ashes, smell the rib bones on the coal, C D G G see the saddle 'neath the tough old mulga tree. C D G G I can hear the cattle bellow and the cracking of the whips, C D G G again the harness jangles in these ears, C G/B Am G G I smell the smell of well oiled leather, feel the comfort of my swag, C D G G as my memory races back across the years. C D G G And there across the desert, a lonely team of camels, C D G G stretches slowly across the brightness of the sand. C D G G And there's old Gool Mohammad, Charlie and Gerard, C D G G nose leads hanging loosely in their hand. C D G G I can see the brumbies buckin', as Bob the breaker tries, C D G G once again to gain another working hack, C G/B Am G G and there's old "One-eyed Willie" the best tailor in the North, C D G G these were the men that made the great outback. End-Chorus G C D Am So, I thank you girl for list'nin' to this broken ringer's ravings, C D G G there's no regrets, in fact I'm glad to go. C D G C G/B Old ringers are a breed that your world doesn't need Am C D D G G and I'll be glad to do some skitin' with those mates from long ago. C D G C G/B There's no one left who knew me, girl, when I had you to smile upon, Am C D G C G I've lost all my identity, 'cause all my mates are gone.