Grandfather Johnson (1996 - Remaster)-Slim Dusty

[00:00.00]Friends most of my bush ballards are based on true stories [00:04.92]I'd like to sing for you now [00:06.86]A story that is one hundred percent true [00:09.68]Because I know the family [00:11.39]That grandfather Johnson lived with [00:14.11]And like most bush ballards and story songs [00:17.10]These ballards explain themselves as they move along [00:21.32]Here is the true story of Grandfather Johnson [00:24.56] [00:31.35]Grandfather Johnson was an old blackman [00:35.83]From a real proud race of men [00:41.23]When he was a child he heard them tell of butchers creek [00:46.02]And the story was old even then [00:51.11]How the white man came and took over the land [00:56.18]And the blood of the blackman mixed with white [01:01.57]But grandfather Johnson was a fullblood man [01:06.95]Proud of his people and their rights [01:11.67]Now grandfather Johnson was a tribal man [01:16.83]He knew all the old hunting ways [01:21.62]He knew how to wield the nulla throw the killer boomerang [01:26.75]And he'd entertain the tourists everyday [01:31.94]And grandfather Johnson had a brand new suit [01:36.98]A new hat for his snowy headed crown [01:41.95]But whenever the tourists where about to arrive [01:47.07]He would change into his old hand me downs [01:52.12]When I asked him the reason he said son you ought to know [01:57.27]My old working clothes look better for the part [02:02.08]I'm just old grandfather Johnson making boomerangs for sale [02:07.52]I'd lose business if I went around looking smart [02:12.54]So he sold them boomerangs and taught them to throw [02:17.69]And they bragged for months of seeing the real thing [02:22.82]When they'd gone grandpa dressed up [02:25.63]Took his money from a bag [02:28.17]And smiled as he paid cash for a new gold ring [02:32.03] [02:38.27]He would always bail me up when we met in town [02:43.38]And he'd bite me for some money or a smoke [02:48.08]Oh but I can't forget the day I had to tell grandfather [02:53.71]I was sorry but I was stoney broke [02:58.67]He just nodded and emptied out his pockets [03:04.10]The notes and the silver flowed apace [03:08.91]With a twinkle in his eye he shoved the money in my hand [03:14.28]And laughed at the look upon my face [03:22.12]Well grandfather Johnson died one year on walkabout [03:27.03]In a strange land alone in the dark [03:32.56]No one new his name or knew from where he came [03:37.23]They just found him dead one morning in the park [03:41.99]And they buried grandpa Johnson as a pauper [03:47.09]It was months and months before I even new [03:52.13]I gave his money to the hungry clothes to the poor [03:57.53]And his story I'm giving to you [04:02.41]And his story I'm giving to you [04:09.78]