The lyrics to Van Diemen’s Land are about a man describing life as a prisoner after being sent to Australia for an unknown crime. Van Diemen’s Land was the name that Europeans gave to the island to where criminals were deported.
The story surrounding Van Diemen’s Land was made into the 2009 film starring Oscar Redding as Alexander Pearce, a convict that leads an escape.
The chords are presented here in the key of C major. Use our chord converter to play the song in other keys.
Chord Converter
Our chord converter enables you to play this song in any key.
Poor Thomas Brown from Nenagh town, Jack Murphy and poor Joe
Were three determined poachers as the country well does know
By the keepers of the land, my boys, one night they were trepanned
And for fourteen years transported unto Van Dieman’s Land.
The first day that we landed upon that fatal shore
The planters came around us, there might be twenty-score
They ranked us off like horses, and they sold us out of hand
And they yoked us to the plough, brave boys, to plough Van Dieman’s Land.
The cottages we live in are built with sods of clay
We have rotten straw for bedding but we dare not say nay
Our cots we fence with firing and slumber when we can
To keep the wolves and tigers from us in Van Dieman’s Land.
Oft times when I do slumber I have a pleasant dream
With my sweet girl sitting near me close to a purling stream
I am roaming through old Ireland with my true love by the hand
But awaken broken-hearted upon Van Dieman’s Land.
God bless our wives and families, likewise that happy shore
That isle of sweet contentment which we ne’er shall see more
As for the wretched families, see them we seldom can
There are twenty men for one woman in Van Dieman’s Land.
But fourteen years is along time, that is our fatal doom
For nothing else but poaching for that is all we done
You would leave off both dog and gun and poaching, every man
If you knew the hardship that’s in Van Diemen’s Land.
Oh if I had a thousand pounds all laid out in my hand
I’d give it all for liberty if that i could command
Again to Ireland I’d return and be a happy man
And bid adieu to poaching and to Van Diemen’s Land.
Van Diemen’s Land
Van Diemen’s Land videos
Van Diemen’s Land lyrics and chords
Van Dieman’s Land lyrics and chords print version
Poor Thomas Brown from Nenagh town, Jack Murphy and poor Joe
Were three determined poachers as the country well does know
By the keepers of the land, my boys, one night they were trepanned
And for fourteen years transported unto Van Dieman’s Land.
The first day that we landed upon that fatal shore
The planters came around us, there might be twenty-score
They ranked us off like horses, and they sold us out of hand
And they yoked us to the plough, brave boys, to plough Van Diemen’s Land.
The cottages we live in are built with sods of clay
We have rotten straw for bedding but we dare not say nay
Our cots we fence with firing and slumber when we can
To keep the wolves and tigers from us in Van Diemen’s Land.
Oft times when I do slumber I have a pleasant dream
With my sweet girl sitting near me close to a purling stream
I am roaming through old Ireland with my true love by the hand
But awaken broken-hearted upon Van Diemen’s Land.
God bless our wives and families, likewise that happy shore
That isle of sweet contentment which we ne’er shall see more
As for the wretched families, see them we seldom can
There are twenty men for one woman in Van Diemen’s Land.
But fourteen years is along time, that is our fatal doom
For nothing else but poaching for that is all we done
You would leave off both dog and gun and poaching, every man
If you knew the hardship that’s in Van Diemen’s Land.
Oh if I had a thousand pounds all laid out in my hand
I’d give it all for liberty if that i could command
Again to Ireland I’d return and be a happy man
And bid adieu to poaching and to Van Diemen’s Land.
Van Diemen’s Land
Van Diemen’s Land videos
Van Diemen’s Land lyrics and chords
