[Verse 1]
He sat there reminiscing in his favourite easy chair
An old retired drover with thinning snow-white hair
I listened to his stories as he talked of days gone by
Of droving mobs of cattle down the Tanami
[Pre-Chorus]
He told of sleeping in a swag just rolled out on the ground
And listening to the night calls, the stillness all around
[Chorus]
He said the sweetest music in the world was heard out on those plains
The tinkle of the horse bells and the clang of hobble chains
[Verse 2]
His thoughts meandered slowly down the stock routes of his mind
To a life and place and friendships he left so far behind
His poor old heart was aching and he wished he could go back
Just one more time a-droving down the Wave Hill track
[Pre-Chorus]
He told of riding night watch beneath the Southern Cross
And crooning to the cattle, just him and his old horse
[Chorus]
He said the sweetest music in the world was heard out on those plains
The tinkle of the horse bells and the clang of hobble chains
[Verse 3]
He spoke of the Strzelecki down South Australia way
And he reckoned that he'd ridden it a few times in his day
He said, "Us old-time drovers, we really did it tough
The days were hot, the nights were cold, and life was pretty rough"
[Pre-Chorus]
He told of eating bully beef and damper every night
And sitting round the campfire when the moon was big and bright
[Chorus]
He said the sweetest music in the world was heard out on those plains
The tinkle of the horse bells and the clang of hobble chains
[Tag]
The tinkle of the horse bells and the clang of hobble chains