Celebrating The Things That Make Australia Unique
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AUSTRALIAN SONGS
Botany Bay
On the 29th April 1770 a British ship named the Endeavour, under the command of Captain James Cook, anchored in what was later named Botany Bay. The first fleet Botany Bay on January 19, 1788 with eleven vessels. They carried about 730 convicts and 250 free settlers. Today Botany Bay is surrounded by the suburbs of Sydney.
This poem is written about a time when even a small crime could get you a sentence of seven years and shipped off to Australia as a convict. The poem talks about this in the first verse and finishes in the last verse with a warning to boys and girls (Dookies and Duchesses) not to steal or they'll wind up in Botany Bay.
This song was used in the comedy Little Jack Shepherd which played in London in 1885 and Melbourne, Victoria in 1886.
What the words mean
- A swell ~ a person who is well dressed. To cut a swell means to make a good impression.
See also the songs
Female Transport • Convict Maid • Jim Jones
Listen to the music
Convicts being transported
to Botany Bay say goodbye.
Farewell to Old England forever
Farewell to my old pals as well
Farewell to the well known Old Bailee
Where I once used to be such a swell
Where I once used to be such a swell.
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay.
There's the captain as is our commandeer,
There's bo'sun and all the ship's crew
There's first and the second class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts goes through
Knows what we poor convicts goes through.
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay.
'Taint leaving Old England we cares about,
'Taint 'cos we mispells wot we knows
But becos all we light finger'd gentry
Hop's around with a log on our toes.
Hop's around with a log on our toes.
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay.
Oh had I the wings of a turtle-dove,
I'd soar on my pinions so high,
Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love,
And in her sweet presence I'd die
And in her sweet presence I'd die.
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay.
Now all my young Dookies and Duchesses,
Take warning from what I've to say,
Mind all is your own as you touch-es-es,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay.
