Young Australian soprano, Mirusia Louwerse, sings ‘Botany Bay’ (Andre Rieu Tour, Melbourne November 2008).
André Rieu & Mirusia performing “Botany Bay” Live in Melbourne.
Original lyrics Botany Bay:
Farewell to old England forever,
Farewell to my old pals as well,
Farewell to the well–known Old Bailey
Where once I used to look such a swell.
Chorus:
Singing too-ral, li-ooral, li-addity,
Singing too-ral, li-ooral, li-ay,
Singing too-ral, li-ooral, li-addity,
And we’re bound for Botany Bay.
There’s the captain as is our commander,
There’s the bo’sun and all the ship’s crew,
There’s the first– and the second–class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts go through.
‘Taint leaving old England we cares about,
‘Taint cos we mis-spells what we knows,
But because all we light–fingered gentry
Hops around with a log on our toes.
These seven long years I’ve been serving now
And seven long more have to stay,
All for bashing a bloke down our alley
And taking his ticker away.
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.
Now all my young Dookies and Duchesses,
Take warning from what I’ve to say:
Mind all is your own as you toucheses
Or you’ll find us in Botany Bay.