The Batsman

Born at the edge of the hills where the river rolls out onto the plains
Well it's not much more than the creek now, but you shoulda seen it after the rains
Just another dirty kid with a stick on a dirt track under the dusty sky
Eating sandwiches on the front porch, with snot in his nose and a fire-

Yes a fire, a fire, a fire, a fire
The boy had a fire in his pale blue eyes

Stay out until the darkness falls and the cooking smells call you in
And your mother says "Boy what's all that dirt on your face and what's that cut on your chin?"
And his cricket bat was like a cherry tree and he laid it gently down
Like a new born baby, "Dad, I'm gonna be the best ever batsman in this town"

He had a fire, a fire, a fire, a fire
The boy had a fire in his pale blue eyes

In 1989 they said he was the best there'd ever been
He was a brawler at the end of the day in the club and a gentleman on the green
He showed those Pakis, those Poms, those Blackies how a real Australian do's
They'd bend their backs and he'd send them right back and he'd help himself to a few

He had a fire, a fire, a fire, a fire
The boy had a fire in his pale blue eyes

And the newspapers said he's gone too far this time, dis-reputing the game
The cops found him naked on the steps of the church trying to hit his balls for six with his dick in the rain
And his wife said "Come on now, tell me the truth, did you fuck that bitch in the papers?"
He said "Babe I love you, I always will, these people are trying to break us"

And She said "You're a liar, you're a liar, you're a liar, you're a liar
You're lying to me straight to my face with your pale blue eyes"

Now you can call me what you will, you can call me a liar, it doesn't hurt
I don't even care if you call me the greatest batsman on this earth
I don't even care if you tear all my pictures up, and never ever mention my name
I don't even care if you cry out the window of you car when I'm walking on my way

I'm just another dirty kid with a stick on a dirt track under the dusty sky
I'll just put another cherry on my cherry tree and the smoke gets in your eyes

I've got a fire, a fire, a fire, a fire
You gotta have a fire in your pale blue eyes