THE BARBECUE SONG                   Eric Bogle
Key: G
Intro: G with Bluegrass hammer-ons

         G                            C         C/B   Am
When the summer sun is shining on New Zealand's happy land,
     D                                                    G
With countless fires and strange attires, and many solemn bands
                                 C        C/B   Am
Of sunburnt Kiwis watching their lunch go up in flames,   (blond Australians)
       D                                                        (bass run) Intro...    
By the smoke and the smell you can plainly tell that it's Barbie time  a - gain.


Chorus: (same tune)

When the Steaks are burning fiercely, when the smoke gets in your eyes,
When the snags all taste of fried toothpaste and your mouth is full of flies,
It's a national institution, it's New Zealand through and through,   (Australia)
So come on mate and grab your plate - lets have a Barbecue.

The Scots eat lots of Haggis, the French eat Snails and Frogs,
The Greeks go crackers over their Mousaka and the Chinese love hot-dogs,
The Welshmen love to have a Leek, the Irish love their stew,
But you just can't beat the half cooked meat at a Kiwi Barbecue.   (Aussie)


 Chorus


There's flies stuck to the Margarine, the bread has gone rock hard,
The kids are fighting and the Mossies are biting - Who forgot the Aerogard?
There's spiders in the lettuce and the beer is running out,  (bull-ants in the Eskie)
And what you saw in Mum's coleslaw you just don't think about.

Chorus


And when the Barbie's over, on your homeward way you wend -
With a queasy tummy on the family dunny many lonely hours you'll spend.
You might find yourself reflecting - as many often do -
Come rain or shine, that's the bloody last time that we'll have a Barbecue!

Chorus