A Word to Texas Jack
Slim Dusty Lyrics

Texas Jack, you are amusin', great Lord Harry, how I laughed,
I find you funny, Texas Jack. I laughed so hard I referred to Lord Harry.

When I seen your rig and saddle with its bulwarks fore-and-aft
I observed your horse and gear, which is equipped with protective barriers at the front and back.

Holy smoke! In such a saddle how the dickens can ya fall?
I am astounded that you could fall from that saddle. It seems so secure.

Why, I've seen a gal ride bareback with no bridle on at all!
I have witnessed a woman ride without a saddle or bridle, making your secure gear seem less impressive.

How I'd like to see a bushman use yer fixins, Texas Jack
I would like to see a skilled bushman utilize your gear, Texas Jack.

On the remnant of a saddle he can ride to hell and back
A skilled bushman can ride any horse using any old saddle they can find, even in difficult terrain.

Why, I've heard a mother cheerin' when her kid went tossin' by
I have heard a mother cheer as her child competently rode a bucking horse without any gear.

Ridin' bareback on a bucker that had murder in his eye
That child was riding a wild and dangerous horse that looked like it wanted to cause harm.

You may talk about your ridin' in the city, bold an' free
You might boast about your urban horseback riding, which requires less skill and encounters fewer obstacles.

Talk o' ridin' in the city, Texas Jack, but where'd you'd be
But, Texas Jack, where would you be when faced with a wild, bucking horse in rough terrain?

When the stock horse snorts an' bunches all 'is quarters in a hump
When a horse becomes nervous and hunches its back legs, preparing to buck and throw its rider.

And the saddle climbs a sapling, an' the horse-shoes split a stump?
And the saddle catches on a tree branch or shrub, causing the horse to stumble and break its horseshoes on a tree stump.

No, before you teach the natives you must ride without a fall
Before you can teach indigenous people how to ride horses, you must first learn to do so without falling off.

Up a gum or down a gully nigh as steep as any wall
You must be able to ride up steep hills and down deep valleys like a skilled bushman.

You must swim the roarin' Darling when the flood is at its height
You must be able to swim across the raging Darling River during a flood, which can threaten livestock and ranches in the area.

Bearin' down the stock an' stations to the Great Australian Bight
Being able to swim across the river during a flood is important because it can prevent livestock and ranches from being washed away to the ocean.

You can't count the bulls an' bisons that you copped with your lassoo
You may have caught many bulls and bisons with your lasso, but there is always room to learn from new challenges.

But a stout old Myall bullock perhaps could learn you somethin' new
However, a tough, older Myall bullock could still teach you something new and challenge your skills.

You had better make your will an' leave your papers neat an' trim
You should get your affairs in order and make a will before attempting to catch a Myall bullock so that your loved ones are cared for if something goes wrong.

Before you make arrangements for the lassooin' of him
Before you try to lasso the Myall bullock, make sure your legal and financial affairs are in order.

As you say you're death on Injuns! We've got somethin' in your line
As you claim to be skilled at fighting against Native Americans, we have similar challenges for you here in Australia.

If yer think your fightin's equal to the likes of Tommy Ryan
If you believe that your fighting skills are as good as Tommy Ryan's, then we have challenges that can test your mettle.

Take your carcass up to Queensland where the alligators chew
If you want to encounter a new and challenging opponent, go to Queensland, where alligators pose a threat.

And the carpet-snake is handy with his tail for a lassoo
Carpet snakes in Queensland can be dangerous as they can wrap their tails around their prey like a lasso.

Ride across the hazy regins where the lonely emus wail
Travel across the remote and foggy regions where emus call out in a haunting, mournful cry.

An' ye'll find the dark'll track yer while yer lookin' for his trail
In these regions, the darkness will follow you as you try to track the emus.

He can track yer without stoppin' for a thousand miles or more
The emu can track you continuously for thousands of miles without stopping.

Come again, and he will show yer where yer spat the year before
If you come back to the same region again, the emu will show you where you spit on the ground the year before.

But you'd best be mighty careful, you'll be sorry you came here
However, you should be extremely cautious, as you may regret coming to these challenging and dangerous regions.

When you're skewered to the fragments of your saddle with a spear
You could be fatally pierced with a spear while still attached to your broken saddle.

When the boomerang is sailin' in the air, then heaven help ya!
If a boomerang is flying through the air towards you, then you may need divine assistance.

It will cut yer head off goin', an' come back again and scalp ya!
A boomerang could decapitate you on its first pass and scalp you on its return pass.