Bush Telegraph chords by John Williamson

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

Verse:
          E                               A
There's a rumour of a gold strike to the south of Ballarat,
    B                                E
And someone stole some cattle at the back of Carly's Flat.
        E                            A
There's been a fight in Dinny Ryan's Bar in Ararat.
    B                          E
You heard it on the Bush Telegraph.


Verse:
E                                     A
Fat lambs brought a record price last week in Bendigo.
B                                   E
Tommy Bourke has been to Mass three Sundays in a row.
   E                               A
It used to take a family death or drought to make him go.
    B                          E
You heard it on the Bush Telegraph.

Chorus:
B                                    A                 E
Now, we don't need no fancy wires to get the message through,
B                              A                 E
Satellites or thing-a-ma-jigs whizzing round the moon,
    E                                 A
Or twenty feet of binder twine with a jam tin cut in half.
     B                          A    B     E
It's pure Australian magic, the Bush Telegraph


Verse:
E                                  A
Now Nora Reilly's daughter went to Melbourne for a spell.
       B                              E
After going out with Nicky Doyle it's prob'ly just as well.
E                                   A
Home's no place for a girl when her belly starts to swell.
    B                          E
You heard it on the Bush Telegraph.


Verse:
    E                           A
Now Andy Reagan's famous temper went off like a bomb
        B                                E
When he heard his only daughter Kate got married to a Pom.
    E                            A
His Siamese cat had kittens to a one-eyed Ginger Tom.
    B                          E
You heard it on the Bush Telegraph.


Chorus:
B                                    A                 E
Now, we don't need no fancy wires to get the message through,
B                              A                 E
Satellites or thing-a-ma-jigs whizzing round the moon,
    E                                 A
Or twenty feet of binder twine with a jam tin cut in half.
     B                          A    B     E
It's pure Australian magic, the Bush Telegraph



Interlude:
E         A   B         E
E         A   B         E


Verse:
    E                                  A
Now Hanrahan, God bless his soul, his chooks are off the lay.
   B                                  E
He always reckoned they were good for 15 eggs a day;
    E                           A
And mostly double yolkers, he'd give them all away.
    B                          E
You heard it on the Bush Telegraph.


Verse:
    E                                A
Who fronted at the court today, the judge won't let him drive
     B                           E
For clocking in at point 2 3 instead of point 0 5.
E                                  A
20 beers in two hours flat, won't keep a man alive.
       B                         E
You'll hear it on the Bush Telegraph.


Chorus:
B                                    A                 E
Now, we don't need no fancy wires to get the message through,
B                              A                 E
Satellites or thing-a-ma-jigs whizzing round the moon,
    E                                 A
Or twenty feet of binder twine with a jam tin cut in half.
     B                          A    B     E
It's pure Australian magic, the Bush Telegraph


Outro:
E         A   B         E
E         A
    B                          E
You heard it on the Bush Telegraph.
            B                         E   A   E
Yes, you'll hear it on the Bush Telegraph.