Straight Ahead

D A7 D D A D Dave and I were travellin' through the top end, G A D November and the sun was pretty hot. A D We were somewhere on the road that led to Cooktown. E A At a not too busy quiet petrol stop. D A D An old man was workin' at the bowser. G A D He was brown and black from years out in the sun. G D A bent-up cigarette hung from his bottom lip, A D And his eyes still held a twinkle left for fun. D A D We filled our water tanks and got our diesel, G A D And was getting set to roll or just about. G D When a fancy kind of four wheel hit the driveway. A D And a pale faced southern tourist tumbled out. D A D The old man looked him over, said nothing. G A D Just filled his tanks and quietly moved, not fast. G D The flies were getting sticky and so friendly. A D That we wondered if the wet was gonna start. E Mhmm E B7 E The stranger asked about the road conditions. A B7 E I remember well just what the old man said. A E "How many miles to Cooktown?" asked the stranger. F# B7 E "Not miles, mate," said the old man, "straight ahead". E E D# D D A D And you realize the power of mother nature. G A D When you're just a tiny speck out on the plain. A D Land and sky where the road goes on forever, E A And you'd swear this land had never tasted rain. D A D You hope to hell you don’t have any trouble. G A D A breakdown in this place could hold you up. G D Then a mighty road train looms and you pull over, A D A busted tyre and rim there on the spot. D E Mhmm E B7 E Oh, you curse the heat and flies and change the tyre, A B7 E But you smile a bit and laugh inside your head. A E "How many miles to Cooktown?" asked the stranger, F# B7 E "Not miles, ey," said the old man, "straight ahead". E B7 E And I guess that just about sums up life's highway, A B7 E That ever-changing path we all must tread. A E "How many miles to Cooktown?" asked the stranger, F# B7 E "Not miles, mate," said the old man, "straight ahead". E