The Trees Have Now Gone

(album: The Smell Of Gum Leaves - 1984)

Why don't we go back to the sheep
And leave this old lady alone
We've pushed and we've pulled
We've killed and we've mauled
And there's nowhere to hide from the sun
Why do we take more than we need
What is this strange disease?
We turn everything we can see into money
Damn the earth, damn the sky, damn the seas

Why do we destroy so much life
When we're more than flesh on the bone
I jump in my truck, but I'm out o' luck
'Cause most of the trees have now gone

(Take the) girls for a pony ride, show them the brigalow
Like the hair on my face it was all over the place
Eighty odd years ago
(There's a) couple on the side of the road
And one's got some kind of grub
(There was) box and boonery, belah and black wallaby
Ask the old bloke down the pub
There was supple-jack and leopard wood
Myall, Wilga and it goes on
I jump in my truck, but I'm out o' luck
'Cause most of the trees have now gone
Most of the trees have now gone

(So why) don't we go back to the wool
Start keeping the whole world warm
We've dug and we've dirted
We've sprayed and we've squirted
And it all floats away in the storm
My life is just a flash in the dark, I know
And I'm just a victim of fate
Why was I born in this beautiful world
Why was I born too late
To walk in the virgin bushland
Put damper and billy on
I jump in my truck, but I'm out o' luck
'Cause most of the trees are now gone
Most of the trees have now gone