Come and listen for a moment, lads And hear me tell my tale I was the sea from England I was condemned to sail
The jury said me guilty sir And said the judge, said he "For life, Jim Jones, I'm sending you Across the stormy sea
And take a tip before you ship To join the iron gang Don't get too gay in Botany Bay Or else you'll surely hang Or else you'll surely hang", says he "And after that Jim Jones From high above on the gallows tree The crows will pick your bones".
There's no time for mischief there Remember what i say My flog the poaching out of you Down there in Botany Bay.
And our ship was high upon the sea Some pirates came along But the soldiers on our convict ship Were full five hundred strong For they opened fire and somehow drove That pirate ship away I'd rather have joined that pirate ship Than gone to Botany Bay
Now it's day and night and the irons clang And like poor galley slaves We toil and toil, and when we die Must fill dishonored graves
But by and by I'll slip my chains Well, into the bush I'll go And I'll join the bravest rankers there Like Donohue and co
And some dark night, when everything Is silent in the town I'll kill those tyrants one and all I'll gun the floggers down I'll give the land a little shock Remember what I say They'll yet regret they've sent Jim Jones In chains to Botany Bay.