[Chorus]
         G  C             G   C G 
Hold me now,   oh hold me now 
          Em C            D 
Til this hour   has gone around. 
         Bm                 Em C 
And I'm gone on the rising tide 
        G D                G  C G 
For to face  Van Diemen's Land.
[Verse]
               G  C             G   C G 
It's a bitter pill   I swallow here 
       Em C               D 
To be rent   from one so dear. 
                Bm                 Em C 
We fought for justice and not for gain 
               G D            G  C G 
But the magistrate  sent me away.
[Verse]
                    G  C                     G   C G 
Now the kings will rule   and the poor will toil 
                 Em C                    D 
And tear their hands   as they tear the soil. 
                Bm                   Em C 
But a day will come in this dawning age 
                 G D                  G  C G 
When an honest man   sees and honest wage.
[Chorus]
         G  C             G   C G 
Hold me now,   oh hold me now 
          Em C            D 
Til this hour   has gone around. 
         Bm                 Em C 
And I'm gone on the rising tide 
        G D                G  C G 
For to face  Van Diemen's Land.
[Verse]
                   G  C             G   C G 
Still the gunman rules   and widows pay 
           Em C              D 
A scarlet coat  now a black beret. 
                    Bm                 Em C 
They thought that blood and sacrifice 
               G D                  G  C G 
Could out of death   bring forth a life.
[Chorus]
         G  C             G   C G 
Hold me now,   oh hold me now 
          Em C            D 
Til this hour   has gone around. 
         Bm                 Em C 
And I'm gone on the rising tide 
        G D                G  C G 
For to face  Van Diemen's Land.