The Trees Have Now Gone - John Williamson

Why don’t we go back to the sheep

And leave this old lady alone

We’ve pushed and we’ve pulled

We’ve killed and we’ve mauled

And there’s nowhere to hide from the sun

Why do we take more than we need

What is this strange disease?

We turn everything we can see into money

Damn the earth, damn the sky, damn the seas

Why do we destroy so much life

When we’re more than flesh on the bone

I jump in my truck, but I’m out o' luck

'Cause most of the trees have now gone

(Take the) girls for a pony ride, show them the brigalow

Like the hair on my face it was all over the place

Eighty odd years ago

(There's a) couple on the side of the road

And one’s got some kind of grub

(There was) box and boonery, belah and black wallaby

Ask the old bloke down the pub

There was supple-jack and leopard wood

Myall, Wilga and it goes on

I jump in my truck, but I’m out o' luck

'Cause most of the trees have now gone

Most of the trees have now gone

(So why) don’t we go back to the wool

Start keeping the whole world warm

We’ve dug and we’ve dirted

We’ve sprayed and we’ve squirted

And it all floats away in the storm

My life is just a flash in the dark, I know

And I’m just a victim of fate

Why was I born in this beautiful world

Why was I born too late

To walk in the virgin bushland

Put damper and billy on

I jump in my truck, but I’m out o' luck

'Cause most of the trees are now gone

Most of the trees have now gone