Tiger Davis Queensland Ringer

There was a Ringer in the Basalt, Tiger Davis was his name As an acrobatic stockman, he was gifted with some fame On the station quite a hero, but a maniac in town He didn't win too many, but a fighter of renown In the Pub he'd get a skinful, then look around the bar While anyone would do him, preferred bigger ones by far Come up with some great wisdom, like, what yer looking at If you said, aint got no label on, then he'd take off his hat I remember seeing him one day, Picnic Races at Oak Park Wouldn't say that he was full, but sure did have a spark He was drinking in the canvas booth, when a sideshow bloke came in Tiger looked straight at him, with a crooked wicked grin What yer looking at, the standard greeting that he gave At this point you could fight or run, very few did cave They got to scrapping on the floor, neither could stand well Fights like a Ringer, Showman said, can someone ring the bell The Barman brought a water jug, to douse and cool them down What he forgot and made it fun, was the lip around the crown The water flew up to the lip, flew backwards from the rim The scrappers they died laughing , the soaked Barman looking grim They stopped the fight, went to the bar, imbibed some more cold beer They were the best of friends by now, that was very clear That's how it was in days gone by, a grudge was surely quelled When the blue was over, animosity expelled 'Ringer', is the Australian name for a Cowboy in Queensland. True story I was there, I also was a Ringer, in my younger days. 'Picnic Races' are a gathering on a Station or Outback town. 'Oak Park' was the name of a cattle property, in the isolated north of Australia. The races would be held over one day, but the celebrations and gathering would last a week or more. The 'Booth' was a canvas tent, used as the bar.