Bendigo

BENDIGO
Written, composed and sung by H. Dale, also by George Lingforth

Once there was a man,
And a wicked life he led,
And his wickedness 'most every one did know,
But now he's changed his plan,
All the wickedness has fled,
From the heart of one whom men call Bendigo.

Chorus

Oh, oh, Bendigo,
Why did you do so,
Why did you do so ?
Why did you live in sin so many years, and then
Mend all your wicked ways,
By singing hymns of praise,
And all your latter days shouting out Amen.

Chorus

There is a public-house,
Not far away,
Where I get two pennyworth of whisky hot, 
Come away, come away.

He used to drink and fight,
And he'd swear with all his might, 
For he walked with the devil hand in hand, 
But now he's changed his ways,
For he's singing hymns of praise, 
And he's spouting in the holy tea-pot band.

Chorus

I'm a member too, myself,
And I earn a tidy sum,
Tho' I don't think I'm religiously inclined, 
But I tell the sin I've seen,
And the sinner I have been,
Tho' one half of it is lies, but never mind.