Lyrics Pretty Bird Tree - Damien Dempsey, Pauline Scanlon

Pretty Bird Tree

Up here on the slopes and plains
In the town of Narrabri
On the banks of the Namoi river
'Neath the shade of the pretty bird tree
All my brother died, he died down there
Neath the willows oh so cool
Now he walks with our ancestors
Underneath the Kamillaroi moon
Namoi River
You’re home to me
I’ll sit with you 'neath the pretty bird tree
Early on in life I took to the booze
And drank away my dreams
I watched my life flow sadly by
Like teardrops down the drain
So I headed for the river, and became a river rat
I’d worn out all my welcomes
No place to lay my hat
Oh there was cranky Frankie and Jackie Brown
Boodie man Joe Creggy and me
Then we’d lie next day like poisoned dogs
All around the pretty bird tree
Namoi River
You’re home to me
I’ll sit with you 'neath the pretty bird tree
When the hallowing wind doth wane
On the Namoi late at night
You can hear the old ones singing
As they dance in the pale moon light
Oh there were many more names I can’t recall
But their faces I still see
Old Whisper Smith’s calm face appears
As I dream of the pretty bird tree
Namoi River
You’re home to me
I’ll sit with you 'neath the pretty bird tree
I’ll sit with you 'neath the pretty bird tree