Gary Shearston Basic Wage Dream Lyrics

Basic Wage Dream Lyrics

I dreamed a doctor told a judge

From the arbitration court

That he
would only live to preside

On one more case then fought

The judge
who's conscience was ill at ease

Thought if this case will be my last

To hand down a fair decison

Might make up for my unjust past



The next case that was to come before

This very worried sage

Was
a request a-raised by fifty-two bob

The weekly basic wage

The old
chap granted the raise in full

And to ensure his  place in heaven

Made the payments retrospective

To nineteen hundred and seven



On the first payday after the trial

I couldn't believe my
luck

The paymaster brought my wages out

On a forklift truck

I
dreamed we got paid on a Friday

And on that lovely night

Mayne
Nickless sent an armoured car

To get me home alright



On the
way we stopped at the RSL

And as I walked inside

A poker machine
took a look at me pay

And committed suicide

I turned around when I
heard a man

Behind me softly speak

It was doctor Coombe tryin' to
borrow a quid

To see him through the week



Then the alarm
went off and I recall

As I was wakin' up

How people dream they saw
the horse

That won the Melbourne Cup

They can never remember what
number it was

Well my dream was just the same

'Cause I can't for
the very life of me

Remember that judge's name