Killing Floor Redgum

Joe spoke no English but he had a dream
And he saved up most of his pay
To bring his wife and six kids from Lebanon
And settle down here to stay

You could feel the prison of his loneliness
He wouldn't see them for years
He kept brandy behind the compressed air tanks
And he gulped it when the coast was clear

Nick the Greek collected tropical fish
Had to be a character too
Smuggled in piranha just to break the law
And he fed them on kangaroo

Bob's pride was his handlebar mustache
Said he still combed out sand
Pushed a tank through the Sahara desert
So they made him the leading hand

And the summer night shifts were long and cool
Charlie chain smoked cigars
David sweated in his speckled paint mask
As he gazed out at the stars

Crazy Charlie was a Yugoslav
His old straight eight Chevy could move
His ambition was to live on a hippie commune
When Dave told him about free love